Gender... simple! Isn't it?

  So...why gender?  Well there are a lot of terms used when identifying a horse, and one of them is gender.  Gender can be a key factor when deciding which horse is the right companion for you.  Males in general are more "flashy" and hyper, great for dressage, but can be a real challenge when it comes to jumping or showing.  Females tend to be more docile, but during their cycle (when in season or in heat every 19-22 days) they can become moody and sometimes aggressive or pushy towards you or other horses.

  So lets start with the babies!

  A baby horse (less than a year) is called a foal, regardless of gender.  If you wish to be gender specific:
*Female: Filly
*Male: Colt

  A baby horse that is over a year old, is called a yearling, again regardless of gender.  You can say "yearling colt", or "yearling filly" if you wish, but never a "foal filly" that simply does not exist.


  Horses become sexually mature, or adults, when they turn four years old or so.  There aren't necessarily terms given to two and three year old horses.  Therefore, if you wish to refer to a male three year old, you can just say "three year old colt".

  When horses become adults, (four years of age) the following terms are used:

For females:
*Mare (in general, or still able to reproduce)
*Dam (momma)
*Broodmare (used for breeding purposes, or has had many foals in her life)
*Spay or Geld Mare (a neutered mare.  Very uncommon. Sterile)

For males:
*Stallion (in general, or still able to reproduce)
*Sire (daddy)
*Stud  used to breed a lot)
*Gelding (a neutered stallion.  Act docile, like a mare, but no hormonal swings. Sterile)
*Rig (One or both testis remain in the body cavity, or was improperly castrated.  Act like stallions)
*Cryptorchid (one testis is still retained inside the body cavity.  Will act like a stallion, even when gelded)
*Monorchid (unlike the Rig, Monorchids are born with only one testicle)
*Proud cut (not all of the reproductive tissue has been removed. Sterile, but still act like stallions)

  And of course, hermaphrodites exist in the rest of the animal Kingdom.


  So!  now lets see if you can remember all of that :p

  Filly

  Two year old foal

  Rig

  Geld Mare



  And thats it!  You don't necessarily have to be so specific when describing a horse, but hopefully this will help you when others are using this jargon.



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