Horsey jargon

[maya-m]

Can you wise people help me out with a few horsey terms picked up from the horse ads?

Warmblood : is there a definition of this? Does it refer to certain breeds, or does it only refer to cross-bred horses?

Snaffle-mouthed / snaffle ride: Does this mean trained in a snaffle bit? Does it imply that the horse would not be able to go in another kind of bit?

Flatwork: is that schooling indoor, outdoors?

To make15.2 : Does that refer to a horse that is growing and envisaged to grow to that height?

Riding Club: What can you tell me about Riding Clubs? I gather they are amateur groups of horse-owners who set up competitive events for themselves. Any opinions about them?

Hope some of you can help out a bit, Thanks, x Maya

[bexj]

Good questions!
Can't help on the strict definition of a warmblood, but as I understand it, there are 2 meanings. The first is that TB's and Arabs are termed as hotbloods, draft horses like Shires and Clydies are cold bloods, so warm bloods are those in between. The second is more breed specific, so Dutch Warmbloods (often seen in Dressage) are a particular breed.

Snaffle mouthed/ride is supposedly to imply that the horse is reasonably quiet to ride, and doesn't require strong gadgetry to steer or stop. Not necessarily a guarantee as my Molly would tell you!

Flatwork - correct - its schooling indoors or outdoors, but not over jumps

To make 15.2 - yes its still growing! I don't know how they know how big it will get:D

Sorry can't tell you anything about riding clubs!

Hope that helps!

[wildponies]

snaffle mouthed etc - can be ridden in a snaffle and is usually ridden in a snaffle, basically the horse isnt strong with you and has brakes without having to use too harsh a bit to get him to listen to you..

duno a definition for a warmblood.

flatwork... it's anything done on 'flat' ground.. i.e. schooling etc, dressage i suppose? anything which doesn't involve jumping basically.

to make 15.2, means that the horse hasn't finished growing and they expect that once he or she has finished growing the horse in question should grow to approximately 15.2, this is based often on mummy and daddy's heights and how old the horse in question is at a given age.

RC - riding club... bit like pony club really. group of people who get together to ride, as far as i'm aware anyone can join, they have organised events again like PC.

[maya-m]

Oo, oo, there's one more I forgot that's really foxing me:

Turned away for a year: I can see that geldings get time off after their op, but why to people do this, and then bring horses back into work.

x Maya

[bexj]

Thats usually to give a youngster a break. It happens just after the young horse has been through its initial training - lunging, long reining and backing. Thats quite a lot for them take in, so they are turned away to remember how to be a horse and to think about what they have learnt. Usually the horse will start more advanced training with a rider when it gets brought back into work, and has absorbed its initial training. Oh, its also because when a horse is backed, it does not have fully developed muscles, so it is turned away to develop before the more complex training begins.

Phew!

[kyanya]

Riding clubs are groups of people who ride together. They do vary slightly, but as a general rule, the member's ride their own horses. They often have competitions together, such as dressage, XC and SJ, but also less formal events, sucj as training days, lecture demos and social events.

They also select rider/horse combinations to form teams for disciplines (dressage, SJ, XC), and these teams will then go and compete against teams from other RC.

Some are also affiliated to the BHS, and these have more inter-RC competitins, with stages and finals.

[LindaAd]

If a horse is described as a riding club horse, you would expect it to be a good allrounder, able to compete at dressage and showjumping, possibly showing too. They sometimes have showing classes for riding club horses, and they have to show good manners and be easy to handle and jump a bit.
Riding clubs vary a lot - some have really high standards of competition, others don't.

They have a quadrille competition every year, with the finals at Olympia (that is a sort of musical ride, dressage in fancy dress) and the winners are amazing.

[welshie girl]

I can help you with the riding club as I'm on a riding club commitee.

You don't have to own your on horse or even be able to ride to join a riding club, we mostly organise clinics such as jumping and dressage where you can hire a horse if you don't have one, parties for the kiddies (and those young at heart), and jumping competitions. The riding club I belong to is affilliated to the bhs, we're a friendly bunch and quite informal, we enjoy a good laugh with other's that have the same interests, I find it more of a social thing and enjoy this side of it.

Warm blood originated as a cross between what was considered a hot blood, arab being one example and a cold blood or draught, later becoming a recognised breed, the belgian warm blood being an example

flat work, schooling of the horse with out jumping, although pole work can be introduced to teach the horse rhythm, balance and to shorten and lengthen stride, can also be described as basic dressage