Well, you need help. If you don't know what a paint is, you probably don't know what the difference is between a heavy horse and a light horse.
I'll start with terms that cover the whole breed spectrum. I'll put all of this in sort of a dictionary format so it's easy to read.
Mare: a female horse, either over three years old, or one that has has her first colt. They generally have nice temperaments, but are a bit more uppety than geldings.
Stallion: a "whole" male horse, over three. You don't want to make this your first horse! These guys are dangerous, and not exactly trustworthy. I mean, most of these guys will bolt if they spot a mare in heat. Don't get one unless you have mush experience with horses!
Geldings: a male horse that has been castrated. If you don't plan on breeding soon after you get your horse, get one of theses guys. They are real sweethearts (most of the time).
Foals: a horse under three years. Not a good first horse. You need a trained one.
Colt: a young horse. Usually it is used to describe a stallion under 4 years of age. Sometimes it is used the same way as foal.
Filly: a female horse under the age of three, or one that hasn't given birth yet.
Green: a freshly trained horse. Usually four years old, but sometimes older, these horse are not reliable with inexperiences riders (or should I say, non-expert riders).
Now to break down the breed spectrum into three easy parts...
Light horses: Your typical horse. These are used as carriage horses or riding horses. They have a standard build (for the most part), and range from... 14.2 to 16.2 hh (don't quote me on this, I'm not entirely sure). A bit taller, and it is still a light horse, but any smaller, and it may be classified as a pony.
Ponies: The little guys. They are used for the same purposes as light horses, but with smaller loads. They are 14.2 hh or less. Their gaits are usually more choppy.
Heavy Horses: The giants! These guys are used mostly for pulling. They are some big fellas. They are heavily built and usually have good temperaments.
I guess that's it for this month. Next month, I will write about light horse breeds.
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