1. Identifying the Thoroughbred
EQS 103

2. How Do We Identify the Thoroughbred?
Why do we need to be able to identify a Thoroughbred?
For the registration process
For racing purposes
For our own personal knowledge
Identification Methods
Coat color
Head markings
Cowlicks
Leg markings
Body markings
Night-Eyes
Tattoo
How many types of identification can you spot on this horse?

3. Coat Colors of Thoroughbreds
The Jockey Club, which is the official breed registry of the Thoroughbred, will only recognized certain coat colors
This means if your Thoroughbred is not one of these colors it cannot registered with the Jockey Club and then it is not officially a Thoroughbred
The selective breeding for Thoroughbreds has eliminated most anomalies and non-listed coat colors
Recognized coat colors
Bay
Black
Chestnut
Dark Bay/Brown
Gray/Roan
Palomino
White

4. Bay The entire coat may vary from a yellow-tan to a bright auburn
The mane, tail, and lower portion of the legs are always black, unless white markings are present

5. Black
The entire coat of the horse is black, including the muzzle, flanks, mane, tail and legs, unless white markings are present

6. Chestnut
The entire coat of the horse may vary from a red- yellow to a golden yellow
The mane, tail and legs are usually variations of coat color, unless white markings are present

7. Dark Bay/Brown
The entire coat of the horse will vary from a brown, with areas of tan on the shoulders, head and flanks, to a dark brown with tan areas seen only in the flanks and/or muzzle
The mane, tail and lower potion of the legs are always black unless white markings are present

8. Gray/Roan
In order to reduce the number of corrections involving the colors gray and roan, the Jockey Club has combined them into one category
This does not change the individual definitions of the colors
Gray
The majority of the coat is a mixture of black and white hairs
The mane, tail and legs may be either black or gray, unless white markings are present
Roan
The majority of the coat of the horse is a mixture of red and white hairs or brown and white hairs
The mane, tail and legs may be black, chestnut or roan; unless white markings are present

9. Palomino
The entire coat is golden-yellow, unless white markings are present
The mane and tail are usually flaxen in color
Uncommon color

10. White
The entire coat, including the mane, tail and legs, is predominantly white

11. Markings
During the identification process, markings are commonly used to thoroughly identify a horse
The terms we use for markings simplify the identification process and are standardized throughout the process used to register a Thoroughbred with the Jockey Club
Types of markings
Head markings
Cowlicks
Leg markings
Body markings
Night-eyes

12. Major Head Markings Star Stripe
Any major white marking found on the forehead and/or eye level
Can be various shapes and sizes
Stripe
A continuous vertical marking which can begin anywhere from the area between the eyes to just above the imaginary line connecting the top of the nostrils
Can be various widths

13. Head Markings - Miscellaneous
Bald Face = The star and stripe cover both eyes, both nostrils and the muzzle
Snip = Any disconnected marking found between the nostrils

14. Cowlicks A cowlick is the center of a hair whorl
They are permanent and cannot be brushed away or clipped out
Cowlicks on the head and neck area are a useful means of identification
There is at least one cowlick in the forehead, not counting the one at the foretop
There is at least one cowlick on each side of the neck near the mane

15. Leg Markings
Outside heel white
Leg markings are described based on where on the body is the white hair covering
Common leg marking terms include:
Coronet white
Pastern white
Ankle white
Stocking
Coronet white
Half stocking
Half pastern white
Ankle white
Full stocking

16. Body Markings Horses may also have body markings ranging in: Dimples
Color
Size
Location
Dimples
Indentations in muscles just under the skin
Easily seen and permanent
Commonly found at the point of one or both shoulders and in the neck muscles

17. Body Markings - Acquired
Acquired markings
Have been produced after birth
Examples – tattoos, scars, firing marks
Microchips
Provide additional confidence when identifying a Thoroughbred
Not required to register a Thoroughbred in North America
Tattoo
Consists of a letter and group of numbers applied to the underside of the upper lip
Horse getting microchipped

18. Body Markings - Characteristics
Horses are also born with specific characteristics that can help identify from each other
Roman-nosed
Convex area between the eyes and muzzle
Parrot-Mouth
Upper teeth extend forward beyond the lower
Sway-Back
Exaggerated concavity between the withers and rump
Roach-Back
Definite convex area in the loin region
Various conformational faults
Roman Nosed
Sway-Back
A – Optimum, B – Splay-Footed, C- Pigeon-Toed

19. Night-Eyes Also known as chestnuts
Horny, irregular growths found on the inside of legs
Forelegs
Just above the knees
Hindlegs
Near the rear of the hock
No two horses have the same set of night-eyes
Similar to the human fingerprint
Do not change in size and shape throughout the adult life