| Horsemanship Vocabulary | |
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Courtney Terry, DVM Courtney Terry is a 24 year
old graduate of Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary
Medicine. Courtney competed in both the 2002 Miss Rodeo America Pageant and the 2002 Miss Rodeo USA Pageant.
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by
Courtney Terry, DVM 2001 Miss Rodeo Tennessee 2001 Miss Western Image The following is a list of some terms and definitions that I have encountered either on written tests, in personal interviews, or in impromptu questions during my pageant career. |
| Gelding:
A castrated male horse. Mare: A female horse four years or older. Stallion: A male horse that has not been castrated. Stud: A slang term for stallion. Technically, a stud is a place, such as a farm, where horses are bred and maintained. Filly: A young female horse, up to first breeding or four years of age; then referred to as a maiden mare. Colt: A young male horse, up to four years of age. Colic: The term colic simply means abdominal pain. There are numerous causes of colic in the horse, but the majority are related directly to the intestinal tract. Characteristic signs include painful episodes during which the horse may paw, look around at its flanks, lie down and get up repeatedly, and even roll or thrash about; rapid breathing, grunting, and failure to pass feces for extended periods of time. Navicular Syndrome (Disease): The term navicular syndrome refers to chronic deterioration of the navicular bone, a small bone located immediately behind the coffin bone in a horse's foot. Over time, damage to this bone and its associated tendons leads to moderate to severe lameness. Some relief may be provided through corrective horseshoeing. Founder: Founder is a term that is often used interchangeably with laminitis. Much like human fingernails, the horse's hoof is composed of sensitive and insensitive structures (the quick or cuticle and the nail itself.) The word laminitis refers to inflammation of the sensitive structures (or quick.) This causes severe lameness, usually of the front feet. Inflammation can lead to rotation and/or sinking of the coffin bone. In extreme cases, the bone may even penetrate the sole of the hoof. Wolf Teeth: Small teeth found in the upper jaw of the horse. These are located immediately in front of the cheek teeth (premolars), and serve no useful function. If wolf teeth interfere with bitting, they can be removed by a veterinarian. Cribbing (Windsucking): A nervous habit usually observed in stalled horses. Cribbing consists of the horse placing its front teeth on a board or other solid object, arching its neck, pulling back, and swallowing air. Over time this can lead to eroded teeth and weight loss. Splint Bones: Two very small bones that are fused to either side of the cannon bone. "Splints": Refers to inflammation of the ligament that connects the splint bone to the cannon bone. This causes pain, swelling, and lameness. Cryptorchid (Rig): A condition found in stallions in which one or both testicles have not descended from the abdomen into the scrotum. The testicles normally descend into the scrotum at about six months of age. Cryptorchidism is a trait that is both undesirable and inherited. Therefore, cryptorchid animals should be castrated in order to keep them from passing the trait on to their offspring. Coggins Test: A blood test required by law to transport horses from state to state. This test was named for its inventor. A positive test confirms the presence of Equine Infectious Anemia, a disease transmitted from horse to horse through insects such as flies and mosquitoes. Positive animals must be quarantined or destroyed, as there is no cure for EIA. |
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