| Term or Phrase |
Translation |
| 15.2HH |
14.3HH — Just a bit too big to qualify for a pony card |
| 16.0HH |
15.2HH (with shoes on) |
| All offers considered |
I’ll be in traction for the next six months, and my spouse has just left home and taken the kids |
| Always in the ribbons |
(1) As long as there are no more than six horses in the class. (2) The shows we attended gave away complimentary rosettes to everyone who entered. |
| Anyone can ride |
Dead lame |
| Athletic |
(1) Likes to run around the pasture, but hasn’t done a thing. (2) Runaway. See also “Bold” and “Good mover.” |
| Attention-getting |
No one will miss you with this horse’s stunning bad habits |
| Barrel prospect |
Runs in circles — fast |
| Big boned |
Without a mane and tail, this horse could easily be mistaken for a cow |
| Big stride |
Whoa, dammit, whoa!! |
| Big trot |
Can’t canter within a two-mile straightaway |
| Black |
Brown |
| Bold |
Runaway. See also “Good mover” and “Athletic.” |
| Bombproof |
(1) Won’t move, under any circumstances, without a crop AND spurs. (2) Lame on all four legs, deaf and blind. |
| Breathtaking |
Spectators gasp when they see this horse buck, rear, etc. |
| Broodmare prospect |
Not sound or broke, but might be fertile |
| Can be registered |
Owner may remember which stud got loose |
| Can be stubborn at times |
Mule |
| Children’s hunter |
14.2HH |
| Clips, hauls and loads |
Clippity clippity is the sound his hooves make as he hauls butt across the parking lot when you try to load him |
| Coursing 3’ |
When drugged to the eyeballs and lunged for six hours immediately beforehand |
| Cow bred |
Too bad the horse is afraid of cows |
| Cutting prospect |
Cuts and runs when startled |
| Dead quiet |
Lame in all four legs. See also “Quiet.” |
| Draft type |
Exceedingly big, coarse and hairy. See also “Warmblood type.” |
| Dressage prospect |
He’s a fire-breathing dragon over fences |
| Easy breeder |
For stallions, will mount anything that stands still long enough. For mares, always seems to be in heat. |
| Easy keeper |
Fat |
| Easy to catch |
Ancient and dead lame |
| Elegant |
Skinny |
| Endurance prospect |
Keeps going and going and going, just the like the Energizer bunny |
| Eventing prospect |
Big and fast with no brakes |
| Excellent disposition |
Has never left the stable |
| Finances force sale |
Horse drove owner to the poor house |
| Flashy |
Your life will flash before your eyes when you ride him |
| Free jumps |
Jumps out of his paddock and jumps on the longe line, but does not jump under saddle |
| Fun trail mount |
You’ll never be bored, but you might have to walk back to the barn on your own two feet |
| Gaited |
Make that “gated” — has run through the arena gate, the pasture gate… |
| Good ground manners |
But don’t try to ride him |
| Good mother |
Thank goodness, because it’s the only thing she’s good at! |
| Good mover |
(1) Runaway. See also “Athletic” and “Bold.” (2) Only stumbles occasionally these days |
| Great for the farrier |
Owner was reaching trying to find good qualities to advertise |
| Great project |
Has big-time issues (see also “lots of potential”) |
| Green |
Anything from “has had a rider on — once — and bucked him off” to “only jumping 2'6"” |
| Gymkhana prospect |
Hyper and needs a tiedown |
| Halter prospect |
Not broke to ride. Probably not halter broken, either. |
| Hand raised |
And spoiled rotten! See also “Home bred.” |
| Has been shown |
But didn’t win anything |
| Health forces sale |
Horse made current owner crazy |
| Home bred |
Has never left home |
| Hunter prospect |
(1) Won’t go slow enough for Western Pleasure. (2) Should be on the track. |
| Imprinted at birth |
See “hand raised” |
| In training |
Horse needs professional help |
| Jumper prospect |
Jumps out of his pasture regularly |
| Kid safe/Kid broke |
As long as your kid has a Velcro butt! |
| Lack of time forces sale |
Owner can’t afford to spend any more time in the hospital |
| Light cribber |
