Horse Terms Explained

They say the horse is forward

But what does that even mean?

Some may say that she goes fast

But maybe she’s just keen 


A forward horse could be described 

As being heavy on the hand

But has anyone considered 

That no one has taught this horse to stand? 


So if you’ve got a rider 

Who hangs on to his bit

The horse continues on his merry way

He doesn’t give a 💩


So the cycle it continues 

Of horses rushing on

Being advertised as forward 

They’re even thought of as being strong 


But if we take a moment 

To fix the problem now 

To teach the horse to listen

We can slow him right on down 


Some say the horse is “nervy”

But what does this even mean?

Perhaps he’s just really worried

Nothing’s as it seems 


He might have the jitters

And dance or jump about 

Perhaps he’ll spook sideways 

When people like to shout


Perhaps described as anxious 

The poor horse just can’t deal

He doesn’t know how to soothe himself

Or handle what he feels


His nerves can make his rider worse

They’re worried I can tell

It becomes a downward spiral

This is how they paved the way to hell


A horse is a flight animal 

They’re born to flee and run 

But as an anxious beast

They truly are no fun


But imagine that someone stopped him

To teach him how to be ok 

To self soothe and to relax himself

To feel better at the end of the day 


There would be no need to describe him

As a nervy, anxious type

And those who knew of him before

Would want to know what’s the hype


“Not suited to beginners”

What does this even mean?

To those who have been in the game

We know this horse is green


But green is not a colour here

It’s used to describe a horse

One that doesn’t know a lot

It hasn’t done a course


Green horses are a lot of fun 

Assuming you know how to ride

Sometimes they’re blank canvases

At times their minds are fried 


A green horse truly will not suit 

A rider who is new

You may have even heard the saying

Green plus green is black and blue 


Green can come in many shades

But the meaning is the same 

This horse has barely learnt the ropes 

In the wrong hands it’s a shame 


But if the right person comes along

Who knows just how to school 

The green horse will learn a lot

It really is quite cool 


“She’s best suited to a companion”

But what does this even mean?

Sometimes it means the horse is lame

Sometimes it means she’s green


They could have even labeled 

The horse as a brood mare

But just because she’s got a uterus 

Doesn’t mean a foal she should bear


A companion could mean many things

But it generally means don’t ride

But despite the title of companion 

There will still be some that try


Some get labeled a companion horse

Because they like to buck

Perhaps they were sore in the back

But no one gave a 🦆 


Perhaps they’re a true favourite

The rider loved them so

But injuries and soreness 

Means they can no longer show


So they may try to sell them on

Or give them away for free

It’s important you know what you’re looking at

Is this horse truly for me?


“The horse it shows potential”

But what does this even mean? 

I think it’s just another line

For another shade of green


It means that the horse is looking 

Like it’s going to be good

But if it was a motor car

You’d want to lift the hood


To check and see what’s really there

Because potential is a guess 

Maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t 

It could just be a mess!


I think you need a well trained eye

To say it has potential 

Because there are no guarantees 

It could quite well be mental!


Maybe you’ve seen it flying change

When it cantered right on past 

You’ve seen what you need, to know enough 

To take it to dressage master class


He may just have jumped the fence

It wasn’t meant to do

But rather than wonder where he’s gone

Your planning his show jumping debut


The terms used to describe a steed 

Are varied far and wide

But generally they mean the same 

Make sure there’s nothing to hide!


Read the ad entirely 

Check with with what they say 

And if it’s not what you’re looking for

Leave it for another day 🙂