Mare, foal and horse: what is the difference?
A mare is the adult female, a foal is the offspring, and a horse is the general term or the adult male.
Detailed explanation
In equine vocabulary, "horse" is the general term for the species and also refers to the adult male. A mare is the adult female. A foal (or filly, for females) is the young offspring, until it reaches maturity. Among adult males, a distinction is also made between a stallion or breeding stallion (uncastered) and a gelding or castrated horse. This terminology is basic to understanding the world of horses: buying a mare is not the same as buying a gelding or a stallion, nor is an untamed foal the same as an adult working horse.
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- Horse care and cleaning — hygiene and grooming at each stage.
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The complete vocabulary, by age and by sex
- Foal: offspring under three years old, without distinction of work.
- Mare: adult female.
- Stallion or breeding stallion: uncastrated adult male, intended or not for reproduction.
- Gelding or castrated horse: castrated adult male. This is most common for riding horses because they tend to have a more stable temperament.
- Pony: not an offspring, but an adult horse below the height set by each regulation. An adult pony remains a pony all its life.
The most common mistake
Calling any small or young-looking horse a "foal". An adult pony is not a foal, and a foal of a large breed can be taller than an adult pony. The difference is in age, not size.
How a horse is measured
The height is measured at the withers, the highest point of the back between the neck and the shoulder, with the horse standing squarely on level ground. This is the measurement that appears in the documentation and determines whether it competes as a pony or as a horse.
Frequently asked questions
At what age does a horse stop being a foal?
By convention, at three years old. After that, it is referred to as a mare, stallion, or gelding.
Does the equipment change according to sex or age?
Equipment is chosen by size and conformation, not by sex. What does change is that a young horse needs more frequent fit adjustments because it is still developing.
Related material in the store
If you are equipping your horse, these categories may help you:
