Saber (Sabre, UK Spelling))
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[Military Equipage] A saber is a single-edged, curved sword generally carried by cavalry. It is used as a slashing weapon those wound hopefully will disable the opponent and remove him from the fight. The upper body is generality the target and the curve allows it to glide off the target in a smoother way than would a straight sword as the rider moves away from his target. Sabers were not commonly used against the horse. With the advent of modern firearms sabers had more of a ceremonial than practical role.
Sabino Gene
[Equine Genetics] The Sabino 1 (SB1) gene is found in many different horse breeds and is responsible for patterns of prominent white markings on their coats. When the Sabino gene is in play the markings tend to have roaning at the edges and are more irregular and expensive than non-Sabino gene involved white markings. White markings in some breeds, such as Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Clydesdales, are not mediated by the presence of a Sabino gene. On the other hand, American Paint Horses color patterns are dependent on the presence of the gene. When two copies of the gene are present (homozygous horses) the markings are much more extensive. It is possible to test for the presence of the gene.
Saddle
[Horse Equipage] A saddle is a device fitted to a horse's back that provides a seat for a rider. Think of a saddle as a coupling device that needs to fit both parties. While it is possible to ride a horse bareback without a saddle both parties benefit if the saddle fits properly.
Saddle Cloth (Saddle Pad)
[Horse Equipage] A cloth pad placed between the horse and the saddle. It provides extra padding to protect the horse from abrasion from the saddle and absorbs sweat from the horses coat. Saddle pads often, but not necessarily, have means of securing them to the girth and the saddle.
Saddlebred (American Saddlebred)
[Horse Breed] American Saddlebreds are 5-gaited riding horses developed at antebellum Kentucky plantations. They have finely formed heads, arched necks and high carried tails. Their additional gaits, which are trained and not natural or innate to the bred, are a two four-beat ambling gait, called the slow gait, and the ever-popular rack, a faster four-beat gait.. In older sources the breed was called the American Saddle Horse but that name was felt to be too generic and replaced. Many consider them the most beautiful of the show horse breeds in form and motion.
Saddle Fitter
[Equine Professional] A saddle fitter evaluates the horse and rider and optimizes the fit of the saddle to both. They may advise on the purchase and fit of a new saddle or modify the fit of an existing saddle. Some saddles are built with adjustable features and wool padding called flocking, which is inside the saddle, can be modified. The geometry of a horse's back will change in time as the horse grows or ages. Likewise the rider may evolve in different seat or experience a redistribution of weight. Think of a saddle as a coupling device that needs to fit both parties.
Saddle Sores
[Veterinary Medicine] Saddle sores are pressure sores seen in horses over areas of abrasion from tack, often ill-fitting tack. They also can be found in horses that are wearing harnesses that rub. Sore areas can progress to secondary bacterial infection and should be taken seriously. Once noticed the horse should be allowed to heal before any tack is again used.
Saddle Tree
[Saddle Terminology] The saddle tree is the frame that gives the saddle its shape and strength. Traditional ones were made of wood and then covered with padding and leather. Modern ones can use various materials. Trees are formed to allow for the horse's spine and distribute weight away from it.
Salute
[Dressage] At the end of a dressage test the rider brings their horse to a halt, facing the judges. The rider then salutes the judges by placing the reins in one hand (which is also holding any crop), lowering the other arm to the side and nodding their head to the judge. The judge then nods in return. It is all very civilized and all very formal, but I can only think that referees and judges in other competitive sports are envious of the respect shown dressage judges.
Sand Crack
[Veterinary Medicine] A sand crack is a thin superficial crack in the hoof wall that begins at the coronary band and move downward. It is caused by trauma and environmental stresses.
Scissors
[Vaulting] The scissors is a vaulting compulsory competition move in which the rider swings her legs back and then flips over, so as to be facing the back of the horse all while moving and while holding on to the surcingle grips..
