In this video you will learn about what horsemanship is, and what it means to me. Horsemanship at its core, is defined as the art of handling, riding and training horses. Every horseman will have their own personal definition of horsemanship and it serves as their guiding light in how they approach and handle horses. Before we start handling horses together, it is important that you understand what horsemanship means to me and how I view the art of handling, riding and training horses (and humans).

As an added bonus for this course please enjoy this document containing over 40 terms to know. These are commonly used terms that you will hear throughout this course and within the equestrian community.

AIDS: Signals given to the horse with hands, voice, legs and weight.

BIT: The metal part of the bridle that goes in the horse’s mouth.

BREAK/START: The act of training or gentling a horse.

BREED: A particular type of horse.

BREAST COLLAR: A leather piece of tack that goes a cross the horse’s chest, helping to keep the saddle in place, or just to be decorative.

BRIDLE: The piece of tack that goes on the horse’s head and is used help control the horse.

BUCK: When a horse kicks hind legs into the air with front legs on ground, usually out of joy.

CANTER/LOPE: The three-beat gait that is faster than trot but slower than gallop.

CANTLE: Back part of the saddle seat.

CINCH: The strap that goes around the horse’s midsection to hold the saddle on. Preferably made out of mohair

COLT: A male horse under 4 years old.

CONDITION: A horse’s overall health and fitness.

CONFORMATION: The way a horse’s body is put together.

EQUINE: A horse, or having to do with horses.

EQUESTRIAN: Someone that rides or interacts with horses.

EQUUS CABALLUS: The scientific name for the horse.

FARRIER: A horseshoer.

FENDER: The area above the stirrup on Western saddles.

FILLY: A female horse under 4 years old.

FLY SPRAY: Insecticide or herbicide used to kill or repel flies.

FLYING LEAD CHANGE: When a cantering horse changes leads without breaking gait.

FOAL: A baby horse.

GAITS: The different ways that horses travel. The main gaits are walk, trot, canter/lope, gallop.

GALLOP: The fastest of the equine gaits.

GELDING: A neutered male horse (also act of neutering a horse).

GIRTH: Another name for the cinch, usually used by English riders.

GROOM: The act of cleaning a horse

HOOF PICK: A metal implement used to remove mud and stones from horse’s hooves.

HORN: A part of the saddle.

JOG: A slow trot.

LATIGO: the leather strap on a saddle used to cinch a horse up.

LEAD ROPE: A rope used to lead and tie horses.

LEADING REIN: Inside rein.

LOPE: A slow, western-style canter.

MARE: A female horse over 4 years old.

MANURE: What you muck out of the stall (horse poop!)

MUCKING OUT: Cleaning stalls.

NEARSIDE: The left-hand side of a horse.

OFFSIDE: The right-hand side of a horse.

ROUND PEN: A circular pen used to exercise or train horses.

SADDLE: A piece of tack used to ride horses.

STALLION: A male horse over 4 years of age that has not been gilded.

STUD: A male horse used for breeding.

TACK: Equipment used to ride and train horses

TRANSITION: A change in gait.

VICE: Any bad habit a horse may have.

YEARLING: A horse that is 1 year old.