I have been working on a group project with some other equine authors. For a completed horse story that I had written, one of the women asked me about my use of the term yard. For me, a yard is a very typical thing within the Australian equine industry! So I wanted to explore the Australian horse term: yard.
But it seems it is not a common term elsewhere – especially not in Canada or the US. So what is a yard? It is an enclosed fenced in area to contain horses.
The footing may be dirt, sand or even grass. It is a smaller area in which horses may be kept to restrict their movement, aid catching them or keep them contained for a veterinary or farrier visit. I think this most correlates with the term corral for other horse fans.
Australian Horse Term: Yard
We also have round yards that are used to lunge horses. This may be known as a pen, I think for US readers. So if ever you’re reading any of my books and you pause at the use of the word yard, remember this definition 🙂
“Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.” – Job 39:19-25
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