4 - H H o r s e P r o j e c t M a n u a l - Horse Identification

Horse Identification
Equine
Terminology
Sex and Age

Breeding Terms

Horse Height

Some breeds of horses, regardless of their date of birth, change their age on
January 1st. Terms that are used to describe the sex and age of a horse
include:

Foal:

the offspring of horses, either male or female, up to one

year old, are called foals

Colt:

male offspring, up to four years old, or until gelded

Filly:

female offspring, up to four years old, or until the first

breeding

Mare:

mature female horse over four years of age, or younger if

bred

Yeld Mare:

mature female horse that has never given birth, barren

Stallion:

male horse, that has not been castrated (gelded)

Gelding:

male horse of any age that has been castrated

Yearling:

one year old up to two years old

Weanling:

a foal that has been weaned - no longer has access to its

mothers milk (usually at about four to six months of age)
- up to 1 year old

Aged:

any horse, any sex, over 9 or 10 years old

Dam:

a foals female parent

Sire:

a foals male parent

A horses height is expresses in hands. It is measured from the ground to

the highest point of the withers. Hand measurements are broken down in
inches, where one hand equals ten centimetres or four inches.

1 Hand = 4 inches (10 cm)

Therefore, to measure a horse, it will be necessary to convert any metric
measurements into inches. To convert from centimetres to inches multiply

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by 0.394. For example, a horse that measures 152 cm or 60 inches tall at
the withers will be 15 hands high.
152 cm x 0.394 = 60 in. = 15 hands
4 inches/hand
Incomplete hands are broken down using inches, so that if your horse is
148 cm tall it would be 14.2 hands (14 hands + 2 inches).

148 cm x 0.394

=
58 in.
= 14.2 hands
4 inches/hand

Horse Weight

Although a scale is the only precise measurement of weight, most people

do not have a scale large enough to weigh a horse. There are also weight
tapes for measuring the heart girth which
give an approximate weight OR you can
Weight of Horse Formula:
approximate the weight of a horse by
H2 x BL
measuring the heartgirth and length of the
330
horse from the chest to the rump, then
applying these measurements to the
formula:

Heartgirth X Heartgirth X Body Length

(Point of Shoulder to Point of Buttock) Measured in
inches /330 = Weight in Pounds

Points of Reference

When working around horses, the right side of the

horse is referred to as the far side or the off-side. The
left side of the horse is referred to as the near side.
Most activities (catching, mounting, saddling, leading,
etc.) are done from the near side (left side) of the
horse.
The back of the horse is referred to as the hindquarters or the haunches.
The hindquarters includes all parts behind and below the loin. The front
of the horse is referred to as the forehand.

Colours and
Markings

Horses come in many colours and with many different markings. Colours
and markings are a useful way to tell horses apart, or to identify horses
that are not known to you. They are also used on registration papers, the
Livestock Manifest (for transporting horses) and health papers.
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Colours and
Markings (continued)

When identifying the colour of a horse, the colour of the summer coat is used.
Different breeds associations describe coat colour differently. The colours of
horses and their corresponding descriptions are as follows:

Albino - An animal that has no pigment in its eyes, skin, hooves or body
hair. There are conflicting reports on albinism, some sources say there are no
such things as true albinos they are really white horses.

Appaloosa - Irregular spotting of black (or brown) and white, either over
the loin and hips or the entire body. The Appaloosa is a specific breed with
very clearly defined colour ranges. They may have mottled skin (pink and
black), striped hooves and may have a white sclera (white area around the iris
of the eyes). The mottled skin can be seen on the muzzle, around the eyes,
and under the tail. Similar colours can occur in other breeds of horses, but
when this occurs, the horse is called spotted.
Appaloosa Coat Patterns include:
Blanket - a solid or roan-coloured base coat, with a large, irregular
patch of white over the hindquarters.
Blanket with spots - like the blanket, but with scattered spots of
various sizes. The spots may be the same colour as the base coat.
Leopard - white base coat, with dark spots scattered over the body.
Roan or Frosted - differs from normal roan in that the mixture of
white hairs is not even throughout the coat. The coat often has
varnish marks, which are concentrations of darker hairs, usually found
on the flank, shoulder, neck and face.
Snowflake - dark base coat with white spots over the hindquarters and,
or body.
Solid or Solid with Regular Markings - may have mottled skin, white
sclera and striped hooves.

