C

Cadence
The steady, equal rhythmn of a gait.

Calf-kneed
Also called back or behind the knee. A conformation fault where the knees bend backwards, allowing the knee to hyper-extend.

Calk
A metal cleat on the bottom of a horse's shoe, to prevent slipping.

Canadian
Started in 1913 by Quebec Canadians. Similar structure and colors to the Morgan. Versatile and willing.

Cannon
The bone between the knee on the front
leg, or hock on the rear leg, and the fetlock joint.

Canter
A three-beat gait (English): called a lope in western.
Canter leads - Jane Savoie

Cantle
The back of the seat of a saddle.

Carbohydrates
'Carbs' store and transport energy, and structural components. They play major roles in the working process of the immune system, fertilization, pathogenesis, blood clotting and development.
When excess Carbs create problems - Kathryn Watts

Cast
When a horse lays down or falls too close to a wall or fence and requires help to get up.

Castration
Removal of the testicles of a stallion.

Cavalletti
A low rail jump on permanent ends. Designed for various heights. Used for trot work and gymnastics in jumping (primarily).

Cavesson
English & western bridles: a leather noseband. In longeing, a heavy padded noseband with metal rings for attaching longe lines. Gives greater control than conventional halters and bridles.

Caecum
The horse's version of our appendix. Food passes from the small intestine into the caecum before passing into the large intestine. The caecum and large intestine are the 'fermentation chambers'.

Cervix
The narrow opening of a uterus.

Check rein
A strap that fastens to the bit that travels the bridge of the nose: used to
keep the horse's head up. Often seen in harness racing.

Chestnut
A color in which the body, mane, and
tail are various shades of medium to soft browns.

Chrome
Any horse with very flashy white markings, especially full socks.

Chronic
A recurring condition.

Cinch
In western: belly strap used to hold a saddle on. English version called a girth. The strap that holds the cinch to the main body of the saddle is called a cinch strap.
Western Saddle Fitting - April Reeves

Cinchy
A horse who becomes irritated from the girth or cinch being tightened. They protest by laying their ears back, biting and kicking, and swishing their tail.

Chute
A narrow fenced lane for cows to exit from.

Clinches
The folded-over ends of horseshoe nails
the farrier puts on the outside of a shod hoof.

Close Contact Saddle
A saddle with very little padding or leather to allow the rider to be closer to the horse. Although this type of saddle can be English or Western, it is commonly heard when relating to English and hunt seat and jumping saddles.

Clover
A plant with questionable edible qualities for horses. Alsike clover is considered toxic, while red, white dutch or common clover are considered acceptable.

Clydesdale
One of the taller draft breeds. Coat color is bay with 4 white 'feathered' legs, and white on the head. Popular for pulling and showing. Originally from England and Scotland.

Coarse
An unrefined horse: lacking breed quality.
Heavy plant fibre.

Cob
English term for a small horse.

Coffin bone
A delicate bone in the hoof capsule (also pedal bone, third phalanx). Because of it's location, it is often injured or damaged easily.

Coggins
An infectious anemia that's highly contagious. Horses must carry vet certificates of being Coggins free to be imported and exported.

Coggins Test
A blood test for the highly infectious disease, Equine Infectious Anemia. Laws require testing for any horse traveling out of state. Have the test done 2 weeks before traveling.

Cold-blooded
The term used for draft and heavy horses. Does not mean blood temperature. Because the blood flow takes longer in large horses, they tend to be slower and hardier, thus giving the name 'cold'.

Colic
An abdominal pain in horses. Colic should be taken seriously, as horses can become severe and fatal when not looked after. Horses with colic tend to kick at their bellies, roll, sweat and spasm.
Colic: Don't let the sun set on a colic!

Collect
To contain and coordinate the forward movement of a horse. How To Teach The Horse To Round and Collect.

Collection
An organized state of eqilibrium, where the horse's hindquarters become 'engaged' and powerful, and the front end light and supple. Characterized by an elevated head, rounded neck, vertical placement of nose/head, rounded spine and lowered hindquarters. Collected gaits have shorter stride lengths.

Colostrum
The first milk a foal receives, containing important antibodies, proteins and natural laxative.

Colt
A male horse under the age of 4.

Colt Starting
A new version of the older term "horse breaking". Started when Natural Horsemanship and softer, gentler ways of training became popular.
What to Expect From Professional Training on a 2 Year Old - April Reeves       

Combination
A series of jumping fences that must be taken as a pair: in and out.

Complete Feed
Usually a pellet feed: containing balanced nutrients.

Conditioning
The act of preparing a horse physically and mentally for a particular job.

Conformation
The specific build of a horse according to it's breed or category.

Congenital
An abnormal condition that an animal has at birth.

Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the white lining (conjunctiva) of the eyes.

Consignor
A person who consigns a horse for
sale or auction.

Contact
The 'feel' of a horses' mouth through the hands to the bridle/bit.

Contracted heels
A disease where the horse's heels pull together from a shift in the hoof wall.

Coronet / coronary band
Directly above the hoof wall, a thick band of skin which serves as the source of hoof growth.

Counter canter
A deliberate opposite lead. Counter canter article on April Reeves Horse Training Q&A's

Cover
To breed a mare.

Cow-hocked
A horse with legs angled from the hock, that resemble a cow's. 

Cradle
A wooden or plastic device around a horse's neck to prevent him from biting or licking his sides or legs.

Creep
A feed area for foals that is too small for the mare to enter and eat from. Foals can feed freely in a creep feeder.

Cribbing
A vice by which the horse anchors it's teeth, pulls back and sucks wind. Not the same as wood chewing.

Cricket
A round ball-like attachent on a bit port which spins freely, allowing the horse's tongue to move and play. Called a cricket from the noise it makes as a horse plays with it.

Crossbred
The foal of two separate breeds.

Cross fire
The act of the horse being on different leads on the front and back. The horse can be on his left lead with the front legs, but be on the right lead with his back legs. Usually a sign of lack of balance.

Cross-tie
A way of tying horses where the aisle rope or chain attaches to the halter from either side.

Crupper
A leather loop that fits under the horse's tail, and attaches to a harness. It prevents the harness from moving forward. Cruppers can also be used with saddles.

Cryptorchid
The retention of one or both testicles
in the abdominal cavity.

Cue
A single signal given to a horse as an aid.

Curb
A style of bit with a port (variable heights) and shanks.

Curb strap
The leather strap attached to the bit
under the horse's chin.

Curb chain
See above: instead of leather, the strap is metal chain.

Curly
A smaller, sturdy breed whose origin is debatable. Unique characteristics include a curly coat with hypoallergenic tendencies.

Curry comb
A plastic, metal or rubber brush-like device for loosening heavy dirt and mud from a coat.

Cutting Horse
Derived from the 'Old West', cutting horses were originally ranch horses that were used to separate cattle from the herd for branding, sale or medical treatment.
Larry Trocha: 5 Myths about Cutting Horses