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14 Horse World Words with Two Meanings

The horse world is full of riddles, myths and jargon and to a non-horse person it can sound like we are speaking a whole new language.

Here are 14 everyday words that mean something completed different to someone living in the horse world.

  • Sire – this is a name used when addressing royalty, for example the King. To a horsey person this is the father of a horse.
  • Dam – this is a barrier that holds back water. To a horsey person this is the mother of a horse.
  • Frog – this is a type of animal. To a horsey person this is a part of the horse’s hoof. It is under neither and V shaped and used as a shock absorber.
  • Chestnut – this is a type of nut that can be roasted and eaten. To a horsey person this would be used either to describe the colour of an orange horse or a part of the horse on the inner side of the leg above the knee.
  • Bay – this is a body of water indenting a shoreline. To a horsey person this is a type of colour of a horse that is brown with black mane and tail.
  • Star – this is a light in the sky that you see at night. To a horsey person this is a small white patch of hair on the horses forehead.
  • Cob – this is how you can eat sweetcorn. To a horsey person this is a stocky small horse.
  • Green – this is a type of colour. To a horsey person this is used to describe a young, inexperienced horse.
  • Tack – a type of pin. To a horsey person this is the name for the saddle and bridle worn by a horse
  • Tree – this is a large plant outside. To a horsey person this is the centre part of a saddle.
  • Hand – this is a part of the human body on the end of their arm. To a horsey person this is the unit of measurement of a horse. The horse is measured from the ground to the withers which is at the end of the neck and start of the horses back. A hand is four inches.
  • Nap – this is used to describe a short sleep often during the day. To a horsey person this is when a horse is reluctant to move in the direction the rider is asking him to go.
  • Groom – this is a man who will soon be or has recently been married. To a horsey person this is someone who looks after and takes care of horses.
  • Yard – this is a unit of measurement – 3 feet. To a horsey person this is where their horse lives and where they would like to spend all day and night!