Bay - Body colour ranges from tan, to red, to reddish-brown. Mane and tail
are black. Lower legs and the tips of the ears are black.

Black - Body colour is true black without any light areas. Mane and tail are
black.

Brown - Body colour can be shades of brown or black with light areas at
the muzzle, eyes, flank, and, or inside the upper legs. Mane and tail are black
often the same colour as body and lower legs are black.

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Buckskin - Body colour yellowish or gold. Mane and tail are black or mixed.
Colour registries are Pinto,
Palomino and Buckskin.

Other markings can be the same as the dun but most have black on lower
legs and ear tips.

Chestnut/Sorrel - Body colour ranges from light copper to reddishbrown. Mane and tail are usually the same colour as the body, but may be
flaxen (straw yellow or dirty white colour caused by a mixture of dark hair in
with the white).
Appaloosa and Paint are
colour breeds.

Dun - Body colour is yellowish, brownish-reddish or gold. Mane, tail and

legs are a variation of body colour. The identifying mark is often the dorsal
stripe running down the spine and/or zebra stripes on legs and/or tranverse
stripes over withers.

Grey - Mixture of white and coloured hairs. They are usually born solid
coloured, or almost solid coloured, and become lighter with age. They always
have dark skin underlying the patches of white hair. Grey includes dappled
(variegated with round spots of white) and flea-bitten (small dark spots
sprinkled over an animals coat).

Grulla/Blue Dun - Body colour smokey or mouse coloured to dark grey

(not a mixture of coloured and white hairs, but rather each hair is mousecoloured). Usually with darker lower legs and dorsal stripe.

Palomino - Body colour is cream to golden yellow. Mane and tail are white.
Paint - Three of the recognized patterns are:
Overo - Colour over the back and on the legs and lots of white on the
head.
Tobiano - White over the back and up the legs and a normally marked
head.
Tovero - Display of both Overo and Tobiano characteristics.

Pinto - Body colour can be any colour combination with white.

Roan - Any coat colour mixed with white hairs. Common roans include
black roan (also known as blue roan), bay roan (black legs, mane and tail) and
red roan (has red colored mane, tail and legs).

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White - A true white horse is born white and remains white throughout its
life. A white horse has snow white hair, pink skin and normally brown eyes.

Markings

The following diagrams show the markings commonly found on the head
and legs of the horse, and the terms which are used to describe them.

Markings of the Head:

Star - a small white

mark on the forehead

Snip - a small white spot

on the nose.

A horse may have any combination

of the above five head markings.

Heel - white spot on

the bulb of the heel.

Distal Spots - white spots

on the coronet band.

Stripe - a narrow white

mark down the face
anywhere between eyes
and nostrils.

Blaze - a wide white mark

down the face from the
forehead down to the
nostrils.

Bald Face - a very broad

blaze - can extend out
around the eyes and
down to the upper lip
and around the nostrils
and, or past the eyes.

Coronet Heel or Half

Coronet - white spot or
partial coronet.

Coronet - white strip

covering the coronet
band.

Half Pastern - white

extends up halfway on
the pastern.

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Ankle/Pastern - white
extends from coronet to
and including the fetlock.

Half Stocking/Sock - white

to halfway up the cannon
bone.

Stocking - white up
to the hock or knee

Ermine - black or brown spots within the coronet band.

Bird Catcher Spots - dime sized white spots on a horses body.

Characteristics of
the Main Horse
Types

All horses fit into one of the five following body types. Each of these types
has specific characteristics which separate it from the next body type.
Muscling is one easily distinguishable feature. Well-defined muscling
should be a characteristic of all horses. Volume, length and definition of
muscling should be uniform from the front to the rear and from one side
to the other side of the horse. The length and volume of muscling that the
horse should possess is determined by the body type and the breed of the
horse.

