Horse Markings
Your Online Reference for Horse Health and Care
Horse Markings - identifying marks on your horse.
Horse markings can usually be assigned a standard term, especially markings on the head and legs.
While the descriptions on this page can be considered reliable, it is very important that, if you are registering your horse you consult the registering organisation for their definitions of horse markings. Definitions often differ from one organisation to another, and may also be different than the descriptions we've used here.
People who spend time around horses appreciate equine anatomy and understand it. Horsey people talk about horses bodies the way mechanics talk about cars.
Horse Head Markings ...
Face markings are usually white in color and can run together or appear in separate combinations. For example, a horse can have a star and a strip that run together, or a star and a strip that don't touch.
Not every organisation agrees on what certain markings should be called
but most of the descriptions on this page are accepted.
Bald Face -
A bald face is a very broad blaze that, for all or part of its length,
extends to or past the inside corner of one or both eyes. A bald face
is also a long marking running from the top of the face down to the nostrils,
and often includes the nostrils. A horse with a bald face frequently has
a wide snip. An especially wide bald face is sometimes called an apron face.
Blaze -
A blaze is a wide white marking that runs for all or most of the length
of the horse's face.
Snip -
A snip is a small white marking between the nostrils. The pink skin beneath
the hair of the snip is often easily seen. Snips often extend down onto
the upper lip where there isn't any hair, so they show up as pink skin.
Star -
A star is a white marking on the forehead, usually defined as between
or above the eyes. Stars can be large or small, and can come in any shape:
Round, oval, crescent, half-moon, heart, or in any variety of irregular
or hard to describe shapes.
Strip -
A strip is a white marking in the middle of the face. It is very narrow
compared to a blaze. A strip may run for all or only part of the length
of the horse's face. A strip is also sometimes called a stripe. If a strip
is not straight but is instead crooked or wavy, it may be called a "race."
Horse Leg Markings ...
As with horse face markings their leg markings fall within specific categories and most are clearly defined. All, markings, (except for the bay coloured horse), are usually white. The bay horse has a brown body with black stockings and a black mane and tail.
There is an old rhyme that advises buyers to assess potential purchases
on the extent of their leg markings. When we recall it accurately we will
add it here.
Coronet -
A small white band just above the hoof
Pastern -
A white marking that extends from the edge of the hoof halfway up the pastern
Sock -
A white marking that extends from edge of the hoof two-thirds of the way up the leg
Half Stocking -
A white marking that extends from the edge of the hoof halfway up the middle of the leg
Stocking -
A white marking that extends from edge of the hoof to the knee or hock
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