Understanding Horse For Sale Adverts

There are many terms and abbreviations used in horse for sale adverts and the most common ones are listed below.

AES: Anglo European Studbook.

Backed & ridden away: The horse has been backed but has not yet been schooled.

BD: British Dressage.

BE: British Eventing.

BSPS: British Show Pony Society

BSJA: British Show Jumping Association.

BWB: British Warmblood

CB: Cleveland Bay

CHAPS: Coloured Horse And Pony Society.

Foward going: Responsive to the leg aids, not a slow plod. Could also mean the horse rushes or is strong.

Easy to do: Is well mannered.

Green: The horse is inexperienced and requires a competent and confident rider with experience to school or educate it further.

Has Competed: The horse has participated in at least one comepetition. This alone means little as the horse may have only attended one competition and come last in the class for this statement to be true. Ask more about the horse's competition record.

HT: Hunter Trials.

ID: Irish Draught.

ISH: Irish Sports Horse.

KWPN: Dutch Warmblood.

LDR: Long Distance Riding/Rides

LR: Leid rein pony. A pony used for a child when being led on a lead rein. Although suitable as a lead rein pony the pony may not be suitable for when a child is ready to start riding without being led as ponies can become used to being lead rein ponies or may have become lead rein ponies due difficulties being ridden without.

M&M: Mountain And Moorland.

NF: New Forest

NPS: National Pony Society

ODE: One Day Event.

PB: Part Bred

PC: Pony Club.

Placed every time out: The horse has been placed at every show it has attended. However the horse only needs to attend one show and have been placed (and it could have been a small class where all horses got placed) for this statement to be true. Ask more about the horse's competition record.

PUK: Ponies UK

RC: Riding Club.

Schoolmaster/Schoolmistress: A well behaved and experienced horse that has seen it, done it and got the t-shirt.

SH: Show Hunter

SHP: Show Hunter Pony

Snaffle mouth/Snaffle ride: Has a responsive mouth so is ridden in a snaffle bit, as opposed to horses that are stronger or whose mouths are unresponsive and who require a stronger bit.

SJ: Show Jumping.

TB: Thoroughbred.

WH: Working Hunter.

WHP: Working Hunter Pony.

XC: Cross Country.