Draft Type
Clydesdale, Shire, Belgian, Percheron etc.
Heavily muscled, large framed, large boned.
Used primarily for pulling and driving
Draft type horses require a greater volume of muscling compared to horses
with other body types because they are bred for strength and power. Thus,
volume of muscling is of greater importance than length of muscling.

Stock Type
Quarter Horse, Paint, Appaloosa etc.
Well-muscled, deep bodied.
Used primarily for short-distance racing, ranch work, trail riding,
roping, reining, cutting, pleasure and gymkhana events.
In the stock type horse, length and volume of muscling are of similar
importance. Volume of muscle is required for power and quick starts, while
length of muscling is required for speed and suppleness.

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Characteristics of
the Main Horse
Types (Continued)

Saddle (Gaited) Type

Tennessee Walker, American Saddlebred, Standardbred etc.
Longer muscled, longer neck and body, higher set arching neck, higher
tail carriage, often more animated movement.
Used primarily for pleasure, driving, endurance and trail.
This body type is among those with the least volume but the greatest length
of muscling. Length is needed for speed, endurance and suppleness in these
types of horses. Length of muscling is more important than volume of
muscling.

Sport Horse Type

Thoroughbred, Warmbloods, Hanoverian and Trakhener etc.
Larger, longer bodies, deeper heart girth and longer muscled.
Used primarily for racing, jumping, cross-country, three day eventing,
dressage, pleasure, and endurance.
This body type is another with the least volume but the greatest length of
muscling. Length is needed for speed, endurance and suppleness in these
types of horses. Length of muscling is more important than volume of
muscling.

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Pony Type
Welsh, Shetland Pony, etc.
14.2 hands or less, usually resemble stock type or saddle type breeds.
Generally shorter neck and body.
Used primarily for childrens mounts and driving.
These horses are primarily distinguished by their body height.

Breed Associations

There are approximately 20 pedigree breed associations in Canada that keep

registries of pure and part bred horses. These associations keep a stud book
of lineage (parentage) of individual animals of a breed. Their responsibility is
to ensure that the registered animal is the animal it is said to be. They achieve
this by issuing registration papers for individual animals whose lineage can be
traced through their stud book and through verification of parentage by
DNA samples.
Each breed registry uses breed specific information as to what they will
accept as a registered horse within their breed. This requires that both
parents can be traced through their stud book and certain criteria are met
regarding breeding, colour and size.
The registration papers require identification of the parents of the horse,
sketches or pictures and a description of the horse plus the horses colour
and markings and perhaps measurements.
In Canada, breed associations are regulated by the Animal Pedigree Act.
According to this Act, there can only be one registry per breed of animal in
Canada. The Animal Pedigree Act spells out the way that Canadian registries
keep records and do business, to ensure that animals are correctly identified
or registered. This differs from the U.S. and other countries where there is no
such regulation. In the U.S., for example, there are no restrictions on the
number of registries that can be established for each breed. There are also
some registries that maintain records for horses in which only one parent can
be traced through their stud book. Because they operate differently, it is
important for horse owners to know that Canadian Law does not apply to
foreign registries.
Colour registries are not regulated by the Animal Pedigree Act. These include
registries such as the Buckskin, Palomino and Pinto, where the animal is
registered strictly for its colour, with no maintenance of parentage records.

Registering Your
Horse

Each breed association has its own criteria for the registration of horses.
Therefore, it is important that you check the criteria of any association you
wish to register with, and ensure that you comply with their qualifications.
Most associations require DNA parent verification, photographs and a
registration fee.
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Transfer of
Ownership

It is the responsibility of the seller of a horse to complete the transfer

of ownership for registered horses. Therefore, if you sell a registered horse
to someone, you must complete the transfer forms and send them and the
fee to the Registry. Similarly, if you have purchased a horse that is registered,
the person you bought it from should fill out the forms and do the
paperwork to have the ownership transferred to your name. These terms
apply unless other arrangements have been made prior to, and stated in the
bill of sale. As the new owner you will need to make sure that this has been
done.

