The Paris-Turf Lexicon
© Paris Turf 1999-2006, all rights reserved

A B C D E F G H I K J L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y


Lexicon in French

A

Action : the style of the horse's natural gait, qualities which determine its value in galloping or trotting

Age : the "official" age stated on the racecard. All horses in the Northern Hemisphere become one year older on the first of January and on August 1st in the Southern Hemisphere.From the age of two, horses can run in flat or trotting races, they have to be three to participate in steeplechasing

Affûté : used to describe a horse trained to his peak

Affûté pour une épreuve : when a horse is trained to his peak or fitness for a specific race

Alezan : chesnut horse (Coat, mane and tail of a reddish brown or yellowish brown)

Allant : used when a horse pulls against his rider's hands wanting to go faster

Allonger : to increase the pace, used in gallop as well as in trot

Allonger un cheval : to train a horse to run longer distances

Allures : the style of a horse's gait, also the basic gaits of walk, trot, canter, gallop and in harness-racing, pace

Amble : Pacing : left anterior and left posterior move forward simultaneously, then right anterior and right posterior. Pacing can be faster than trotting.

Anglais : In France, an Anglo-Arab is a crossbred between English and Arabian thoroughbreds and must have at least 25% Arab blood to be listed in the Stud-book. The thoroughbred was first bred in England and is thus known as the English thoroughbred.

Animer une épreuve : to race in front, to lead the field

Antérieur : Foreleg.

Aplombs :Essentially used to define the way the horse stands, the good, or bad angle of its joints in the lower leg

Aptitudes : There are various aptitudes. Aptitude to ground or going (good, soft, firm, heavy); to distance, to racing right or left handed, to hurdles or fences

A.Q.P.S. : Other than thoroughbred. A general term refering to horses not listed as thoroughbreds. French saddlebreds, Anglo-Arabs, French trotters, and all other crossbreds can be qualified as AQPS. For racing purposes, each breed has its own studbook

Arabe : Arabian thoroughbreds have always competed for their aesthetic qualities, especially in U.S.S.R. and Poland, where the U.S.A bought many stallions. France is one of the few countries which has always selected Arabian thoroughbreds on their racing performances

Arqué : bandy-legged horse

Arrêté (gagner) : to win a race easily.

Arrière-Main : Quarters. Slang. The horse's "back end"

Attache-langue : Tongue strap which prevents the horse from twisting its tongue over the bit or swallowing it when making too violent an effort

Atteinte : slight wound caused by a horse cutting into itself with a shod foot or by other minor accidents

Attendre (to wait) : to lay back in the field during a race and then finish fast in the final stages

Attente (course d'attente) : Ditto. Some horses prefer racing this way, saving their top speed for the finish

Aubère : red roan horse - (Bay or sorrel or chesnut coat mixed with white or grey hairs)

Aubin : horse galloping with its anteriors and trotting with its posteriors

Autostart : specific type of vehicle (with wings that can be folded back) used to start a harness race

Avant-main : forehand, the horse's "front end"

Avoine : oats. Vital food for horses.

Avoine (gagner) : horse winning enough prize-money to pay for its upkeep

Back to top

B

Bai : bay horse. Reddish brown horse with black mane and tail and lower legs

Balais : slang term for hurdles, in France, are constructed like miniature English fences

Balances : scales. official place where jockeys are weighed. . Over the years, has become the focal point of a racetrack

Balzane : horse with white stockings

Banquette : bank used as an obstacle in steeplechasing or cross-country racing, the horses jump up it and down the other side

Barbotage : a mixture of bran and various kinds of boiled grain

Base : A runner that has good chances to win a race, all other bets being struck round this one; i;e if number 3 is the "base", it will be included in each multiple bet on that race

Bâton (sortir le) : slang. For when a jockey or driver moves his whip into a position readu for use

Battue : precise moment when the horse's foot touches the ground. Used in trotting to describe a horse's stride

Betting : To gamble. Betting odds are the prices proposed for each horses such as 5 to 1, evens, 9/4 and so on.

