Equine Terminology - PATH Flashcards
Balanced Seat
The position of the mounted rider which requires the minimum of muscular effort to remain in the saddle and that interferes least with the horse’s movement and equilibrium.
Bight of the Reins
The bight of the reins (the connected end portion) is off the right side of the horse’s neck – underneath your right rein. Each hand will hold a single rein. This is similar to how you would see a jockey hold the reins. Again, the pinkies can be on the outside of the reins or on the inside, grasping like a fist.
The part of the reins passing between thumb and fingers and out the top of the hand.
Blemish
A defect that hurts an equine’s appearance but does not hurt its working ability (e.g., a scar).
Bolting
An animal breaking out of control or trying to run away.
Broke
- Tamed and trained to a particular function, as halter-broke. 2. To leave or alter gait (e.g., the trotter broke stride).
Canter or Lope
A three-beat gait in which the first and third beats are made by two legs striking the ground independently and the second beat is made by two limbs striking the ground simultaneously. In the left lead, the sequence of beats is (1) right hind leg, (2) left hind leg and right foreleg, and (3) left foreleg. The reverse applies for the right lead.
Cavesson
Headstall with a noseband (often quite large) used for exercising and training horse
Change of Lead
Change of leading leg at the canter
Cinch
Girth of a Western saddle
Cold-Backed
Describes a horse that humps its back and does not settle down until the saddle has been on a few minutes. Some “cold-backed” horses will merely tuck their tails and arch their backs when first mounted, but others will take a few crow hops until warmed up.
Collected Gait
Remaining on the bit, the horse moves forward with its neck raised and arched as a result of energetic impulsion. Lightness of forehand, engagement of hindquarters are called for. Shorter strides but lighter and more mobile.
Conformation
is the way a horse is put together, its physique. Good conformation is beautiful, but more important, it makes a horse able to work well and stay sound even with hard work. Conformation defects can make a horse weak in a particular part or they can just make a horse less handsome.
Counter Canter
A suppling movement deliberately asking for the opposite of a normal lead, such as right lead on a circle to the left
Crest Release
A way in which riders in the jumping position can maintain balance and control by placing each hand firmly on top other crest approximately one-third of the way up the horse’s neck
Crop
a riding whip with a short, straight stock and loop
Cross-Firing
A gait defect that occurs when the inside of the hind foot strikes the diagonal foreleg
Curb Bit
type of bit designed to exert a leverage type of action in the horse’s mouth
Direct Rein Steering
the direct rein puts pressure on the bit, directly back toward the rider. It works in opposition to the horses’ forward motion. The direct rein makes the horse shorten its stride for the turn, so it works best where you need more control or a tight turn
Dressage
A time-tested, methodical progression of exercises designed to increase a horse’s muscular capabilities and degree of suppleness, allowing it to perform increasingly difficult movements under saddle
Equine-assisted activities (EAA)
Treatments conducted by appropriately licensed medical professionals. PATH Intl. provides standards of professionalism and safety for all these EAAT professionals
Equitation
The act or art of riding horseback
Footfall Pattern
The sequence in which the legs move in a gait, such as the walk, trot or canter
Forehand
The front of the horse, including head, neck, shoulders, and forelegs; in other words, that portion of the horse in front of the center of gravity.
Forward Seat
Style of riding that permits the rider to sit closer to the forehand and permits adjustment of the center of gravity forward to negotiate obstacles and remove the weight (seat) from the saddle when necessary
Free Walk
A relaxed gait in which the horse is allowed complete freedom to stretch hour and lower its head and neck
Girth
the strap of webbing that holds the saddle in place
Half-Pass
A variation of travers, executed on the diagonal instead of along the wall. The horse, slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider, should be as close as possible parallel to the long sides of the arena, the forehand slightly in advance of the quarters
Hand Gallop
An extended canter, but the horse remains collected, unlike the flat-out run when the horse’s gait almost returns to a four-beat status
Head Carriage
Refers to the position in which the head and neck are carried relative to the parallel. An ideal head carriage should have the neck parallel to the ground to slightly above the parallel
Headset
refers to the amount of flexion at the poll. An ideal headset should be perpendicular to the ground to slightly forward of the vertical
Horse Leader
or horse handler is the person responsible for controlling the horse during an EAA lesson/session
Impulsion
Engagement of the hind legs and rounding of the back, allowing the horse to move forward with greater energy
Lateral Bend
refers to the horse’s ability to curve or “bend” its body from head to tail
Lateral Movement
Work on 2 tracks, in which the horse is bent uniformly from poll to tail and moves with the forehand and quarters on 2 different tracks. Shoulder-in, haunches-in (travers), haunches-out (renvers), and half-passes are lateral movements
Lead
the leading foot (leg) of a horse. When cantering circularly, the foot to the inner arc of the circle clockwise, a right foot lead; and counterclockwise, a left foot lead
Leg Yield
A suppling exercise designed to make a horse responsive to unilateral aids
Medium Gait
is between the collected and extended
Natural Aids
A part of your body. Each natural aid has a certain way of signaling the horse. There are 4 natural aids: 1) hands 2) voice 3) legs 4) weight(seat)
Nearside
The left side of the horse
Offside
The right side of the horse
Overreach
The hitting of the forefoot with the hind foot