Tattoos

Individual horses can be marked and identified by a tattoo. A tattoo is made

by puncturing the skin and rubbing dye into the wound. They are put on the
inside of the horses upper lip. These tattoos are permanent and cannot be
removed. In general only horses that race are tattooed.

Breeds of Horses

Horses are categorized in many ways. Some are segregated as a separate

breed according to their lineage. Some are segregated according to their
colour.
In Europe, a classification is used whereby horses are referred to as cold
blooded, hot blooded and warm blooded. Cold blood refers to draft type
horses. Hot blooded is used to indicate horses that are Arabians or
Thoroughbreds. Warm blooded indicates a cross between a cold blood (draft
type) and a hot blood (Arabian or Thoroughbred). These classifications are
similar to Draft Horse, Light Horse and Sport Horse classifications that are
used in North America. The web site http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/
horses/ has a great listing of breeds throughout the world. Below are
descriptions of some common breeds.

Some popular breeds of horses are:

Appaloosa - The Appaloosa is descended from the Spanish horses bred by
the Nez Perce Indians and is quickly recognized by its unique colour pattern.
The Appaloosa may have the white sclera of the eye, the mottled skin and
the striping on the hooves. There also may be Appaloosas with solid body
colours.

Arabian - Bred by the Arabs to carry them swiftly over long distances with
a minimum of feed and water, the Arabian horse has an unsurpassed
reputation for soundness and stamina. The Arabian is a very attractive horse
with its distinctive, dished face and proud carriage. It is usually solid bay,
chestnut, black or grey in colour.

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Belgian- Belgians range in height from 16 to 18 hands and weigh 2000 to
2600 pounds. In North America they are predominately sorrel or blonde in
colour with flaxen to white manes and tails. Roan is the other common
colour. Originally developed in Belgium to meet agricultural draft needs,
the massive and powerful Belgians are known for their patience and
docility.

Canadian - A versatile horse exhibiting excellent conformation, working

ability and durability combined with a kind and willing temperament. The
Canadian measures between 14 h.h and 16 h.h.and weighs 1000 1400
pounds. They are usually black but can be brown, bay or chestnut.
Characteristics include a finely chiseled head, upright or arching back and
abundant wavy mane and tail. They are used for riding and driving.

Clydesdale - The lightest of the draft horse breeds is the Clydesdale. It

has been bred for style, power and action. The breed originated in Scotland
and averages 17 to 19 hands and 1800 to 2200 pounds. The Clydesdale is
usually bay or brown in colour with white markings on the legs, face and
body. The breed is recognized by the long silky hair, or feathering, that
covers its lower legs and down over its hooves. (The Shire breed also has
feathering).

Connemara - The Connemara originated in Ireland. This performance

pony is noted for its conformation, tremendous agility and jumping ability.
It is an excellent riding pony, possessing great strength, free-going
movement and superb balance. Spirited but sensible, courageous but kind,
it is an ideal mount for children and adults alike. This pony is
predominantly grey or dun in colour, but can be black, brown or bay and
occasionally chestnut or roan.

Fjord - The Fjord horse, from Norway, has a dark cream body colour and
a distinctive mane and tail which has black hairs down the middle and
silver around the outside. They measure 13 15 h.h. and weigh 1000 to
1400 pounds. Noted for its strength, soundness and quiet manner, it is
used for riding and driving.

Irish Draught The Irish Draught is a result of crossing

Thoroughbreds with Irish Farm Horses. They are noted for their strength
and substance, athletic ability, intelligence and kindness. Measuring 15
17 h. h. They are suitable for light draft, riding and driving. They may be
bay, brown, chestnut or gray.

Miniatures - Miniature horses are horses under 34 inches high (pure

miniatures are 32 inches and under)

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Breeds of Horses
(continued)

Morgan - The Morgan breed traces its beginnings back to a single stallion,
Figure (This horse was later renamed after its owner - Justin Morgan). This
stallion possessed extraordinary strength and speed. The breeds excellent
disposition makes it the choice for mounted police and patrol work. The
Morgan is compact and deep bodied, its legs are fine and strong and its head
is carried high on a thick crested neck. The Morgan is usually dark brown,
bay, chestnut or black in colour.

