Objective: Know the Proper terms to use

when talking about horses. Be able to recognize some of the

different color patterns of horses.

Roles of Vet Tech in Equine Industry 1) Assist in

Diagnosis/Treatment of: -Respiratory Diseases -Digestive Diseases/Colic Lameness Reproductive Diseases 2) Assist with pre and

post op surgery in the clinic and field

3)Assist with pre-breeding exams (mares and stallion)

4) Coggins 5) Heard Health -vaccines Deworming/pasture

management Sanitation/ventilation Neonate care Nutrition 6)Research …and much more

Horse Terms

Anatomical Terms

terms

Drive horse harnes

Saddles English Western

Ferrier

Mare Female horse Usually after having an offspring.

Brood Mare Mare that is used strictly for

breeding

Stallion Male horse STUD

(Rig- cryptorchid)

Gelding Male horse castrated before

reaching sexual maturity

Colt Young male horse

Filly Young female horse

Foal Young Horse male or female

Jack Male donkey

Jennet (Jenny) Female donkey

Mule Offspring of a mare mated to a

jack

Hinny Offspring of a jenny mated to a

stallion

Zonie Offspring of a jenny mated to

zebra stallion

Zorse Offspring of a stallion zebra mated

to a mare

Hand Unit of measurement for horses A hand is equal to 4 inches. The height of a horse is

measured at the withers.

Light Horses Most horses, usually

riding breeds; small bones and thin legs

Above 14.2 hands 900 – 1200 lbs. AQH, Arabian,

Thoroughbreed, Morgan, Standarbreed,Tennessee walking….

Draft Horses

Was developed in Northern Europe as war horses

Above 16 hands 1,500 – 2,500 lbs Large bones and thick Percheron,

Clydesdale, Belgian

Pony A breed of horse

that is under 14.2 hands.

<800 lb. Welsh, Pony of

Americas, Shetland

Breed registries with color requirements Do not breed true American paint horse, Pinto,

Appaloosa,Palomino, Buckskin…

Horse Colors

Horse Colors Continued

Bay A brown,

chestnut or sorrel horse

Black lower legs mane and tail is bay

Black ‚“points“ May have

white on face and legs

Black

Completely black- muzzle, ears, flanks, main and tail

Appear bluish to violet in direct light

BrownAppearance of a black horse that looks brown Anywhere on the body during the year usually on the muzzle and flanks

Chestnut A brown

horse with a red hue

Sorrel

Brown horse with a dull red hue

The only breed that recognize this color is the AQHA

Gray The skin of

most of the horses is black

Flea bitten or Dapple

Paint A color breed, but is a

foundation of a stock type horse, ie- Thoroughbred, Quarter horse, no 5 gaited horses

Further breaks down into

color patterns

Overo- white does not go over horses back Tobiano- white comes up legs, and over

back

Piebald- black and white Shewbald- anything not black To make it more confusing- you can have a combo of both

Overo and Tobiano

Spotted and Blanket

Palomino

Golden in color with white, silver, or ivory mane and tail

Also a color breed. Quarter Horse

Pinto Similar to a paint,

BUT is all other breeds including 5 gaited horses and Q-horse and Thoroughbred

Color (pinto.org)

A Pinto horse must have four square inches of cumulative white in the qualifying zone and underlying pink skin. The requirement is modified with the size of the equine requiring only three square inches for ponies and two square inches for miniatures. Any Pinto that is registered with an approved outcross breed and has documented color on the outcross papers is eligible for registration.

The equines that do not meet the color requirement, but have at least two or more Pinto characteristics (blue eyes; leg white above the knee or hock; white or multi-colored hooves; collective white in the eligible zones, but not enough to qualify for color; pink skin) are registered Breeding Stock.

www.pinto.org

So- a horse can be a paint and pinto registered but a pinto would not be able to be a paint unless is a Quarter horse or Tbred

Dun Yellow than as the

main body color and the same black lower legs, mane and tail as a baby

Has a dorsal stripe

(washed out bay)

Buckskin Same color as a

Dun but does not have a dorsal stripe

(varation of a light bay)

White Born white,

remains white, pink skin

Roan - Red, Bay, or BlueBlue-Black with white hairs

Most Roans tend to have whitish body with solid color heads

Bay Roan Bay with white hairs

Strawberry or Red Roan Chestnut or Sorrel with white

fur

Brindle horse

Markings The accurate description of coat

color and white markings is the most common method used to identify horses. Although there is some regional or breed variation in the terminology used, the basic terminology is fairly standard.

Page 117 LACP

Markings Full Stocking ¾ Stocking ½ Stocking

Star

A star is any white marking on the forehead of the horse. A star can be small, large, regular or irregular in shape, in the center of the forehead or off to the left or right side of the forehead.

Stripe or Strip

A stripe or strip is a white marking on the bridge of the horse's nose, below the level of the eyes and above the level of the nostrils

Connected Star and Stripe

A star is often connected to a stripe and is described as a connected star and stripe.

A stripe or strip can be long, short, wide, narrow, centered on the face of the horse or off to the left or right side.

Snip A snip is any white

mark that is located between the nostrils of the horse.

A snip may be small, large, centered or extend into one or both nostrils. A snip is often connected to a stripe, and many times with a star and stripe.

Blaze A blaze is a wider

white marking that usually covers the region of a star, stripe and snip, but extends to the width of the bridge of the horse's nose.

Bald A bald face is a

very wide blaze that extends to and may cover the eyes, nostrils, and upper lip

Bald face with white extending to lower lip.

Heel.-Horses will commonly have a white marking that covers one or both heels.

Coronet.- White covering the coronary band or coronet

Half Pastern White extending approximately half way up the pastern

Pastern A white marking which includes the entire pastern.

Fetlock or Ankle A white marking that extends to and covers the fetlock.

Sock A white marking that extends half way up the front or rear cannon. Often called a Half Stocking

Stocking A white marking that extends from the coronet to the knee or hock

Identification

-Natural Markings -often difficult, a lot of horses look similar, scars

-BrandingHot- skin is burnt and hair doesn’t grow backFreeze- dry ice, or liquid nitrogen. Hair Grown back white. Often considered the more humane of the two

-MicrochipGoes in nuchal ligament. Need correct scanner to find chip

-Tattoo- - Lip or neckRace horses, Mustangs, Arabians, EIA

-Bloodtyping $-DNA testing $

Resources http://www.equusite.com/cgi-bin/di

ctionary/dictionary.cgi