Pace
[Equine Gaits] A pace is a unique two-beat gait that only some horses use and in which the two legs on the same side of the horse move forward together, unlike the trot, where the two legs diagonally opposite legs move forward together. Horses who naturally trot are much more common than those who naturally pace. A fast pace is uncomfortable for riding and very difficult to sit to. A slow pace, is better tolerated. Many harness horses pace and look really flashy doing it.
Palfrey
[Equine Type] The term palfrey was applied to a medieval horse type that was used as a general riding horse and not used as a war horse. They processed a a smooth, ambling middle gait. Over time the meaning evolved to imply a suitable mount for a lady.
Palomino
[Horse Coat Color Breed] Palominos have gold coat and light colored mane and tail, generally white. Their coloration makes them stand out and they are popular in the show ring and in various motion pictures.
Parrot Mouth (Overshot Jaw or Overjet)
[Veterinary Medicine] A horse with an overshot jaw has a lower jaw shorter than the upper one, causing a malocclusion of the teeth. The nipping teeth (incisors), but not the cheek teeth (molars) are affected. The condition appears genetic and becomes noticeable as a young horse's jaw develops. It presents problems nipping glass and results in poor nutrition. There are treatments available if the condition is recognized early.
Parthian Shot
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[Military] A Parthian shot is performed by a mounted archer, who twists facing backwards in the saddle and fires an arrow at a pursuing enemy. It is named after a tribal people that were well-practiced in using the strategy.
Paso Fino
[Horse Breed] Paso Finos are relatively small naturally gaited, riding horses originally bred in Puerto Rico and also Columbia. Their unique four-beat lateral gait is innate and can be quickened or slowed and produces a comfortable ride in which the rider is fairly stationary but the horse's legs seem to be working furiously. The horse is also capable of the common gaits of walk, lope or canter,
Pelleted Horse Feed
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[Horse Nutrition] Pelleted horse feed is a uniform pellet product that is similar in nutritional value and admixed ingredients to the more traditional textured sweet feed. I find the pellets are easier to handle and do not leave a residue on feed buckles or other containers. Certain horses may prefer one or the other and occasional horse will eat pellets too quickly. Dietary starch is higher in textured feed and might be an issue in horses with metabolic issues. Pellets can be stored longer.
Pelham Bit
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[Equine Equipage] Pelham bits are basically leveraged bits but with elements of both a curb and a snaffle bit design. They normally have double reins, serving the curb and snaffle elements and by necessity separate rings for the reins. You can recognize a Pelham by the presence of the curb chain and multiple rings. The month piece is variable in both design and function and may be solid or jointed. Interestingly, Pelhams are not permitted in dressage competition or western riding disciplines. I have no experience using one.
Percheron
[Horse Breed] Percherons are a breed of draft horse that originated in the Huisne river valley in western France. They are generally gray or black in color, They are large animals with maximum weights as much as 2,600 pounds and height at the withers of 19 hands. Although predominately a draft horse, some are ridden astride. They are imposing in their size but are known for their evenness of temper.
Periodic Ophthalmia (Moon Blindness or Recurrent Iridocyclitis)
[Veterinary Medicine] Periodic ophthalmia is serious, recurring inflammatory of the eyes that can result in total loss of sight over time. Signs of inflammation appears in either one or both eyes suddenly and then remit in a few days. The horse is sensitive to light, has a closed eye lids, constricted pupils, conjunctivitis and lacrimation. Riboflavin may have preventative value, but is not helpful in treatment. Certain species of bacteria may also play a role and can be treated with antibiotics. Autoimmune etiologies are suspect and can be treated by steroids. I should point out that this condition may represent several different diseases with different causes, all presenting with the identical symptoms of periodic ophthalmia. In addition, there are several common and less serious conditions that present with some of the symptoms of periodic ophthalmia. There is no substitution for a prompt veterinary consultation if this condition is suspect.
Perissodactyla
[Equine Taxonomy] Perissodactyla is the taxonomic order name in the classification of animals including horses, tapiers and rhinoceroses. Members of the order have an odd number of toes on at least two of the hooves on which they walk.
Peruvian Paso
[Horse Breed] Peruvian Pasos are a bred of naturally gaited, riding horses originally bred in Peru. They have unique four-beat lateral gait that is innate and are also capable of the common gaits of walk or canter but do not trot, They are larger and wider than the typical Paso Fino to which they are often compared.
