As little as it takes
Referring to your energy; increase pressure gradually.

Balanced Work
Practicing from both sides - everything that is done from the left side needs to be done from the right side.

Barn Sour
Describes a horse that prefers not to work, would rather not leave the security of the barn or the herd and will more than likely always be in a hurry to get back home from a ride.

Bell Boot
A piece of equipment (usually made of rubber) used on the front ankle that covers almost the entire hoof and is used to protect the coronary bands against overreaching.
Bit
A piece of equipment, usually made of metal, that is connected to a bridle; it rests on a toothless, gummed portion of the inside of the horse’s mouth and the reins connect to it; used to help the rider control the horse’s movement and direction.

Breast Collar
A piece of equipment, usually made of leather, that attaches to each side of the saddle toward the front and usually to the cinch also, to help keep the saddle from sliding back.

Bridle (aka Headstall)
A piece of equipment that is secured around the head of a horse and designed to help the rider control the horse. They are usually used in conjunction with a bit, but hackamores and bosals are “bitless bridles”.

Brush
A piece of equipment used to remove dirt, dry skin and/or loose hairs.

Check and release
Referring to slowing or stopping - no constant pressure, it will desensitize the horse to the bit

Confidence
The horse’s trust that you’ll keep him safe - If he has confidence in you, he will trust you’ll keep him safe and he won’t panic or endanger himself (or you) with exposure to new situations and experiences.

Coordination
Balance, self-awareness

Costs
Feed/board, supplements, deworming, shoeing/trimming, immunizations, floating teeth, emergency vet calls, tack, insurance, trailer, etc

Curry Comb
A piece of equipment made of metal, rubber or plastic that has semi-pointed teeth and is used for grooming to loosen dirt, dry skin and/or shedding hair that will be brushed off later.

Desensitize
Get the horse to relax, stand still and not move away from pressure.

Distractions
Occurrences that cause the horse to lose his focus on you. Do not allow the horse to have a hard focus on a distraction while you’re working him – if this happens, make him work outside of his comfort zone by asking him for many turns, by waving a plastic bag, etc.

Draw Rein
A piece of equipment that is clipped to the cinch in between the horse’s forelegs, passes through the bit rings and then back to the rider’s hands; used to encourage the horse to flex his head and neck.

Drive
Force the horse to move forward from beside or behind him.

End on a good note
Especially if you didn’t have a “perfect” session…practice something the horse is good at and THEN call it quits.

Flexing
Bending the horse’s head (getting him to yield to pressure) without moving his feet. Lateral flexion is getting the horse to yield his head to one side; vertical flexion is getting the horse to yield his head by relaxing his poll.

Focus
Attention

Gait
How a horse moves across ground. Walk, trot or jog, lope or canter and gallop are the most commonly known gaits that are natural to (or inborn in) horses.

Green
Describes a horse (or rider!) that is not yet considered safe due to lack of training and experience.

Groundwork
The foundation of teaching the horse how to start, stop and steer

Halter
The basic headgear we put on the horse’s head to enable us to handle and control the horse.

Hand
Four inches (in reference to how a horse’s height is measured).

Hard focus
When the horse has completely disregarded you and is locked on something else.

Hoof pick
A piece of equipment used to remove dirt, manure, stones, etc. from a horse’s hooves.

Jig
An uncomfortable, jerky “gait” – half-walk, half-jog or trot – that horses often do when they’re excited.

Lateral Flexion
Bending the horse’s head to one side (getting him to yield to pressure) without moving his feet.

Lead Rope
Cotton or nylon rope, preferably a length of at least 8’, that fastens to the halter.

Lead (when cantering)
The front leg that strikes the ground farther ahead of the other front leg. When cantering in a circle, horses should lead with the inside leg; this will help them stay balanced.

Loose rein
Slack in the reins

Lunge Line
A piece of equipment, usually made of rope or nylon and usually approximately 20 to 25 feet long, used to exercise a horse by, for example, having him circle, back up or walk toward you.