Billarder : when a horse throws its anteriors out

Bottom-weight : the horse in a handicap race, carrying the lowest weight

Boulet : joint of the horse's ankle . A kind of spring situated between the pastern and the canon. This joint is continually under pressure, and when either hot or swollen the horse must rest

Box : The horse's "bedroom", its lodging. About 10 square metres, its door is generally divided into two parts.

Braqué : is said of a horse refusing to obey its rider.

Bras (gagner aux bras) : when a horse wins a race without its jockey using its whip

Brassicourt : over at the knee. This congenital deformity does not prevent a horse from galloping (sometimes very fast)

Bricole : Breast plate fitted across the chest and attached to the girth at each side (to prevent the saddle from moving back)

Bride : bridle (headgear used to control a horse, including headstall, bit and reins)

Brillant (plus brillant que tenace) : a fast horse but lacking courage or stamina

Bullfinch : Steeplechase obstacle consisting of a high hedge on a bank which the horse jumps through

Butte : Bank used in steeplechasing and cross-country racing

Back to top

C

Canon : Bone situated between the foreknee and fetlock joint, and the hind hock and fetlock

Canter : Used to describe a preliminary gallop (ot trot) before the race starts. Correctly a slow gallop or intermediary gait between the trot and a proper gallop.

Canter (gagner dans un canter) : to win easily

Capelet : Swelling at the extremity of the horse's hock. Usually due to the horse banging its rocks on its stall walls

Caractère : usually means that the horse is bad-tempered. Used when refering to the "non-cooperative" mood of a horse

Casaque : silk, nylon or plastic jacket in the owner's colours

Castration : surgery consisting in removing the horse's testicles. A gelded horse (hongre) becomes less aggressive towards other horses and men, and indifferent to mares.

Certificat (d'origine) : "papers" officiliasing the horse's origins. Its passport is established by an official of the National Studs while still an unweaned foal

Cession (des engagements) : when an owner sells a horse, together with the entries made for it in future races

Chaleurs : period during which mares are receptive to males. They last about 4 days and can completely change a female's attitude to racing at that time

Chambrière : Long whip used in riding schools or when lungeing a horse

Chanfrein : Horse's forehead and leading down towards nose

Chasse (galop de ) : Slang for a slow pace in a race. In long distances, the pace is often slow for the major part of the race, then becomes much faster in the final sprint. Correct name for a canter

Châtaigne : callus situated on the internal side of limbs.

Claquage : Correctly, the rupture of tendons, a very serious injury. Used also for strained tendons. A horse is said to have 'broken down"

Cloche : rubber protection pulled up over the horse's hoof to its heels. It can, when weighted, also be used to obtain a better balance for a trotter

Code : Rules of Racing

Conditions : In a handicap race, the handicapper will assign weights according to ability. In other races, penalties and allowances are allocated according to prizes won, age and sex.

Commissaires : Stewards in charge of controlling racing and applying the rules

Cornage : a breathing complaint. The horse makes a wheezing sound when making an effort. Surgery can help as the cause is a partly blocked wind pipe

Corne : The outside wall of the horse's hoof which, like a human nail, grows continually. Shoes are nailed to the wall of the hoof

Corde : Each horse is allocated a starting position by drawing of lots, from 1 on the rail to 20 on the outside.

Cote : established according to all the bets in the same race. The more people have bet on a horse, the smaller its odds will be. The least chance the horse has to win, the highest its odds. A bet at 2 to 1 on a winner gets you 3 francs (2 francs of winnings plus your returned stake)

Coude : elbow. Situated at the top of the foreleg

Coude (aller au) : Slang. Because of the horse lifting its legs too high, its elbow can be hurt by its hind hoof and must be protected with an elbow protection, usually only found in trotting

Couleurs : jacket and cap worn by jockeys or drivers made in the owner's colours

Couplé : Dual forecast. Find the first two horses home in a given race

Couplés au Pari Mutuel : Horses in same ownership or training stable. If one wins, the bet is also payed on the others. Does not count for a place or show

Crack : exceptional horse. Has lost its prime meaning, now is used to qualify a very good horse

Couronne: top of the horse's foot, just above the hoof

Couteau de chaleur : thin plate of soft metal (or wood) used to wipe the sweat or shampoo from a horse

Cravache : whip

Crevasses : cracks which can appear on the pastern due to wet ground conditions

Critérium : originally, races reserved to talented 2 years old horses

Cross-country: cross-country steeplechasing over very varied obstacles

Dead-heat : to be equally placed.

Back to top

D

Débourrer : to break in a young horse (to obey and accept a rider) ... Most important phase in a horse's life before being trained to race at a trot or a gallop

Décharge : Weight allowance allocated to apprentices, jockeys or amateurs in certain races. They are given a weight advantage in order to compete more fairly with the professionals. These allowances are clearly indicated in Paris-Turf in the entries presentation

Déclassé : horse competing against less talented horses in the same race

Décontracter : to give its best, a horse must be relaxed, especially as far as breathing is concerned. Mutual trust between jockeys or drivers and horses plays an essential role.

Découper en rondelles : to flog a horse very energetically. Slang

Dedans (en) : Racing on the rails side of the field or on the inside

Défendre un cheval : in a claiming race, the owner places a claim higher than its normal rate in the hopes of buying him back

Défense : a horse can manifest its refusal to obey in different ways : It can bite, rear , kick... or simply refuse to race

Demi-Sang : crossbred between a thoroughbred and a horse of a different race. Can also be crossbred between two halfbreds

Derby : race in which the best 3 years old (of a given country or of a district) participate

Dérober : used when a horse refuses to jump a hurdle or deviates from the official track. In which case, it will be disqualified

Désuni : generally used when the trotting gait is uncoordinated. Horse may be disqualified.

Distance : is the distance that every competitor has to run in a race. In trotting, there can be more than one starting posts (2.600 and 2.625 metres for example). Used also to describe a point at 200 metres from the winning post.

Distances (à l'arrivée) : the official distances separating the competitors at the finishing post. Many expressions are used : nose, short head, head, short neck, neck, one, two, three, five ten lengths, a distance. In trotting races, the time taken by each horse to complete the race will be indicated

Distancé : a horse purely and simply disqualified

D.A.I. : Disqualified because of incorrect gait in a trotting race . A horse galloping, or pacing instead of trotting is always disqualified

Doping : illegal practise consisting in giving horses substances which can enhance or diminish the physical conditions of a horse

D.P.G : for a trotter : disqualified because galloping at the winning (instead of trotting)

Driver : Harness race driver on a sulky

Back to top

E

Ecart : a horse shying

Ecart : Number of races disputed by a rider, driver or trainer since his last win

Ecurie (Ec) : see couplés

Egalité : Odds at even money

Elève : breeders product. Also used to refer to a trainer's pupil. A stud farm is an élevage

Embouchure : the bit (mouthpiece of bridle)

Encapuchonner (s) : Horse which exageratly bends its neck, bringing its head in towards its chest

Engagement : entry of a horse in a given race

Enlever (s') : when a trotter starts galloping

Enquête : Enquiry: Stewards start an investigation at the end of a race to find out if there have been irregularities and which horse should be blamed. After an investigation, the results can be unchanged , but a runner can be reclassed in the finishing order or disqualified. Stewards can request on their own accord an official inquiry when they noticed something unusual in a race. Any participant can request an enquiry into an incident which he considers affected the result

Enrênement : Bearing rein which helps a trotter to keep properly balanced

Ensellé : horse with a hollow back

Entraineur particulier : trainer with an exclusive contract with one owner

Entraineur public : professional training horses for various owners

Entrée : sum of money required for a horse to participate in a race

Eparvin : hard tumor situated on the horse's hock, can cause limping

Eperon : spur . pricking instrument with point worn on horseman's heel to stimulate a horse

