Lead Pony: also known as a stable pony, is to help a racehorse with its training, both in practice and on the day of a race.

Lunge: 1. a long rope used to guide a horse during training or exercise. 2. to train or exercise (a horse) by the use of a lunge rope.

Mare: a fully mature female horse or other equine animal.

Martingale: 1. Also called standing martingale: part of the tack or harness of a horse, consisting of a strap that fastens to the girth, passes between the forelegs and through a loop in the neckstrap or hame, and fastens to the noseband: used to steady or hold down the horse's head. 2. Also called running martingale: a similar device that divides at the chest into two branches, each ending in a ring through which the reins pass.

Mule: 1. the sterile offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, valued as a work animal, having strong muscles, a body shaped like a horse, and donkey like long ears, small feet, and sure-footedness. Compare hinny1 . 2. any hybrid between the donkey and the horse.

Muzzle: 1. the projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose. 2. a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires,placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc.

Off the Bit/Bridle: means it is losing contact with the bit in its mouth and has stopped pulling or driving forward.

On the Bit: horse is hard held by the jockey, pulling and running smoothly

Owner: One with the right to exclusive use, control, or possession of property (horse, human pony, etc)..

Paddock: 1. a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals. 2. the enclosure in which horses are saddled and mounted before a race.

Plaiting: A braid, especially of a horse's main or tail.

Plume: a feather, a tuft of feathers, or some substitute, worn as an ornament usually on a horse's headstall.

Pole Bending:  A timed event that features a horse and one mounted rider, running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line.

Pony: 1. a small horse of any of several breeds, usually not higher at the shoulder than 14 1 / 2 hands (58 in./146 cm). 2. a horse of any small type or breed. 3. Human pony: also called ponygirl or ponyboy play depending on the sex of the participants, is a human sexual role-playing practice where one person acts like a pony or horse, while a partner acts as a handler, trainer, or Owner. Some classify this is an animal transformation fantasy, though ponygirl play is far more common than any other form of animal transformation play. The evidence that is available suggests that the fantasy and practice is more prevalent in the U.K., the US, and Australia than elsewhere, although it is spreading worldwide. Ponyplay has nothing to do with bestiality.

Pony Pride Flag: The Pony Pride Flag was an idea of my friend Carrie (Ponygirl Mystic Storm) that she had carried around in her head for a couple of years, and finally, in 2007, she brought the idea to fruition. She created the image to show off her pride at being a Ponygirl, and a way for others to have a visual representation of their pride and involvement as well.

What Does It Mean?

Black - Represents the Black Leather most commonly worn in the Leather communities. This shows our link to the Leather Community at large. (Side note by Ponygirl lyndsey: There are many human ponies who do not think of themselves as part of the Leather Community but as part of the over-all Alternative Life-style Community. You do not have to be part of the Leather Community to love and enjoy Ponyplay).

White - Represents the pure inner spirit within each pony, no matter how each pony may be different.

Blue - Represents the ponies who strive to exceed at their craft and who enjoy the competition aspect of pony play. Also, blue represents denim, for all the cowboys and cowgirls who love their ponies!

Green - Represents nature, grass and running free in a field with no worries except the stupid horse flies.

Horseshoes - Represents the pony out in its natural environment as well as a symbol to unify all ponies.

If you are interested in having your own flag made or having the flag on an item such as a blanket, pillow or other sewn item please email Nancy of Lifestyle Sewing at: nncythom@aol.com.

Prance: 1. to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
2. spring forward on the hind legs
3. cause (a horse) to bound spring forward
4. ride a horse such that it springs and bounds forward

Rail: A horizontal bar usually made of wood, supported by vertical posts, functioning as a fence, barrier, handrail, jump, etc.

Refusal: The failure of a horse to jump a fence to which he was presented. This includes any stop in forward motion. A run-out is when the horse quickly slides past or "ducks out" of a fence instead of jumping it, without stopping forward motion.

Reins: 1. Often, reins. a leather strap, fastened to each end of the bit of a bridle, by which the rider or driver controls a horse or other animal bypulling so as to exert pressure on the bit. 2. any of certain other straps or thongs forming part of a harness, as a checkrein. 3. any means ofcurbing, controlling, or directing; check; restraint. 4. reins, the controlling or directing power

Rowel: 1. a small wheel with radiating points, forming the extremity of a spur. 2. Veterinary Medicine . a piece of leather or the like inserted beneath the skin of a horse or other animal to promote drainage of an infection.

Showmanship: an event found at many horse shows. The class is also sometimes called "Fitting and Showmanship", "Showmanship In-Hand", "Showmanship at Halter" or "Halter Showmanship." It involves a person on the ground leading a horse, wearing a halter or bridle, through a series of maneuvers called a pattern. The horse itself is not judged on its conformation. Rather, the exhibitor is judged on how well he or she exhibits the animal to its best advantage, with additional scoring for the grooming and presentation of both horse and handler.

Spurs: A U -shaped device that slips over and straps to the heel of a boot and has a blunt, pointed, or roweled projection at the back for use by a mounted rider to urge a horse forward.

Stable Hand: A more old-fashioned term for groom; the variation stableman usually applies to an experienced adult, the lowest rank stable boy(corresponding to the first origin of groom) rather to a minor and/or trainee.

Stallion: An uncastrated adult male horse, especially one used for breeding.

Stride: 1. a striding manner or a striding gait. 2. a long step in walking. 3. (in animal locomotion) the act of progressive movement completedwhen all the feet are returned to the same relative position as at the beginning. 10. the distance covered by such a movement: He was walking astride or two ahead of the others. 11. a regular or steady course, pace, etc.

Strike: To start or move suddenly into (vigorous movement) a faster pace.

Sulky: A light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage for one person.

Tack: A term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack. Equipping a horse is often referred to as tacking up. Human ponytack can include the above as well as PVC, Latex, lycra bodysuits, Zentai suits, corsets (leather or other), as well as different kinds of boots including pony boots.

Trainer: A person who teaches horses to perform certain behaviors when asked to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrian activities from horse racing to therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities.

Historically, horses were trained for warfare, farm work, sport and transport. Today, most horse training is geared toward making horses useful for a variety of recreational and sporting equestrian pursuits. Horses are also trained for specialized jobs from movie stunt work to police and crowd control activities, circus entertainment, and equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Transition: A good-quality transition occurs when the horse changes its pace either upward or downward in a precise and calm manner. This is achieved through the rider’s technique and depends on their ability to prepare the horse’s mindset and way of going before asking for the change. If asked to make a transition without warning, the horse will naturally be surprised and either overreact by jumping forward too quickly, or not react at all. Therefore, the key to achieving a calm transition is the preparation.

Trot: A two beat diagonal gait of the horse where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. There is a moment of suspension between each beat.

 Walk: The walk is a four-beat gait that averages about 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h). When walking, a horse's legs follow this sequence: left hind leg, left front leg, right hind leg, right front leg, in a regular 1-2-3-4 beat. At the walk, the horse will always have one foot raised and the other three feet on the ground, save for a brief moment when weight is being transferred from one foot to another. A horse moves its head and neck in a slight up and down motion that helps maintain balance.