Maintain a positive attitude
Frustration leads to war. If the frustration is overwhelming try something (anything!) else. If you’re still frustrated, put a quick end to the session (make sure it’s on a good note).

Mecate
A piece of equipment that attaches to a bit or bosal and is used as reins, connecting the rider to the horse and used as a lead rope.

One rein stop
Bring the horse’s head in to your shin and disengage his hindquarters.

Overreach
When the horse’s hind foot strikes the back of his foreleg or foot.

Parelli’s 7 games
     Principle: Friendly, porcupine, driving
     Purpose: Yo-yo, circling, sideways, squeeze 
 
Friendly
Touch the horse all over his body with your hands… then a rope…then a carrot stick; this builds trust and desensitizes the horse to contact, building his confidence 
 
Porcupine
Apply pressure in phases (start with a very light pressure and increase if the horse doesn’t respond); release the pressure as soon as he responds; this teaches the horse to follow a feel and to move away from steady pressure 
 
Driving
Suggest pressure through body language and by tapping the carrot stick on the ground or along the rope, driving the horse in all four directions; eventually to be able to simply use your hands to tap the air in front of the horse to move him 
 
Yo-yo
Send the horse backwards and then ask him to come forward, while he remains straight and balanced (but concentrate on the forward and backward motion before worrying about straight and balanced); strive to bring him to you with just a signal from your hand and without
the use of a rope 
 
Circling
Similar to lunging – send the horse out on to a circle around you and have him maintain direction and travel until you ask him to turn and face you; this teaches him to look for you and come to you 
 
Sideways
Have the horse face a fence so that he won’t move forward and use rhythmic pressure at his head and hindquarters to move him sideways; this teaches the horse that he can go left and right equally with ease 
 
Squeeze
Ask the horse to go between you and an object (some cones, for example); this teaches him to overcome his phobias and should help prevent him from fleeing from dangerPersonal Space
Whatever distance I establish (usually a few feet) to have between me and the horse.

Pressure
Urging, pushing or squeezing from a moving stimulus.

Quiet time
“Hanging out” with the horse in an area that’s not confining for twenty minutes.

Reins
Lengths of material (leather, cotton, nylon, web, etc.) that connect our hands to the bit.

Respect
When the horse looks to you as his leader. Respect is gained by controlling where the horse’s feet go – the more he realizes you can do this, the more respect he’ll give you.

Reward
Release of pressure.

Reward the slightest try
When the horse begins to give you what you’re asking for, especially when teaching him something new, reward him.

Romal Reins
Equipment that is attached to each side of the bit and comes together into a single strap where the rider holds them, connecting the rider to the horse.

Saddle blanket or saddle pad
A piece of equipment used to protect the horse’s back. It is placed between the saddle and the horse’s back.

Send and draw (aka “catching game”, “join up”)
Free lunge the horse, then draw him in by rolling your shoulders the direction you want him to turn (if sending him clockwise, roll your shoulders out to the right) and motioning him to come to you.

Sensitize
Get the horse used to moving away from pressure.

Set up for success
Begin all exercises in the correct position or you are asking for failure.

Soft focus
When the horse has not disregarded you but is aware of something else.

Splint Boots
Protective equipment for the splint bones on the inside of the legs; helpful for avoiding wounds and sores.

Split Reins
Equipment that attach to the bit on each side and connect the rider to the horse.

Surcingle
A piece of training equipment usually made of nylon or leather that has buckles like the English girths and metal rings in a variety of locations. It is placed around the barrel of the horse and allows for side reins to be attached to the bit and to the surcingle or for driving lines to be attached to the bit and through the rings on the surcingle for ground driving.

Vices
Dangerous, unwelcome, destructive, or annoying behaviors often caused by boredom; bad habits.

Whoa (when doing groundwork)
The horse disengages his hindquarters, turning and facing you (giving you both eyes) and all four of his feet stop for at least three seconds.