Epis : Whorl. Useful to identify horses in their passport. Little circles of hair growing differently to the rest

Etalon : stallion - Male horse for breeding

Etrier : Stirrup. Horse-rider's foot rest consisting of metal hoop

Etrille : currycomb - used to groom a horse

Back to top

F

F : initial used to qualify a female (mare or filly)

Fanon : bunch of hair behind the horse's pastern joint

Faute : (mistake) : sudden swerve, also used when the trotter starts galloping. In steeplechasing, when a horse hits a jump or stumbles on landing

Faux (galoper à faux) : A horse always has one foreleg reaching further forward than the other when galloping. He "leads" on this leg, which should be the one on the side he is turning. If he leads on the outside leg, he is "à faux"

Favori : the favourite horse in a race,. Many punters give it a good chance to win a race

Fédération : Racing Associations in the provinces of France are almagated in federations .There are nine of them : Ouest, Anjou-Maine, Basse Normandie, Haute-Normandie, Sud-Ouest, Sud-Est, Centre-Est, Nord, and Est

Feinter: to limp slightly

Finir (un cheval) : to ask the best from a horse to finish a race. Also used for a lad who rubs down and dries a horse in its stall after an outing or a race

Figurer : a horse running in the leading group but not placed at the finish

Film (contrôle): every race is filmed by one or several cameras, enabling the Stewards to control the race in detail and to review the film if necessary

Fit : A trainer will use this term when his horse is in a very good physical form

Flyer : a sprinter. A horse good at running short distances , from 1.000 to 1.300 meters

Foal : horse in his first year - Colt or filly

Fond : aptitude of a horse enabling it to run over long distances. Stamina

Forfait : cancellation of an entry. The later the cancellation is, the more costly it becomes

Fouailler de la queue : the way a horse shows its irritation lashing its tail. Mares on heat often demonstrate this irritation

Foulée : a stride

Fourbure : congestion and inflammation of the horse's inner hoof. Laminitis

Fourchette : Frog. Part of the sole of the hoof

Frais : a horse that has not run recently, a fresh horse

France Galop : controlling body of flat racing and jump racing in France

Froid : will do its best but only when pushed, very laid back if not lazy

Back to top

G

Gagnant : the winner

Garrot : withers. Ridge between horse's shoulder blades. A horse's height is always measured at the withers

Gestation : a mare carries a foal for 11 months

Gentleman : Amateur rider authorised to participate in races

Gourme : contegious impetigo.

Grasset : joint in a horse corresponding to the human kneecap. Stifle

Gris : coat with grey hair (used also for almost purely white coats), a truly white horse being an albino and very rare

Groupe : only highly talented horses will participate in Group Races. Very good horses will run in Group I races, less talented ones in GroupII or III . Pattern races

Back to top

H

H : initial refering to a gelding

Haie : small obstacle consisting of compacted heather or natural hedges. Sometimes now made of plastic foliage

Haies (course de ) : obstacle race where horses have to jump over hurdles

Handicap : a race in which chances of competitors are made theoretically equal by weight distribution by a specialist handicaper

Hat : Slang meaning the result was so unpredictable that one might just as well have pulled it out of a hat

Haras : stud farm - place where horses are bred

Haras Nationaux : a French government association in charge of improving breeding of horses in France owning several stud farms throughout the country

Harnachement : all the various elements for harnessing a horse

Hennissement : neigh

Hongre : castrated horse. A gelding

Huit (eight) : in some cases, shape of a racetrack. Much used in steeplechase-cross country races. The name of a water jume at Auteuil where the track used to be in a figure of eight

Back to top

I

Inédit : horse that has never participated in a race

Isabelle : Horse with greyish yellow coat with black mane, tail and lower legs

Inbreeding : breeding within the same blood. For example, the father and mother of a horse had the same sire

