Horses: Glossary

A

acrobatics

Physical tricks

affection

Friendliness or care

aggressive

Forceful, violent or hostile

B

breed

Animals with common ancestors that have specific traits

C

colt

young male horse up to four years of age

Conestoga

A type of wagon used in the 1800s

D

domesticated

any animal that does not provide its own food, is cared for by humans

dominant

In charge, powerful

E

evidence

A body of facts that prove something

F

feral

wild animals descended from domesticated animals

filly

young female horse up to four years of age

foal

Baby horse

G

governed

To be in charge of

grazed

To eat grass and plants from the ground

H

habitats

Places where an animal lives

hands

unit for measuring a horse's height, equal to four inches

I

instinctively

Knows without being taught

isolated

left alone, without companionship

L

land bridges

Connection between two land masses - sometimes created by ice

M

mares

Female horses

migrating

When an animal moves from one habitat area to another - sometimes a seasonal activity

mimic

copy

O

offspring

Babies or children

oxen

Plural of ox - large animals similar to a cow

P

pioneers

People who traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1800s

prairies

grassland in the middle portion of the United States

predators

Animals that hunt other animals for food

S

species

a classification of living things having similar attributes, that can have offspring of the same species

stallion

Male horses

U

ungulate

Mammals with hooves

W

withers

the place on a horse where the neck meets the back