Seat
[Attribute of a Rider] The term seat refers to a rider's position or posture in the saddle. There are various styles of seats for various functions or styles of riding. There are three principle seat positions in English riding. They are the forward (jumping or hunter) seat, the commonly used light seat and the slightly backwards equitation (dressage) seat. However, it is always true that a good seat should be balanced and at the same time the rider relaxed. Some people seem to have a naturally good seat even when they are inexperienced riders. I always admire a rider with a good seat and a certain presence in the saddle. It is hard to describe but I know it when I see it.
Seat
[Saddle Terminology] That part of a saddle in which the rider sits. The term is also used to describe the manner or position in which the rider sits in the saddle (see above).
Seedy Toe
[Veterinary Medicine] Seedy toe (dystrophia ungulae, or white line disease) is a condition of the inner hoof wall in which it becomes soft and loses horn substance. There is a separation of the hoof wall and the laminae. Wet environments and invasion by bacteria and fungi play a causal role. It is treatable and generally has a good prognosis if not far advanced. It can form cavities and cracks in the hoof.
Sesamoid Fractures
[Veterinary Medicine] Sesamoid bones naturally occur, imbedded in tendons at various locations in a horse's leg. Their function involves reinforcing the tendon at glide points and they are subject to shear forces. The particular sesamoid bone location and the nature of its injury is important, but beyond this simple definition. Various treatments are available. Humans also have sesamoid bones and the largest and most obvious is the knee cap.
Shetland Pony
[Equine Breed] A pony bred native to the Shetland Islands. For their size Shetlands are the strongest of all breeds and in former times were employed in mines. They have long manes and tails and a dense double winter coat, like other cold adapted breeds. They are considered relatively intelligent. Being originally native to an island with harsh conditions they are easy keepers and hardy but at the same time susceptible to founder if on rich pasture.
Sheading Blades
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[Horse Grooming Tool] In late winter and into spring, it is necessary to remove the excess molt hair from the coat. Failure to do this results in a layer of hair coating saddles, saddle pads, other tack and last but not least the rider, himself. There are several types of single edge toothed blades that are commonly used. I use two different kinds. One is the double band blade type. This has two handles and two blades which can be used either folded together or extended in an open position. This type works well over large open areas of the body. The other type that I use features a single handle from which two circular blades extend. It works well is smaller curved areas, where it is hard to configure the band type blades to fit.
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Sheading Process
[Horse Physiology] Hair bearing mammals, including humans, have a base line, phased sheading of hair. This is in balance in phases. The active phase in which hair is growing is know as the catagen and the resting phase known as telogen. A molt is when the a large number of hairs are shed on top of base line loss. Because hair provides horses with protection against winter's cold, in North America they begin sheading their winter coat in late January and early February. The onset is governed by seasonal changes in light day and not temperature as such. Normal sheading is impacted by certain disease states, such as Cushing's disease.Shire Horse
[Horse Breed] Shires are a particularly large English breed of draft horses. They descend from large horses originally breed to carry the weight of a knight in full battle armor. In more recent times they pulled heavy wagons and did other draft work.Shoe Puller
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[Farrier Equipment] A shoe puller is an iron tool designed to pull a shoe shoe off of a hoof by sliding between the hoof and the shoe and prying the shoe off.
Short-Coupled
[Equine Body Type] Short-coupled refers to a horse with a shorter back that typical of other horses. Certain breeds are characteristically short-coupled, such as the Arabian, which are actually missing a vertebral segment. Many riders prefer short-coupled horses with the idea they are more maneuverable and quick during show jumping. Thoroughbreds, on the other hand, tend to be long-coupled with longer strides better for racing. Short-coupled horses are generally believed to be much more successful in bucking their riders off than long-coupled ones. They may be less likely to suffer soft tissue back trauma.