Back to top

J

Jarret : hock between hip and hind fetlock

Jeu (cheval de, faire le jeu) : A horse running only to set the pace for a stablemate. Pacemaker

Jodhpurs : long breeches for riding, close fitting from knee to ankle (In fact, name of an Indian city)

Jumenterie : group of brood mares

Jockey : jockey (professional rider)

Juge aux allures : official steward in charge of controlling the regularity of trotting races, and of disqualifying horses if needs be

Juge à l'arrivée : official representative who judges the finishing order, with the help of photographic documents(if needed)

Jumelé : Ditto couplé but whereas the couplé can only be played in off course Pari-Mutuel offices. The jumelé (dual forecast) is played on the racetrack

Back to top

L

Lâché (au poids) : when a horse seems to have been given a lower handicap weight than it merits

Lad : stable-man

Leader : horse galloping in the leading position or setting the pace for a stable mate

Licol : halter - Headstall for horses

Lippizan : breed of horses used by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna

Limité : Lacking in stamina over a long distance

Liste (en tête) : white mark on the horse's forehead

Listed (course principale) : A pattern race just below group level.

Litière : straw or other bedding used in stalls and loose boxes. Can also be shredded paper or peat.

Livre : Horse's weights , penalties, and allowances can be measured in pounds as well as in kilos. A livre (pound) being roughly half a kilo

Livrer (se) : when a horse gives its best

Back to top

M

M : refers to a male uncastrated horse. An entire

Maiden : a horse that has not won a race yet (used only in galloping and steeplechasing). Or a race reserved for such horses

Manège : training ring or indoor riding school

Martingale : martingale. Strap or set of straps fastened at one end to nose-band or reins at other end to girth to prevent a horse throwing its head up or even rearing

Mashes : cooked mixtures of grains used as substitutes to plain oats. Indeed, cooked food is more digestible Generally, these mashes are made of oats, barley, linseed ... served warm!

Mixed with bran, they are delicious!

Méthode : a betting formula based on past performances, which will lead to real success (according to their creators). They are fantastic... as long as you do not always use them!

Miler : horse specialised in races run over 1.600 metres (a mile)

Modèle : as for every breed, a racehorse should correspond to a certain ideal of conformation

Molette : wind gall, soft pockets of liquid on the articulations of the pastern joint caused by strain. Unsightly but not a worry to horsemen

Moral : morale is most important for a horse. Must be keen on running, fighting and ... winning . Not always easy to keep a good morale , especially after hard races

Mur : (wall) a steeplechase obstacle

Musique : all the latest form figures of a horse. Good results will mean a good "music"

Back to top

N

N

Naseaux : nostrils

N.P. : before a race, the horse is a non runner. After a race, it is unplaced!

Back to top

O

Obstacles (courses à ) three types : hurdle racing, steeplechasing or steeplechase-cross country racing

Oeil (sur l') : a horse being constantly on the alert, for an excuse to shy

Oeillères : blinkers. Prevents from seeing behind and to the side. Can help a horse to concentrate or a lazy horse to run faster

Ombrageux : Difficult. A horse that gets angry

Oreilles (ears) : important element . When the horse's ears are forward, it is attentive and happy. When down, it can be warning of aggressiveness. Horses put their ears back when running their hardest

Oreillard : Horse with large ears that flop over sideways

Ordres : Given to a jockey by the trainer before a race concerning the tactics to be used

Origines : pedigree.

Outsider : horse thought to have little or no chance in a race

Outcrossing : Opposite of inbreeding. No same animals are in the same pedigree

Oxer: steeplechase obstacle made up of two fences with a gap in the middle

Back to top

P

Paddock : place where horses walk around in front of the public before a race, and where they sometimes return to after a race. A field where they are turned loose to rest

Panard : Front feet turn outward

Pansage : grooming of a horse, from head to... hoof

Papier (faire le): to establish the theoretical chances of each competitor in a race to find the winner. Study of form and pedigree to establish the best bet

