B

Back
A diagonal, two-beat gait moving in reverse.

Back at the knee
A foreleg fault. The lower limb below the knee, when viewed from the side, tends to 'bow back' or appear concave. Horses with this leg conformation tend to break down quicker and have trouble absorbing shock.

Backyard horse
A horse that lives on the owner's property, not in a stable or facility.

Bag
The mare's mammary gland just before foaling; swells with milk.

Balance
In horses: the state of equilibrium where the horse's weight is neither too far on the forehand or too far behind (rearing). In conformation: where the proportions of the horse are correct to their breed or desirable for overall use of the horse. In riders: the state where the rider is neither too far in front of the horse or left behind, or unneccessarily leaning left or right.

Bald
A great deal of white or light color on the horse's head, from nose to poll and around the eyes.

Bale
A rectangular measurement of hay, bound with twine or wire. Usually between 50 and 100 pounds each.

Balk
When a horse refuses to move forward.

Bareback
To ride without a saddle or any device that is cinched around the horse.
Bareback Riding: Advantages and Benefits - an article by April Reeves

Barefoot
An unshod horse.

Barley
A cereal grain that serves as an animal feed. 

Barn sour
A horse that refuses to leave the herd or the barn.

Barrel
The middle section of the horse's body, between the girth and flank.

Barren
A mare that did not conceive at breeding.

Bars - Saddle
The main part of the saddle tree that run parallel to the spine.

Bars - Mouth
The space in a horse's mouth where the bit lies.

Bascule
The arc of a horse's body over a jump.

Base narrow
The front and back legs being too close together when viewed from front or back.

Base wide
The front and back legs having too much space when viewed from front or back.

Bastard strangles
When the internal glands disseinate infection to unusual sites other than the lymph nodes. Some lung, brain or abdominal lymph nodes may develop abscesses.

Bay
A tan, reddish brown or dark brown body color that always has a black mane and tail and black on all 4 lower legs.

Beat
The single step, or number of footfalls of any gait. Walk is a four beat gait. The trot is a two beat gait. The canter is a three beat gait. The gallop is a three beat gait. Specific breeds have variations, such as a running walk (Tennessee Walker) being a four beat gait.

Bedding
The mateial used to bed a stall. Types of bedding include straw, shavings, peanut shells, pellets. Bedding's purpose is to absorb moisture and provide comfort for the horse.

Behaviour
The way a horse reacts, thinks and displays those thoughts and reactions.
Adiva Murphy: How riders must adjust to horses' behaviour.

Behind the bit
A horse that draws his head in to his chest to avoid the bit.

Belgian
A draft horse breed. A popular horse of enormous strength. Softer chestnut colored with lighter to flaxen mane and tail. Versatile for work and riding.

Bell boots
A bell shaped cover that fits over the horse's hoof at the pastern. They come in rubber, plastics and leather.

Bib
A device that fastens under the horse's head or jaw. It prevents the horse from biting itself or it's blanket during recuperation or to dissuade a habit.

Big Lick
A term for the man-made extreme animation of specific breeds such as the Tennessee Walker.  

Bight
In English and western reins, the ends of the reins.

Billet Straps
The three pieces of leather or webbing that attach the girth to an English saddle.

Bit Guard
A rubber or leather circular device that sits between the horse's mouth and the bit. It's purpose is to keep the bit from pinching the mouth.

Bit
A device that rests in the horse's mouth. Mostly made of various metals. It's function is to act as an additional aid to the horse. 

Biting
A nasty habit that commonly occurs in younger and spoiled horses and stallions.

Black
An all over body color (except for white markings). Horses with brown points are not considered black.

Blacksmith
A farrier: a person who shoes horses; also works with various metals.

Blanch
When you apply pressure on the skin and tissues, in order to squeese the blood back from the skin.

Blanket
A coat for a horse. Depending on the purpose, it can be made of different fabrics: light fabrics for dust control and cooling out; waterproof for rainwear and canvas (rugs) for harsh weather.

Blanket - Appaloosa
The white markings on the rump of an Appaloosa horse.

Blaze
A medium sized strip of white or light color on the horse's face from nose to poll, but very rarely seen around the eye.

Blemish
An obvious, unattractive scar, mark or bump that does not hamper effectiveness or performance.

Blinders
Leather flaps on the side of a bridle at the horse's eye, to prevent the horse from seeing any way but forward. Also called blinkers.