Paint - The Paint Horse is characterized by a two coloured coat consisting

of clearly defined areas of white and either black, red brown, chestnut, grey,
dun or roan. It is basically stock in type with Quarter Horse and/or
Thoroughbred parentage. Colour patterns vary in percentage of white to
coloured portions. They are a pedigree registry with colour specifics.

Paso - The Paso is distinguished by its natural, high stepping, four-beat

lateral gait. The gait, known as termino, gives the rider a very smooth ride.
They are tough, hardy and easy to handle. Weighing 900 to 1100 pounds,
they measure 14 15.2 h.h. They may be bay, chestnut, black, brown or gray.
This horse is ridden in all parts of South America, with the most widely
known type being the Peruvian Paso.

Percheron - The Percheron stands from 16 to 18 hands high, weighs

between 2000 and 2400 pounds and is usually black or grey in colour.
Imported from France, the Percheron is noted for its considerable knee and
hock actions and its unique walking style.

Quarter Horse - The Quarter Horse combines speed, agility, intelligence,

and excellent temperament and an inherent cow-sense, to earn a reputation
as the most popular breed of pleasure horse in the world. Developed in
North America, the Quarter Horse has a close-coupled and muscular
conformation and an attractive head with prominent jowls. It may be of any
solid colour, roan or gray.

Saddlebred - The Saddlebred was developed in Kentucky during the 19th

century by plantation owners, who were looking for a horse that provided a
comfortable ride for plantation work combined with a stylish eye-catching
action in harness. With its high head-carriage and high stepping action it is
extremely elegant. Although it is best known as a show horse, the Saddlebred
also makes a good general riding and driving horse.

Shetland - The Shetland Pony comes from the Shetland Islands off
Northern Scotland. It is thought to be descended from a dwarf Exmoor
type. At a maximum height of 10.2 hands it is the smallest of the native
breeds yet relative to its size it is the strongest pony in the world. Its size
makes it ideal for small children, though its headstrong and independent
character demands firm, kind, handling to keep it under control.
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Standardbred - Standardbred horses are used primarily for harness racing,
either as pacers (moving the front and hind legs of the same side, together)
or trotters (moving the front leg of one side at the same time as the hind leg
of the opposite side). They also make good pleasure and driving horses.

Tennessee Walker - The Tennessee Walking Horse is a gaited horse. It is

most distinguished by its running walk that is a four beat gait. This even gait
is fast and comfortable to ride.
Thoroughbred - The Thoroughbred horse has been bred for speed and
stamina. Its long-bodied, deep-chested, angular conformation enables it to
run long distances at a fast speed. All Thoroughbreds descended from
Arabian and Barb ancestors.

Warmbloods (Such as the Hanovarian, Oldenburg, Holstein,

Westphalian, Dutch Warmblood, Trakehner, etc.) Developed in
various parts of Europe, warmbloods are noted more for their strength than
their speed, hence the many successes in dressage and show jumping. They
were originally developed as all-purpose work horses. Warmbloods of all
breeds are known for their clean cut lines, strong well-muscled bodies and
well-formed hard hooves.

Welsh - The Welsh Pony is a compact, sturdy pony. They have arched necks
with short, but very strong, bodies. Strength, hardiness and agility combined
with a gentle temperament make it suitable for harness or riding. They are
categorized by these sections based on height:
Section A Welsh Mountain Pony less than 12 h.h. (smallest)
Section B - Welsh Pony 13 h.h. and under
Section C Welsh Pony of Cob type 13.2 h.h. and under
Section D Welsh Cob Over 13.2 h.h. (largest)

Hybrid Crosses

Hybrid crosses between horses and donkeys are popular for pack horses, trail
and pleasure riding. Hybrid crosses are sterile.

Mule - The mule is a cross between a Jack (male donkey) and a mare (female
horse).

Hinny - A hinny is a cross between a stallion (male horse) and a Jenny

(female donkey).

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