Parcours : the course or itinerary of each race

Pari Mutuel : Pool betting. There is no other in France

Part : when a horse belongs to an Association or group of owners, the horse is divided into shares (parts)

Passage de route : Steeplechase double jump. Up and over one bank, a couple of strides at the bottom then up and over another

Passage de sangle : where the saddle girth fits under the chest

Paturon : corresponds to the last phalanx, between the pastern joint and the hoof

Payer pour un cheval : It is "odds on", i.e 4/10. You stake 10 francs and win 4 francs plus your returned stake

Pelote : round mark of white on the horse's forehead

Pénétromètre : instrument used to qualify the state of the ground on a turf track. It is dropped on the track, the deeper it falls, the heavier the ground is. The state is then translated into figures, 2,5 being good ground, 5 being heavy

Performance: performance of a horse. Its results in a race

Pesage : the enclosure around the weighing room

Photo : all racetracks are equipped with photo finish cameras enabling to determine the winner of a race, in a close finish. When horses finish in a group, the photo is obviously necessary to establish the final order

Piano : Cross country obstacle made up of large steps going up or down a hill

Piocher : when a trotter lifts its anteriors very high or a horse fidgets and trots on the spot

Poids : weight carried by a horse in a race, includes the jockey and his equipment

P.M.H. : Pari Mutuel Hippodrome (Pool Betting System on the racetrack)

P.M.U. Pari Mutuel Urbain (national or track pool betting system)

Poney : pony (its height must not exceed 1.49 m)

Postérieurs : horse's hind legs

Poteau : Winning post

Poulinière : brood mare

P.S. (pur-sang): thoroughbred

Back to top

Q

Qualification : to run a race, a trotter must be qualified, that means it must run a trial race of one kilometre in a given time. A galloper needs to qualify for certain races such as handicaps by racing a given number of times

Back to top

R

R : initial figuring after the owner's name, meaning "representing". When an owner is in mourning, it is customary that his name should not figure on the programme

Raccourcir (un cheval) : a horse asked to race over a shorter distance than it usually does

Raser le tapis : horse hardly lifting its anteriors above the ground, almost skimming the ground. A long, raking stride sometimes called "daisycutting". The contrary is "piocher"

Recevoir du poids : a horse "receives" weight from an opponent when it carries an inferior weight than its rival

Réclamation : a jockey makes a claim to the Stewards when he thinks he has been obstructed by an opponent in a race. An investigation is made after a claim, maintaining or modifying the final result. The sound of a siren will announce that a claim has been made

Réclamer : condition race, when it is possible to buy one of the runners at the end of that particular race. The claim rate figures on the official programme and in PAris-Turf. People who want to buy a horse put the price they wish to buy the horse (which can not be inferior to the claiming price) on a form deposited in a box. The owner can "defend" his horse. The horse is sold to the highest bidder. The prescribed time to claim a horse is twenty five minutes after the finish of the race

Réduction kilométrique : average time a horse takes to trot each kilometre of a race. For example : in a 3.000 metres race, if it takes 4m 6s for a horse to cover that distance. 1'22 " will represent its "réduction kilométrique" (4m 6s divided by 3).

Référence : A complicated indication of numerical reference to the number of kilos added or substracted according to the intrinsic quality of horses entered in a handicap

Rembourser : bets are reimbursed in certain unavoidable circumstances

Rendre de la distance : in flat racing, weight is supposed to balance chances. In trotting, runners having the most prize money earned will start a certain distance behind those with lower winnings, giving away distance instead of weight

Rendre le champ de courses : to lose ground at the start of the race

Retard de gains : a horse that has not been able to win many prizes (due to an illness for example), that will find many interesting entries in condition races barred to horses having already won a lot of money

Rétrograder : to be placed behind other horses by the Stewards after a race. Usually when a winner or placed horse has interfered with a rival during a race, preventing the rival obtaining the place he merited

Rivière : (river) : water jump in a steepleche

Robe : color of a horse. The most common colors are :

