Horse Gender & Age Terminology Term Description An uncastrated male horse or pony that is 4 years or younger and has not yet been Colt used for breeding. A female horse or pony that is 4 years or younger. In some racing associations, Filly females can be considered fillies up to 5 years old. A foal is a horse or pony of either gender that is 1 years old or younger. A male foal is Foal known as a “Colt Foal”, and a female foal is known as a “Filly Foal”. A weanling is a foal that is weaned from the mother and no longer gets the mother’s milk. The weanling foal is put on a solid food diet of roughage and concentrates. Foals are typically weaned between half a year to a year old. A female is known as a Weanling “Weanling Filly” and a male is known as a “Weanling Colt.” A yearling is a horse or pony of either gender that is 1 years old like the name explains. The horse is considered a yearling until 2 years of age. A female yearling is known as a “Yearling Filly”, a male yearling that has not been gelded (castrated) is Yearling known as a “Yearling Colt.” A stallion is a full-grown male horse with his testicles intact. A colt becomes a stallion Stallion at 4 years old. A gelding is a male horse that is 4 years or older and has been castrated (had his Gelding testicles removed). A rig or a Ridgling is also known as a cryptorchid horse which is a male horse that has 1 or both testicles undescended, making the horse look like a gelding but acting like a Rig stallion due to the testosterone.

Mare A mare is a female horse that is 4 years or older. A stud is a male horse that is a stallion or uncastrated male horse. This is a quality Stud horse that is used for breeding purposes.

Broodmare A broodmare is a female horse that is 3 years or older and used for breeding purposes.

Sire Sire is a male horse and is the term used for the father of an offspring or foal.

Dam Dam is a female horse and is the term used for the mother of an offspring or foal. An aged horse is either gender that is 15 years old or older. A female horse would be called an “Aged Mare” and a male horse would be called an “Aged Gelding” or “Aged Aged Stallion” depending on whether the male was castrated or not.