NASDHA Office
17420 US Hwy 20
Goshen, IN 46528
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Glossary of Equine Terms
Here is an alphabetical listing of helpful definitions of commonly used horse terms.
To suggest or submit an addition, please contact the Webmaster.
Allele: One of two alternate forms of a gene. A pair of alleles is responsible for a specific trait. For more information: Coat Color Genetics
Breeding Stock: The NASDHA Registration classification for horses that would have qualified for either Premium or Regular Registration but were born without the qualifying pinto coloring. For more information: NASDHA Rulebook
Coggins Test: A blood test used to detect Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). For more information: Equine Infectious Anemia
Colt: A young stallion aged 3 years or younger.
Congenital: Any condition acquired during development in the uterus and not through heredity.
Cryptorchid: A stallion with one or both testicles retained in the abdomen. For more information: Cryptorchidism in the Horse
Docked: A tail in which part of the dock (the solid/bone portion of the tail) has been removed. Generally seen in draft horses which are shown or worked. For more information: The Case of the 'Docked' Tail
EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia): Also known as 'swamp fever', EIA is a viral disease transmitted by horsesflies. There is no cure or vaccine. EIA is diagnosed with a Coggins Test. For more information: Equine Infectious Anemia
EPM (Equine Protozoal Myelitis): A neurological disorder caused by a protozoa which invades the spinal cord, causing a variety of symptoms attributed to nerve damage - stumbling, loss of coordination, muscle atrophy, etc. For more information: EPM
EPSM (Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy): A muscle wasting condition seen in Draft horses and other breeds. For more information: EPSM
Far Side: The right side of the horse. Also called the "off side".
Feathers/Feathering: The long hair that grows from the knee and hocks down, typical of horse with Clyde/Shire breeding.
Filly: A young female horse aged 3 years or younger.
Foal: A young, unweaned horse of either sex.
Gee: The teamster's term signaling a turn to the right.
Haw: The teamster's term signaling a turn to the left.
Heterozygous: Having dissimilar Alleles for a specific trait. For more information: Coat Color Genetics
Homozygous: Having identical Alleles for a specific trait. For more information: Coat Color Genetics
HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis): A genetic muscular disorder causing muscle weakness and tremors, sweating and difficulty in breathing. Can be traced back to the Quarter Horse stallion, "Impressive".
Inbreeding: Breeding together two animals who are closely related to one another. Compare to Linebreeding and Outcrossing. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding.
Index Registration: The NASDHA Registration classification for horses that do not qualify for Premium or Regular registration due to unverifiable pedigree or are less than 1/2 draft, but are going to be used to produce spotted draft horse foals. Index Registration is only for horses that are NOT registered with any other breed registry. For more information: NASDHA Rulebook
JEB (Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa): A genetic mutation that is carried in Belgian breeding that results in the defective production of a skin protein that holds the skin to the body. For more information: JEB
Lead Team/Leaders: The head team in a four, six or eight horse hitch.
Lethal White Syndrome: A genetic disorder that afflicts foals of primarily overo lineage. Foals are born all or mostly white, and the syndrome is always fatal. For more information: Lethal White Syndrome
Linebreeding: Breeding together two animals that are related to a lesser degree than Inbreeding, in an attempt to capture desirable characteristics. Compare to Inbreeding and Outcrossing. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding.
Maiden: A mare that has never been bred.
Mare: A mature female four years or older.
Near Side: The left side of a horse.
Off Side: The right side of a horse. Also called the "far side".
Open Bridle: Bridle without blinds or blinkers covering the eyes.
Outcrossing: Breeding two animals together that have no common ancestry. Compare to Inbreeding and Linebreeding. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding.
Overo: The pinto coat pattern having uneven/irregular splashes of white. For more info: Coat Patterns.
Piebald: A pinto horse or pony that is specifically black and white.
Pinto: The body coat pattern of a horse or pony having a dark background with random patches of white. The background can be any of the standard equine colors: black, bay, sorrel, palomino, etc. The white patches vary in shape and size and can be located almost anywhere on the body.
Points: The areas from the knees and hocks down, the mane and the tail. Typically used when referring to the black "points" on a bay or buckskin colored horse.
Point Team: The team in back of the lead team in an eight horse hitch.
Premium Registration: The NASDHA Registration classification referring to a horse that is 7/8 or more draft breeding and has the required pinto coloring. For more information: NASDHA Rulebook
Produce/Progeny: The offspring or descendants of one or both parents.
Regular Registration: The NASDHA Registration classification referring to a horse that is 1/2 to less than 7/8 draft breeding and has the required pinto coloring. For more information: NASDHA Rulebook
Scotch Collar: The decorative housing over the collar of a draft horse show harness.
Scratches (Pastern Dermatitis): A chronic skin condition found in the pastern area. For more information: Pastern Dermatitis in Horses
Skewbald: A pinto horse or pony that is any color other than black and white. Such as sorrel and white, bay and white, etc.
Stallion: A male horse four years old or over.
Swing Team: The middle-team in a six horse hitch, or the team in front of the wheel team in an eight horse hitch.
Tandem: Referring to a team of horses hitched with one horse directly in front of the other.
Tobiano: The pinto coat pattern having smooth/regular patches of white. For more info see Coat Patterns.
Tovero: The pinto coat pattern which is a combination of the tobiano and overo patterns. For more info see Coat Patterns.
Unicorn: Referring to a three horse hitch with two horses hitched a s a pair (side by side) and a third horse hitched in front of the pair.
Weanling: A weaned foal.
WNV (West Nile Virus): A virus spread by mosquitoes that causes encephalitis. It can be transmitted to birds, animals, and people. For more information: USDA - West Nile Virus
Wheel Team/Wheelers: The team on the pole or tongue, hitched directly in front of the rig or wagon in a four or more horse hitch.
Yearling: A horse between one and two years of age.