We couldn’t afford to build any more stalls and fences for this equine chainsaw |
| Lots of potential |
Hasn’t done a thing |
| Loves children |
Especially for breakfast! |
| Loves to cuddle |
Will knock you over when she tries to use you as a scratching post |
| Loves people |
Especially when they are feeding him and not asking him to do anything that resembles work |
| Loves to work |
If he doesn’t get out every day, he’ll tear down the barn. Get your longe line ready… |
| Must sell |
Price negotiable. See also “Any offers considered.” |
| Needs a bit of finishing work |
See “green” and “great project” |
| Needs advanced rider |
Such as a professional bronc rider |
| Needs a strong rider |
Preferably with nerves of steel |
| Needs quiet rider |
Will run off at the slightest provocation |
| Never stops at fences |
Including the arena fence, the paddock fence, the neighbors’ fences… |
| Nicely started |
Longes, but we don’t have enough insurance to ride him |
| No time for him |
Horse is lucky to be fed |
| No vices |
(1) No attributes, either. (2) Especially when he wears his muzzle. |
| Parelli trained |
Owner bought a rope halter and some videos |
| Pony type |
Small and hairy |
| Price available upon request |
If you have to ask, you can’t afford him |
| Priced to sell |
Owner can’t get rid of this horse fast enough |
| Private treaty |
See “price available upon request” |
| Professionally trained |
Owner shelled out big bucks, regardless of how little the horse knows now |
| Protective mother |
Will attack anyone who comes within a three-stall radius |
| Proven broodmare |
As long you care more about quantity than quality |
| Quarter Horse type |
Stout |
| Quiet |
Lame in both front legs. See also “Dead Quiet.” |
| Pasture horse |
Will kick a new door in his stall to get outside |
| Ready to start |
Riding age, but hasn’t done a thing |
| Recent vet check/X-rays |
Some other poor buyer paid big bucks to find out what is wrong with this horse |
| Reining prospect |
(1) Skids to a stop right before running into the fence. (2) Spins and runs when startled. |
| Sacrifice |
Family won’t come back home until he’s gone |
| Sadly outgrown |
Owner traded up |
| Schoolmaster |
Been there, done that, annoyed at having to do it again and again |
| Serious inquiries only |
Overpriced |
| Serviceably sound |
Even with very expensive care, almost always lame |
| Show quality |
But has never been to a show |
| Shown successfully |
(1) Horse and rider got in and out of the arena in one piece (mostly). (2) Won a reserve championship five years ago at a show with unusually low entries due to a hurricane. |
| Sound |
Sound today… |
| Spirited |
Psychotic |
| Sporthorse |
Cross-breed, probably with draft blood |
| Stallion prospect |
Rank stud colt that owner doesn’t want to spend the money to geld |
| Started on cows |
Turned out in pasture with cows |
| Started over fences |
Walked over ground poles. Tripped. |
| Started under saddle |
Has had saddle on (but no rider) |
| Still growing |
14.2HH now, but hope springs eternal |
| To good home only |
Not really for sale unless you will pay twice what he is worth and sign a 10-page legal document allowing current owner to tuck in beddy-bye every night |
| To loving home only |
Expensive |
| To show home only |
Very expensive |
| Trail horse |
(1) Ring sour (2) Current owner is a good enough rider to keep this horse between him and ground for most rides. You may not be so skilled/lucky. |
| Vet checks welcome |
Please help us figure out what the heck is wrong with this horse |
| Warmblood type |
Big, coarse and hairy. See also “Draft type.” |
| Well-bred |
(1) Too bad he didn’t inherit any of his forebears’ good traits. (2) Sire and dam are also brother and sister. |
| Well-mannered |
Hasn’t stepped on, run over, bitten or kicked anyone in almost a week |
| Western pleasure prospect |
Too slow for gymkhana |
| Will mature to 15.2H |
14HH now at the age of four |
| Will mature to 16HH |
Currently 14 hands, dam is 14.2HH, sire is 14.3HH |
