Aggregate - The total gross takings of a thoroughbred sale
Bid-spotters - Staff at the yearling sales placed around the sales ring to take the bids of potential buyers
Bidder - Someone who intends to buy at a horse sale
Black Type - A horse that wins a Group or Listed races earns “black type” i.e. this achievements will be noted in the pedigree page in BOLD or “black” type for any progeny of this horse
Broodmare - A mare used for breeding
By - A term used to refer to the sire of a horse. For example, is horse is said to be “by” Zabeel if Zabeel is its sire
Clean Legs - Legs that are free of swelling, deformity or conformation faults
Colt - A young male horse (3 years and under)
Confirmation - A horse’s anatomical make-up
Dam - A horse’s mother
Draft - Horses presented for sale by a stud or vendor
Fetlock - The leg joint that is the equivalent of the human ankle
Filly - Female horse (3 years and under)
Foal - A baby horse still suckling its mother
Gavel - The auctioneer’s hammer
Gelding - A male horse that has been castrated
Halter - A bitless bridle used for leading a horse
Hand - The form in which horses are measured from the ground to the top of the wither (shoulder). One hand is equivalent to 10cm
Horse/Stallion - A male horse (4 years and over) that is used or will potentially be used for breeding purposes
Knocked down - The term used to describe that the horse has been sold on the fall of the auctioneer’s hammer
Lot number - The thoroughbred sale catalogue number allocated to each horse
Median - The middle price of the sale i.e. where 50% of the catalogue is sold for more and 50% is sold for less
Near shoulder - The horse’s left shoulder is referred to as the near should as this is the shoulder nearest to the rider when mounting on the traditional left side
Passed in - If the horse has failed to reach its reserve price at auction
Pedigree - The family history of a horse
Reserve - The minimum price set by the vendor for the sale of the horse at auction
Rig - An abnormally developed or improperly castrated male horse
Service - The mating of a mare by a stallion
Sire - The horse’s father
Stud - The property where the broodmare and stallion are mated
Studmaster - The person in charge of the stud