Bloat
The distention of the horse's stomach.

Bloodlines
The horse's ancestry/family.

Blood-typing
A lab procedure to identify one of several blood groups.

Bloodworms
Often called strongyles. A parasite ingested by the horse through food. They feed in the gut wall and intestinal tract and can cause infection, colic and aneurysms. They come in small and large.

Blow up
The action when a horse loses it's ability to think logically and goes into flight and fight mode.

Blue roan
A body color that contains a uniform mix of black and white hairs throughout the entire body.

Board
The payment to keep a horse at a facility.

Bog Spavin
A chronic swelling of the upper hock joint.

Bolting - Riding
The act of a horse running out of control with a rider.

Bolting - Feeding
The act of a horse eating too quickly.

Bomb Proof
A term given a horse that is spook free.

Bone spavin
Any lump or bump on the hock (not cap). May or may not cause lameness.

Booster
A repeat immunization that revives the levels of immunity.

Boots
Protective covereings for the horse's legs and pasterns. Can be used in performance, trailering or veterinary care.

Borium
A very hard metal for the bottom of a horse's shoe. Prevents sliding.

Bosal
A rawhide hackamore or noseband used in western disciplines. Typically the bosal has a knotted rein set under the chin.

Bots
Arthropods/Gasterophilus: Bots are not a worm but an egg or larvae of a bot fly. The fly lays their eggs on the legs of the horse (summer and early fall), and is ingested during grooming or itching. The eggs develop in the stomach and are passed through dung. While bots are not considered dangerous, they do cause inflammation and ulcerated stomachs. Worming with Ivermectin or Moxidectin products in December or January ensures the bots are destroyed in cold winter temperatures. It is important to remove the bot eggs from your horse. They are tiny yellow eggs around the top end of the horses legs, usually front legs. Some bot eggs can be found around the face and neck. The bot fly is about the size of a honey bee, and moves about very quickly.

Bot block
A rough stone-like block used for removing bot eggs from a horse.

Bot fly
The nasty little flying critter that laid the bot eggs in the first place (see above).

Bowed - hocks
A structural weakness in the hocks; viewed from behind, the hocks bow out.

Bowed -  knees
The widest part of the legs is between the knees.

Bowed tendon
An overstretch or torn tissue injury of the superficial flexor tendon. Mainly a front leg injury. Caused from over-flexion of the ankle (pastern) when leg is subjected to soft boggy ground, or overwork and accidents.

Boxstall
(Also called a Box) A 4-sided box shelter that provides a comfortable and safe resting place for a horse.

Breaking
The beginning stages of training a horse to ride or drive.

Breast collar - breast plate
A leather or web strap that attaches to the saddle and holds it in place. It fits over the horse's chest and runs under and attaches to the girth, then comes up and attaches to each side of the saddle.

Breech
A part of a harness that wraps around the horse's rump and restrains the wagon or load from moving forward; also allows the horse to back up the cart.

Breed
A specific type or style of horse with a pedigree and papers. Governed by a breed association that handles livestock records and registers the foals. Each breed's character and conformation is particular to the breed.

Breeder
A person who breeds purebred stock for a living.

Breeding
The act of mating a stallion and a mare.

Bridle path
The section of mane that is clipped to allow space for the bridle. Specific lengths for breeds.

Bridle
A leather or web device that fits the horse's head. Usually holds a bit.

Brindle
A dun color with darker stripes or streaks.

Broke
A horse that is well trained and reliable.

Broodmare
A mare primarily used for breeding.

Browband
The top band of leather or web on a bridle that stretches from side to side just below the ears on the forehead.

Brown
A body color with mixed browns in the hair. Most have black legs, mane and tails. Also called 'seal', where the 'softer' parts of the horse are lighter.

Buck
When a horse jumps forward and up, arching it's back.

Buckskin
A body color of tan, gold or yellow, with a black mane, tail and legs.

Buckstitching
Deorative thick stitching, often white, on western saddles and bridles.

Bulb of the heel
The roundish part of the horse's foot just behind the hoof.

Bulk
The indigestible fibers in feed.

Bull pen
Another term for 'round pen'. Used for training and herding horses.

Burner
The rawhide part of a rope that covers the eye of the hondo to provide protection from wear.

Burro
A Spanish term for the common donkey.

Bute
Phynalbutazone; a white powdery pain killer drug.