Al : chestnut / B : Bay / B.B. : brown (dark bay) / B. F: dark brown (almost black) / Gr. : grey / R. : roan

Rouan : roan. Horse with coat of which the prevailing colour is mixed with hairs of another color usually bay or chestnut mixed with white and grey

Rouge (le rouge est mis) : red flag on results board indicating : before the race, people can start betting on it, after the race, it indicates that the result is official and they can collect their winnings

Ruade : kicking with both hind feet

R.P.: left at the start, often when a horse refused to race after coming under the starters orders. It is deemed to have started and bets on his chance are losers

Back to top

S

Sabot : hoof

Saillie : Act of a stallion covering a mare. More than one covering might be needed for the mare to be pregnant

Saillie poulain vivant : the price of the covering is only payable if the foal is born alive

Salière : eye socket

Sangle : strap, girth. Leather band tightened round body of horse to secure saddle

Seine: Seime -sand, crack which can appear on the horse's hoof. Quite common with trotters racing on hard, dry tracks

Selling : a claiming race

Signalement : official physical identification of a horse detailed in his passport (white marks, scars, sex, whorls, etc...)

Société du Cheval français : controlling body of trotting racing in France

Sommeil : horses can generally sleep while standing as well as lying down

Sortir de l'argent de la poche : a horse looking in such good shape that it entices punters to bet on it

Sportsman : experienced race-goer

Stakes : races in which the sum of money collected from the entries are redistributed in prizes.

Stalles de départ : the starting stalls. All gates open at the same time. Used only for flat racing

Starter : official in charge of giving the signal to start a race

Stayer : A horse with stamina to race over long distances

Steeple-chase : originally, horse race across from steeple to steeple. Today, a race with various types of obstacles such as open-ditches, water jumps, stonewalls and bullfinchers

Stud-Book : book containing pedigree of horses

Surcharge : overweight. When a jockey can not ride at the weight indicated on the official race card, the difference between the official and the actual weight is called overweight

Suros : Splint. Boney excrescence on canon which might cause lameness, often caused by hard working young horses

Back to top

T

Talus : bank made of earth and jumped in steeplechases

Tapis de selle : saddle cloth made generally out of felt to protect the horse's back. Numbered cloth carried under the saddle to recognise horses in a race

Tapis (raser le tapis) : refers to a horse with a long , racking stride

Tares : hard defectuosities such as "splints" or soft ones such as wind galls or capped hocks

Teigne: ringworm. Contagious skin disease caused by microscopic fungus

Temps ou durée : time which the winner takes to run a race

Tendons : sinews which link muscles to bones. An excessive use of sinew can cause a painful strain

Tenue : aptitude of a horse to run long distances

Terrain : before races, it is possible to measure the state of the turf with a "Pénétromètre". The "going" is described as : hard, firm, good to firm, good, good to soft, soft, heavy, very heavy...

Tirer au renard : used when a horse jerks backwards, pulling againt his reins or head collar

Tirer : when a horse wants to run faster than wished by his jockey, pulling hard against the reins

Top-weight : the most heavily weighted horse in a handicap

Toupet : forelock, part of the mane falling from between the ears onto the horse's forehead

Train : the pace of a race. Can be slow or fast

Traquenard : irregular trotting pace. Used for a horse trotting with its front legs and galloping with its hind legs

Triangle (fermer le) : When you bet 2-6 and 2-8 in a "jumelé" or in a "couplé" , you "close the triangle" by also betting on horses 6 and 8

Trot : the horse moves diagonally left anterior with right posterior, and vice-versa. An entirely natural gait

Trotteur : trotter

Turf : turf. By extension, all things related to horse racing

Turfiste : race-goer

Back to top

V

Vessigons : defects of the horse's hock or knee usually caused by strain

W

Walk-over : Race with only one horse declared to run

Y

Yearling: a year old horse . A foal becomes a yearling in the Northern Hemisphere on January 1st following its birth

Back to top

© Paris Turf 1999-2006, all rights reserved