April 30, 2021 by Rafael Parra Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

Equestrian in Spanish: Horseback Riding Vocabulary

Let’s talk about all things equestrian in Spanish! Horses have been friends and helpers to humans for over 5,000 years, and we continue to cherish and work with them today.

Los caballos are great helpers on farms and ranches, and they’re also a source of transportation and entertainment for many people worldwide.

Anywhere you go, you’ll find horses and people who are passionate about them, which is why learning all things equestrian in Spanish comes in handy.

There are a surprising number of things to learn related to the equestrian in Spanish. We’ll start off by looking at general terms such as colors, species, and body parts. Then, we’ll move on to more niche topics such as competitions, equipment, and lingo to speak like a true equestrian in Spanish expert.

Equestrian in Spanish: Temperaments and Colors

Horses, not unlike humans, come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. These are divided into three temperaments based on their personalities and behaviors, and each temperament is best suited for specific tasks such as riding, agriculture, or competitions.

Let’s discover the different kinds of horses!

Los Caballos de Sangre Fría

Los caballos de sangre fría is the equestrian Spanish equivalent of a cold-blooded horse. It might be strange to think about los temperamentos in terms of temperature, but these temperaments are more symbolic than literal.

Cold-blooded horses are easygoing horses with a lot of strength and resilience, meaning that they’re usually employed as caballos de tiro, or draft horses.

Los Caballos de Sangre Tibia

Warmblooded horses are a combination of cold- and hot-blooded horses. Like having a hip mom and a laid-back dad, you get the best of both worlds.

Los Caballos de Sangre Caliente

Hot-blooded horses are nervous, alert, agile and fast.These horses are harder to get along with if you have little experience with horses. However, their resilience and agility make them great for riding and traveling long distances.

Horse Colors

Horse colors are way more complex that you might think. The names usually relate to more than just the hair color. You have different names based on combinations of mane and fur, spots, and different hues.

This list is not exhaustive, and just like with any other Spanish subject you study, some words will vary by region.

el azalán — hair, tail, and fur are all the same color
el albo — one or more white limbs
el atigrado — striped, much like a tiger
el bayo — blonde
el blanco — white
el melado — honey
el moro — white with some grey or black parts
el moro mosqueado — same as moro but with black, freckle-like spots
el nevado — white spots over a solid color
el palomino — light brown with lighter muzzle, crest, and tail
el pinto — white and brown, or white and black
el prieto — pitch black
el retinto — dark brown with black muzzle, crest, and tail
el ruano — crest and tail lighter than the fur
el tobiano — big white spots
el tordillo — mixture of white and black hair. (In some places, tordrillo is used for exclusively white horses.)

Non-horse Equines

Non-horse equines are the closest relatives to horses. They can breed with each other, creating unique species.

Donkeys, or los burros, are known for their exceptional strength and ease of care. They are noble beasts that can be stubborn at times. You can also say burro to your friends if they do something silly, but make sure they are good friends, you don’t want them to take it the wrong way.

Las mulas, or mules, are a cross between donkeys and horses.

Las zebras are the wild, untamable relatives of horses. In Spanish, you can write it in two different ways: la cebra or la zebra.

If you breed a zebra with a horse you get un cebrallo, Spanish for zorse. Los cebrallos are easier to tame and ride, but harder than a normal horse.

Ponies

Los ponis are small and versatile horses that can be used for pulling, plowing, riding, ranch work, and many other useful chores. It turns out that ponis are the jack of all trades of the equestrian world!

Equestrian in Spanish: Horse Anatomy

Horses have long, slender legs built for speed and eyes that provide them with a view angle of almost 360 degrees. Horses also communicate with humans through body language! They use ear position, hoove stomps, and vocal sounds to express how they are feeling.

Here are some of the basic horse body parts you need to know in Spanish if you want to be a master equestrian in Spanish.

Spanish	English
El hocico	Muzzle
Los crines	Crest
La frente	Forehead
El maslo	Dock
El corvejón	Hock
La rodilla	Knee
El espolón	Fetlock
El casco	Hoof
La cola	Tail
El hombro	Elbow
La caña	Cannon
La cruz	Withers
El lomo	Loin

Equestrian in Spanish: Horse Equipment

Saddles, horseshoes, you name it! There are so many tools and equipment that people use with horses that anyone who wishes to master equestrian vocabulary in Spanish has to know about equipment.

Spanish	English
La ación	Stirrup
El bocado	Bit
El brazo	Front legs
La brida	Bridle
La cabezada	Head collar
La cincha	Cinch
El desveno	Bridle / Bit
La espuela	Spur
El estribo	Stirrup
El galápago	Light saddle / Sidesaddle
El herraje	Horseshoe
La herradura	Horseshoe
Los jueces	Harness
Las riendas	Reins
La legra	Curet
La silla de montar	Saddle

We Love Spanish and Animals!

Learning about animals in Spanish is a super way to connect with new people since animal lovers are found all over the world. Horses are especially close to humans since they’ve been domesticated for thousands of years. Their contributions to our society have brought prosperity and companionship to many people. If you want to learn more about horses or any other animal, study with us at Homeschool Spanish Academy. We have over 10 years of experience under our belt and teach more than 24,000 active students each month. Book a free trial class today and learn Spanish faster than ever!

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Rafael Parra

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

A native Spanish speaker from Guatemala, I'm a psychology student, creative developer, and aspiring polymath who's always learning new things and improving as a person. I'm a nerd when it comes to language, education, and videogames. My goal is to practice all these disciplines in unison and make something great with my time.