Shoulder-In
[Dressage] A horse doing a shoulder-in is going forward, often at a trot, with the forequarters bent toward the inside and the hindquarters square to the track of the movement. In dressage it is a basic lateral exercise that helps develop strength and suppleness
Shying
[Equine Behavior] Shying is a sudden startle or fear response in a horse to an unfamiliar object or movement in its immediate environment. The horse suddenly stops and turns away from the object. It is often trivial and the rider's muscle memory is adequate to restore his seat. In its most extreme form the horse may bolt and the rider fall. When my horse shies at something I always speak to him in a calming voice and pat him on the shoulder in the same exact way to tell him things are okay. One of these days the horse may be justified in his response but I have not had that happen yet.
Side Saddle
[Riding Style and Saddle Type] Side saddles were designed to be ridden by a woman wearing a dress and with both legs on the left side of the saddle (aside rather than astride the center of the saddle). In former times the notion of a proper lady wearing pants was considered quite scandalous and the practice only came acceptable around the turn of the century. The use of side saddles was actually socially progressive, believe it or not. In medieval times noble women were generally led by a groom when on horseback and not allowed to control their own mounts. We understand the term pommel to indicate the upward projection on the front of a Western saddle. However, the more modern form of a sidesaddle has two, set-back pommels that support the rider. When using a side saddle the rider is unable to squeeze the horse's sides with the legs and must be both skilled in and in procession of a horse schooled to the use of a side saddle. A skilled aside rider can do anything an astride rider can do. You might think that side saddles have past into total disuse but some female riders will occasionally stage exhibitions of their use. On formal mounted occasions, such as trooping of the colors, British Queen Elizabeth has employed one. Bye the way, the Queen, now over 90, is still known to ride regularly.
Sitting Trot
[Riding Technique] A sitting trot is when a rider does not post while the horse is trotting but remains mostly seated in the saddle. It is most easily done while a horse is in a highly collected, slow trot. Your body does still move with a slight rocking manner following the upwards and downwards rhythm with the horse. The key is to dissipate the energy imparted from the saddle without resisting it or getting out of rhythm. A horse with an energetic bounding trot can be very difficult to sit to. My basic advice is to mostly post and only do this occasionally if it seems like something to try at the time.
Skijoring (also skijouring or skikjøring
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[Equine Sport] Skijoring is a winter sport in which an animal that need not always be a horse, pulls a skier over flat snow-covered terrain. I have never seen it in action, but it sounds interesting.
Skirts
[Saddle Terminology] The term has been used for two different parts of the saddle. The more basic use of the term is for the long leather flaps that run down the sides of the saddle that support the legs and act as a barrier protecting breeches from the horse's sweat. It can also be applied to the smaller flaps that cover the stirrup bar on the sides of the saddle. These overlap the larger skirts and are sometimes called jockeys.
Slick Fork Western Saddle
[Saddle Terminology] There are three basic design styles to western saddles' pommels: slick fork (A-fork), swell fork and the less common undercut. Then viewed from the front the fork is the arch-like bridge (pommel) that sits above the horse's spine and supports the saddle horn above it. The slick fork pommel is a more traditional design. Slick fork saddles are widest at the bottom of the pommel and narrower (less built up) as they join at the horn.
Slobbers
[Equine Medical Condition] The slobbers is a name given to an excessive amount of drooling.by a horse after it has eaten clover. The condition is common and fairly harmless. It is not the clover itself but the result of exposure to the compound slaframine contained in a fungus that as infested the clover.
Snaffle
[Riding Equipage] A snaffle is a non-leverage bit and one of several basic designs of bits used in horse's mouths. It consists of two rings to which the reins and the bridle headstall attach that are joined by mouthpiece that does most of the actual work. The rings may be round, oval or of a D-shape. The mouth piece maybe single- or double-jointed or just a solid bar. Some mouthpieces are twisted.
Snort
[Equine Vocalization] A snort is a sudden, low-pitched, brief expulsion of air through the nose. It is generally an alarm sound. It may be heard after two unfamiliar horses confront each other. In its most benign form it is done after a horse gets something up its nose while feeding.
Soring
[Illegal Training Practice] Soring is the use of caustic chemicals to cause pain to the front feet and legs of gaited horses when they touch the ground, causing them to lift the legs higher and faster than they would otherwise do. This is very showy in appearance and desired in the show ring, but inflicts pain on the animal. The practice is now banned under regulations of the Horse Protection Act.