Physical Ride
[Ride Descriptor] This term is commonly banteed about, but as far as I can find no one has tried to expressly define it. I suppose that when you get off your horse and say, "Wow, that was a physical ride," then you have had one. What it describes is a ride that was great exercise for man and beast and a satisfactory performance by the horse, successfully meeting such challenges as might have occurred. In short, it was a positive experience that was both exhilarating and challenging to the rider. However, the last thing a novice rider wants is a physical ride.
Pick
[Horse Management] Cleaning the bottom of a horse's hoof is called picking. The first step is to shift the horse's weight off of the foot to be cleaned and then bending the horse's leg so as to expose the bottom of the hoof. The rider should be alert to the possibility that the horse might try to move during the process and let go to avoid being injured if need be. Using a specialized tool called a hoof pick, foreign material is carefully removed from the bottom of the hoof, including more gently around the sides of the frog. Most experienced horses are cooperative with the process. Needless to say, there are various tricks involved in doing this and if you are doing it for the first time get instruction. (The term is also used for removing horse manure from an area.)
Piebald
[Horse Color Pattern] Piebald coloration is a term applied to many different animals and means mixed black and white patches of fur. When applied to horses the term is mostly used in the United Kingdom now, while in the U.S. this pattern is commonly called a black and white pinto. The British in contradistinction use the term skewbald for those horses that have white with areas of color other than black, while in the U.S. we might say a bay pinto for example.
Pinto (Coloured: British English terminology)
[Horse Color Pattern] A horse with pinto coloration has large patches of white mixed with patches of some other coat color. The tern pinto does not apply to any given breed of horse. However, pinto coloration is characteristic of the American Paint Breed. Pinto horses are depicted in ancient artworks and have been known for millennia.
Placebo Response in Horses
[Veterinary Medicine] One might think that higher order intellectual capabilities are required for a placebo response but their is a large body of scientific literature demonstrating the existence of placebo responses in animals. Horses are very intuitive animals and it is also likely that their caregiver's response to the administration of the placebo is picked up and influences the animals response. There are studies that purport to show that horses are superior to dogs in reading human emotional responses. They may be less demonstrative in response to what they read causing us to miss the fact. I am not aware if any studies of placebo responses have looked at the role of the human caregiver.
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
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[Toxic Plant to Horses] Pokeweed is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant. Its toxic compound is phytolaccotoxin, which causes a burning sensation in the mouth, colic, and diarrhea. Fortunately pokeweed is not very palatable and horses mostly avoid it.
Poll
[Equine Anatomy] The poll is the protrusion of the occipital bone at the back of the skull and the highest point of a horse's head between the ears.
Poll Evil
[Veterinary Medicine] Inflammation in the region of the pole, often result of bruising
Polo
[Equestrian Sport] Polo is a mounted field sport now played by two teams of four horsemen each. The game consists of six periods lasting seven to seven and one-half minutes each, called chukkers. The teams play on a field measuring 160 by 300 yards and teams score by driving a ball though an eight-yard-wide goal.
Polocrosse
[Equestrian Sport] Polocrosse is a mounted field sport incorporating elements of the Native American game of Lacrosse and the Central Asian sport of Polo. It is played by two teams of fielding 3 horsemen at a time of the total of 6 players on the team. The game consists of six to eight periods, lasting six minutes in usual games, also called chukkers after polo. The teams play on a field measuring 160 by 60 yards and smaller than a regulation polo field, Rather than a polo mallet they use a stick with a net attached.
Pony
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[Equine Type] Technically a pony is a small horse that might be a member of a specific smaller breed or a mix and whose height at the withers is below 14 hands 2 inches (58 inches). In practice the term may be used in context loosely applying to any horse, regardless of height. For example, Lead ponies, cow ponies, polo ponies are almost always technically horses. Ponies most often are used as children's mounts.
Pony Club
[Riding Organization] The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. established in 1929 to teach riding and the proper care of horses, originally to America's youth, but now available to all ages. Its mission's major goals are to promote sportsmanship, stewardship and leadership through horsemanship. Many current riders can testify to the value of their introduction to horsemanship via their participation in local Pony Cub chapters.
