[Vesper Sparrow]

Last night, a British friend asked me how my GGs were (or maybe it's spelled gigis, I haven't a clue). I was completely flummoxed, thinking she was referring to the Governor General's awards for the arts.

And goeslikestink is always talking about her neds and neddies.

Besides the obvious ones like nags, can anyone think of any other slang terms for horses?

[greysandbays]

I think the GGs is Gee Gees. Like Gee and Haw (words used to tell a team which direction to turn.

Other ones:
Crowbait (worthless horse), scrub (about like crowbait), fox food (also about like crowbait), broomtail (mustang), ridgerunners (also mustangs), spindle legs (TB), steed, cob, hay burner, courser (steeplechaser?), remuda (herd of saddle horses), farm chunk (small mult-purpose draft horse), mount, Rocky Mountain Canary (donkey), longears (mule), charger (war horse), wheeler (rear hitch horse), swing (middle hitch horse), leader (front hitch horse), bell mare, palfrey... and I'm sure there's hundreds more.

[Irish Ei's]

Um...Smartblood and Dumblood??

[Tootsie]

I've heard GG before. In New Zealand actually. I was told it meant Go Galloper.

[Janet]

"Gee-gee" is just "kiddy-speak" for horse.

Analogous to "moo-moo" for cow.

"Gee-gee" presumably comes from the "turn" command "gee", as in "gee" and "haw"

[vacation1]

While I knew gee/turn (thank you, Farm Boy!), I always thought 'gee' as in gee-gee was meant to be a sort of comment on horsie noises, like moo is for a cow.

Other slang:
Brumby - (Australian) wild/feral horses
Bobtail - driving horse
Bloodweed - conformationally weak and nervous horse

[Bluey]

Cowpony, that is a horse, not a pony.
Bird/pea brain, self explanatory.
Jigger, horse that won't walk calmly.
Stargazer, horse that travels way above the bit, nose up in the air.

[Vesper Sparrow]

The racing world would be a rich source of slang, too, I'm sure.

[pony grandma]

The racing world would be a rich source of slang, too, I'm sure.

made me laugh! bring it on, this should be good.

[sam1979]

I think the GGs is Gee Gees. Like Gee and Haw (words used to tell a team which direction to turn.

Other ones:
Crowbait (worthless horse), scrub (about like crowbait), fox food (also about like crowbait), broomtail (mustang), ridgerunners (also mustangs), spindle legs (TB), steed, cob, hay burner, courser (steeplechaser?), remuda (herd of saddle horses), farm chunk (small mult-purpose draft horse), mount, Rocky Mountain Canary (donkey), longears (mule), charger (war horse), wheeler (rear hitch horse), swing (middle hitch horse), leader (front hitch horse), bell mare, palfrey... and I'm sure there's hundreds more.

"Rocky Mountain Canary" ....LOVE IT!!!

[MelantheLLC]

Not exactly a word, but an Irish trainer I had once referred to a particular horse (with whom she was displeased) as "common as muck."

That always stuck with me as a great descriptive term.

[Fixerupper]

On the track - the lead (i.e. pony) horses are always called ponies - regardless of how big they are. Only the racehorses are horses.
It's a hard habit to break.

[Tiffani B]

My (real honest to god cowboy) cowboy friend calls his horses "kids" or "mules."

I call horses "ponies" a lot.

[5]

If anyone has a copy of the book "Mister You got yourself a HORSE" There is about fifty different words in the index the old horse traders used to describe a horse the only one I can remember offhand is 'snide'-worn out old horse.

Can't seem to find my old copy.

[Fixerupper]

The other expression I've only heard jumper folks use is calling a horse a sled (it's not a compliment!). I have no idea where the expression comes from but it's very evocative.

[jengersnap]

I know someone who always asked how my "meat horse" was doing (standardbred) I would keep a stiff upper lip and say she's not in the freezer yet. Loved that horse.

My husband calls my standies "jugheads". There's also "trotters" though most race at a pace anymore.

And don't forget good old Dobbins.

[caradino]

I know someone who always asked how my "meat horse" was doing (standardbred) I would keep a stiff upper lip and say she's not in the freezer yet. Loved that horse.

My husband calls my standies "jugheads". There's also "trotters" though most race at a pace anymore.

And don't forget good old Dobbins.

i always called the STBD's "blockheads"

i've also used "big fat moose" or "cow" to refer to more obstinate beasts.

[Addison]

"Grapestomper" for especially bad movers.

[DeeThbd]

Racing terms...
Nickel-bred - usually followed by the words piece of sh** - a worthless horse
common - ill-mannered (as in , you COMMON....)
sprinter - a horse who "runs short" - 6 furlongs or less (6.5?)
route horse (pronounced root) - runs long, over a "route of ground"
a panel - a furlong (the race is going five panels) - or am I thinking of 1/16 mile....duh.....
flipper - horse who will throw itself over backwards
dude(s) - 2 y.o.s (Usually it's "easy, dudes, relax....." - this may be regional
backing a horse up - to jog a horse "going the wrong way", or clockwise
a horse with knee or ankle problems "has a knee" or "has an ankle"
throw out the anchor, or hit the wall, or back up in a race - a horse who quits running or loses ground
by sh*tbucket out of mucksack - a horse of poor parentage
knocking on the door - a horse who is primed to win
black type - horses who have won or placed in stakes races are shown in pedigree catalogs in bold print
finish on the board or hit the board - finished 1st through 4th (on the tote board)
This is a start, anyhow!
Dee

[texang73]

Not necessarily a term for horse per se, but I had an English friend ride my horse a few times, and when my horse would get nervous and jiggy, he'd say "easy now Bird" and my horse's name is General! I thought it was a cute term of affection, so I use it pretty often... though in Texas I get some weird looks!