Sour
[Schooling] A horse is said to sour when it becomes frustrated and loses interest in working during schooling. This usually occurs when it has been schooled for too long a period of time. Horses are generally willing to please but it is as true among people as horses that sometimes enough is enough. Part of the development of a rider as a trainer of his horse is learning when to quit and to restart another day.
Springhalt (Equine Reflex Hypertonia)
[Veterinary Medicine] Springhalt is an acquired neuromuscular condition that causes a gait abnormality, producing an involuntary, exaggerated upward movement of one or both of the hindlimbs. It is worse in cold weather. The horse is not in pain, but this can be an issue when ridden. In extreme cases it might be treated surgically, but surgery is often not successful.
Splint Bone
[Equine Anatomy] The splint bone is the name given the remnants of a horse's 2nd and 4th metacarpal (fore limb) or metatarsal (hind limb), once toes in prehistoric horses, that run down either side of the cannon bone. As a horse ages these vestigial structures tend to fuse with the cannon bone. The is a tough interosseous ligament between the structures, which through repeated injuries can become inflamed and cause a condition known as blind splints. Early stages are difficult to diagnosis in horses, who present with lameness and thus the word blind in the name. Ultrasound may show evidence of swelling from inflammation and the condition will subside with rest.
Squeal
[Equine Vocalization] A squeal is a sudden, high-pitched, sound most often made by mares. It generally occurs when two horses are in proximity (often face to face) and the squealing horse is signaling the other to back off. Often the other horse is a stranger but it can happen with horse who have been together forever. If you are mounted at the time by all means attempt to get the horses away from each other. A kick may come next. Mares in season seem disposed to squealing.
Stand
[Vaulting] The stand is a vaulting compulsory competition move in which the rider stands on the back of the horse all while moving.
Standardbred
[Horse Breed] The Standardbred horse originated in North America, where they were used for mainly harness racing at either a trot or a pace. Breed characteristics include having a well-muscled, long bodied build, slightly heavier than that of a Thoroughbred, solid legs and powerful shoulders and hindquarters. Current breeding practices are to breed trotters to trotters and pacers to pacers. Those horses that pace are capable of slightly higher speeds. Interestingly, some Standardbreds are capable of both trotting and pacing. Standardbred horses are now used in a variety of equestrian disciplines.
Steeplechase
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[Equestrian Competition] A steeplechase is a cross county race over fences and ditches. There are two forms of steeple chasing jumps: hurdle and timber. A hurdle jump is a standardized plastic and steel fence that is 52 inches tall. Timber jumps are solid, immovable wooden rail fences of different heights. Also used are brush jumps that simulate hedges. The length of the course is variable with 3-4 miles being common. Steeple chasing originated in Ireland and the word came from the fact that riders oriented on the local church steeples, the most visible landmarks on the countryside. If I have any criticisms of steeple chasing as a spectator sport, it is that you can only see the action on a limited area of the course and maybe one or two jumps. Many steeplechases are now broadcasting the entire event to television monitors placed among the spectators.
Stem Cell Therapy
[Veterinary Medicine] Equine stem cells can be injected directly into tendons or into joints to speed the healing of tendon injuries or to treat osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). I should mention that the term "degenerative joint disease" may misrepresent the true pathophysiology, but I will leave that to others to argue. Injuries to tendons are more serious than commonly realized. The blood supply to tendons is very limited, making healing problematic. Stem cells have proved effective and are also used in human sports injuries. I always thought of its effectiveness as near magical.
Stifle
[Equine Anatomy] The stifle is a horse's tibio-femoral joint. It is the largest point of a horse's body and equivalent to the human's knee. It is located high on the rear leg and is under a slight fleshly bulge in the contour of the anterior part of the leg. Injury of or generative changes to the stifle is a causes of lameness in horses. There are multiple specific injuries possible in the region and determining the exact cause can be a diagnostic challenge for a veterinarian.
Stifled
[Veterinary Medicine] A stifled horse has suffered a displacement of the patella of the stifle joint, analogous to the human knee cap. Surgical management may be successful, but the prognosis is always guarded. Surgical management of congenital lateral patellar luxation carries a better prognosis.
Stride
[Equine Locomotion] A stride is the distance covered during a cycle of motion beginning and ending at the same point in the movement. For example, the famous race horse Secretariat was calculated to have an average stride length of 23.8 feet (7.27 meters).
Stirrup
[Horse Equipage] A stirrup is a wooden or metal devise designed to support a rider's boots while in the saddle. It allows a ride to balance better while riding. The introduction of stirrups was a major innovation in the military applications of horses.
Stirrup Bar
[Saddle Terminology] A stirrup bar a metal fitting attached to either side of the saddle. Its purpose is to hold the top loop of the stirrup strap to the saddle. The loop is slid into position with some force as the fitting is designed to hold the loop tightly, but also to permit the removal of the strap for cleaning and other needs.
Stirrup Strap
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[Horse Equipage] A heavy duty strap, generally of leather, that connects the stirrups to the saddle bar. They are adjustable to a rider's leg length and the seat desired for the particular equine activity being performed, using a buckle and holes along the other end of the strap. The straps are often referred to as "leathers." A general rule is to initially adjust the length of the straps to be the same as the distance between the rider's arm pit and the end of the arm. This might then be then adjusted according to the rider's comfort. I feel if my leathers are too long or short for my comfort. Jockeys ride in extremely short stirrups, while dressage riders often ride with long stirrups and little flexion to the knees.
Superfecta
[Horse Racing] A type of betting in which the bettor must pick the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners, in order of their finish. Needless to say the odds of doing this are huge, but I am grateful for the bettors donation to the horse racing industry.
Sulky
[Horse Racing] A sulky is a light two wheeled, one horse conveyance used in harness racing.
Suppleness
[Equine Quality] Suppleness reference to the degree of flexibility and fluidity in a given horse's movements. It can be enhanced by exercise and training. Among humans you might observe suppleness in practitioners of yoga or dancers.
Suprascapular Neuropathy of the Shoulder (Sweeney Shoulder)
[Veterinary Medicine] Suprascapular neuropathy of the shoulder is an atrophy of the infraspinatus and triceps muscles, caused by damage to the suprascapular nerve. In former times this was common in improperly harnessed horses. It appears as a hollowed area just below and to the rear of the horse's shoulder line.
Surcingle (Overgirth)
[Equine Equipage] A surcingle is strap, usually made of leather, that that fastens completely around a horse's girth. There are several different types of surcingles depending on the purposes for which they are employed. Surcingles are used for securing packs on pack animals, in schooling with long reins, in vaulting and it also is a component of harnesses.
Skewbald
[Horse Color Pattern] Skewbald coloration is a term mostly used in the United Kingdom now for those horses that have white mixed other areas of color other than black, while in the U.S. this pattern is commonly called a pinto. The British in contradistinction use the term piebald for horses that have a black and white coloration.
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Sweat Scraper
[Grooming Tool] A sweat scraper is a tool used to removed excess water or sweat from a horse's coat. When a horse is worked in hot weather or has sweated under a saddle the sweaty areas can be sponged and the excess water removed with the scraper. This is also a good way to remove the dirt build up that commonly occurs around the edges of the saddle pad. You particularly want to do this if the horse is about to be loaded in a trailer and cannot dry naturally in the sun. There are various types available on the market.
Sweeney Shoulder (Suprascapular Neuropathy of the Shoulder)
[Veterinary Medicine] A Sweeney shoulder describes an atrophy of the infraspinatus and triceps muscles, caused by damage to the suprascapular nerve. In former times this was common in improperly harnessed horses. It appears as a hollowed area just below and to the rear of the horse's shoulder line. You wonder just where these odd names, like Sweeney, came from?