Pony of the Americas
[Horse Breed] The Pony of the Americas is a breed developed in the state of Iowa. The foundation stallion was a cross-bred horse with Arabian, Appaloosa and Shetland blood lines. Although these horses are pony sized, their characteristics are more typical of a small horse. They are required to have Appaloosa markings visible from 40 feet. Ponies of this type are considered ideal as a young persons mount and original showing rules, now expanded) had restricted them to younger riders.
Ponying
[General Term] Ponying is a term for leading one horse, mounted or unmounted, with another horse generally by means of a line attached to its head. This is done as a means of exercising two horses, moving a horse to a different location, controlling the mount of an inexperienced rider,calming and directing a race horse before and after a race and for many additional reasons. Caution must be exercised when ponying since controlling one horse under all circumstances can be difficult enough and controlling two horses is a multiplier. In most cases the "lead pony" is actually a horse. It is helpful to have horses already known to each other or one experienced in being ponied.
Posting
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[Riding technique] Posting describes a rider rhythmically rising and sitting while a horse is trotting. It allows for a comfortable ride at a trot rather than that sensation of being bounced all around. The real skill that needs to be developed is to follow the impulsion of the horse and thus the movements are fairly passive. You passively rise in the stirrups and then allow yourself to drop back down into the saddle on the proper beat of the horse's hooves. The technique is relatively modern and was developed by the outriders on British mail coaches, hence the name post. Posting caused a revolution in riding and for the first time horses processing a natural trotting gait were viewed as desirable. Just like there is a correct lead in cantering there is something called a correct diagonal (a set of diagonal legs moving forward at the time the others are trailing behind) when posting to a trot in a riding ring or moving in a circle. There are still diagonals when going straight but a given one is not correct or incorrect at the time. You are supposed to "rise and (then) fall to the (horse's) leg by the wall." Fall to the leg by the wall means the rider sits when the outside hind leg is on the ground. I found it very hard to initially learn how to post. Because of some quirk in the wiring of my brain, right and left are still rather abstract concepts to me and figuring out my diagonal seemed nearly impossible. It is hard to simultaneously study the horse's footfalls and watch where I was going. I must confess I have long since stopped worrying which diagonal I am on and just hope I am instinctively doing it correctly. When I ride I mostly am either walking or cantering anyhow. I will trot when I need to catch up with another rider ahead of me or am part of a group that are all trotting. This confession with horrify proper horse people but I am an accidental horseman after all.
Psychics
[Equine Professional] There is a group of horse people who strongly believe that there are those individuals who are capable of psychic interaction with specific horses. I have heard testimonials about psychics learning of issues the horses were having being corrected and then behavioral problems resolving, etc. I am a skeptical person and find psychics vague in their predictions and dependent on the subject latching onto something said and fitting it into a life event. For example psychic Jeane Dixon was always saying that she saw a dark cloud over the White House. Considering the history of the 20th century that is about the safest bet you can make. Anyhow, we all can decide our own believes. The book "A Year at the Races" bu Jane Smiley, who is a believer, includes stories of her interesting experiences with psychics.
Primitive Markings
[Horse Coat Marking] The term primitive markings applies to certain coat markings retained in some breeds of horses, as well as Przewalski's horses, zebras and other equines. Primitive markings were characteristic of those horses originally domesticated by man, but with selected breeding have disappeared from most modern horse breeds. Horses with a dun coat exhibit primitive markings. The dorsal stripe is the most noticeable of the primitive markings. Other markings include leg bars (horizonal stripes of coloration on the legs), various head markings and guard hairs on the main and tail. Interestingly, some foals of other breeding are born with primitive markings that they loose as they grow older.
Przewalski's Horse
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[Equine Species] Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii), also known as Takhi, are an ancient population of horses native to the steppes of central Asia. They have been salvaged from the verge of extinction and reintroduced as a wild population. Przewalski for those challenged by the unusual combination of letters found in Slavic names is said Shuh-VAL-skee. Domesticated horses and Przewalski's horses can breed and produce a hybrid, even though Przewalski's horses have 66 chromosomes and domestic horses 64. There is a fair amount of controversy when the ancestral populations diverged. There are claims that the ancient domesticated horses used by the Botai Culture in Kazakhstan (about 3500 BCE) were from a Przewalski population. They are short and stocky with a basic dun color coat with colored areas called primitive markings. .