Horse vs. Mare: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A horse is a general term for the species, while a mare is specifically an adult female horse.
Key Differences
A horse is a broad term that refers to the entire species Equus ferus caballus, encompassing all genders and ages. In contrast, a mare specifically denotes an adult female horse, typically over the age of three years. This distinction is crucial in understanding equine terminology and biology.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
While "horse" can refer to any member of the species, regardless of sex or age, the term "mare" is exclusively used for females. This specificity is similar to how human genders are differentiated. Understanding the term mare is essential in contexts where the gender of the horse is relevant.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
The term horse encompasses a wide range of breeds, sizes, and uses, from small ponies to large draft horses. On the other hand, a mare refers only to the female members of this diverse species, highlighting their role in breeding and their unique behavioral traits.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
In general discussions about equines, "horse" is often used as a catch-all term. However, "mare" is used in more specific contexts, particularly in breeding, competition, and behavioral studies, to denote the adult females of the species.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
The distinction between horse and mare is not just biological but also impacts how these animals are treated and trained. Mares, for example, may exhibit different behaviors due to hormonal influences, which is a consideration not generally applied to all horses.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Usage in Language
General term for the species
Specific to adult female horses
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Dec 06, 2023
Relevance in Breeding
Gender-neutral in context
Specifically important in breeding contexts
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Dec 06, 2023
Behavioral Considerations
Varied, not gender-specific
May exhibit behaviors related to reproductive cycles
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Dec 06, 2023
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Horse and Mare Definitions
Horse
A frame or apparatus for mounting or supporting something.
The carpenter used a horse to hold the wood in place.
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Dec 06, 2023
Mare
An adult female horse, especially one over the age of three.
The mare nuzzled her foal gently.
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Dec 06, 2023
Horse
A gymnastic apparatus for vaulting.
The gymnast skillfully executed a routine on the horse.
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Dec 06, 2023
Mare
A female horse used for breeding.
The champion mare produced several prize-winning foals.
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Dec 06, 2023
Horse
A large hoofed mammal (Equus caballus) having a short coat, a long mane, and a long tail, domesticated since ancient times and used for riding and for drawing or carrying loads.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Mare
A derogatory term for an ill-tempered woman (archaic).
In the play, the character was referred to as a 'shrewish mare'.
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Dec 06, 2023
Mare
In folklore, a malicious entity thought to sit on sleepers' chests, causing nightmares.
The old tale spoke of a mare haunting the sleep of the villagers.
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Dec 06, 2023
Horse
Any of various equine mammals, such as the wild Asian species Przewalski's horse or certain extinct forms related ancestrally to the modern horse.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
A term used in astronomy for the large, dark, basaltic plains on the moon or Mars.
The astronomer pointed out the Sea of Tranquility, a well-known lunar mare.
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Dec 06, 2023
Horse
A frame or device, usually with four legs, used for supporting or holding.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
A type of evil spirit formerly thought to sit on the chest of a sleeping person; also, the feeling of suffocation felt during sleep, attributed to such a spirit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
A nightmare; a frustrating or terrible experience.
I'm having a complete mare today.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
(planetology) A large, dark plain, which may have the appearance of a sea.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
(planetology) On Saturn's moon Titan, any of several lakes which are large expanses of what is thought to be liquid hydrocarbons.
Kraken Mare (a lake of liquid hydrocarbons on Titan which is slightly larger than the Caspian Sea)
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
To haul or hoist energetically
"Things had changed little since the days of the pyramids, with building materials being horsed into place by muscle power" (Henry Allen).
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Oct 19, 2023
Mare
Sighing, suffocative panting, intercepted utterance, with a sense of pressure across the chest, occurring during sleep; the incubus; - obsolete, except in the compound nightmare.
I will ride thee o' nights like the mare.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A hoofed mammal, Equus ferus caballus, often used throughout history for riding and draft work.
A cowboy's greatest friend is his horse.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
Any member of the species Equus ferus, including the Przewalski's horse and the extinct Equus ferus ferus.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(zoology) Any current or extinct animal of the family Equidae, including zebras and asses.
These bone features, distinctive in the zebra, are actually present in all horses.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
Cavalry soldiers (sometimes capitalized when referring to an official category).
We should place two units of horse and one of foot on this side of the field.
All the King's horses and all the King's men, couldn't put Humpty together again.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(slang) A large and sturdy person.
Every linebacker they have is a real horse.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(historical) A timber frame shaped like a horse, which soldiers were made to ride for punishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
In gymnastics, a piece of equipment with a body on two or four legs, approximately four feet high, sometimes (pommel horse) with two handles on top.
She's scored very highly with the parallel bars; let's see how she does with the horse.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A frame with legs, used to support something.
A clothes horse; a sawhorse
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A rope stretching along a yard, upon which men stand when reefing or furling the sails; footrope.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(mining) A mass of earthy matter, or rock of the same character as the wall rock, occurring in the course of a vein, as of coal or ore; hence, to take horse (said of a vein) is to divide into branches for a distance.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(US) An informal variant of basketball in which players match shots made by their opponent(s), each miss adding a letter to the word "horse", with 5 misses spelling the whole word and eliminating a player, until only the winner is left. Also HORSE, H-O-R-S-E or H.O.R.S.E. (see H-O-R-S-E).
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(prison slang) A prison guard who smuggles contraband in or out for prisoners.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(intransitive) To frolic, to act mischievously. (Usually followed by "around".)
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
To place (someone) on the back of another person, or on a wooden horse, chair, etc., to be flogged or punished.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(transitive) To pull, haul, or move (something) with great effort, like a horse would.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
(informal) To cram (food) quickly, indiscriminately or in great volume.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A hoofed quadruped of the genus Equus; especially, the domestic horse (Equus caballus), which was domesticated in Egypt and Asia at a very early period. It has six broad molars, on each side of each jaw, with six incisors, and two canine teeth, both above and below. The mares usually have the canine teeth rudimentary or wanting. The horse differs from the true asses, in having a long, flowing mane, and the tail bushy to the base. Unlike the asses it has callosities, or chestnuts, on all its legs. The horse excels in strength, speed, docility, courage, and nobleness of character, and is used for drawing, carrying, bearing a rider, and like purposes.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
The male of the genus Equus, in distinction from the female or male; usually, a castrated male.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
Mounted soldiery; cavalry; - used without the plural termination; as, a regiment of horse; - distinguished from foot.
The armies were appointed, consisting of twenty-five thousand horse and foot.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A frame with legs, used to support something; as, a clotheshorse, a sawhorse, etc.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A frame of timber, shaped like a horse, on which soldiers were made to ride for punishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
Anything, actual or figurative, on which one rides as on a horse; a hobby.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A mass of earthy matter, or rock of the same character as the wall rock, occurring in the course of a vein, as of coal or ore; hence, to take horse - said of a vein - is to divide into branches for a distance.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A translation or other illegitimate aid in study or examination; - called also trot, pony, Dobbin.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
To provide with a horse, or with horses; to mount on, or as on, a horse.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
To place on the back of another, or on a wooden horse, etc., to be flogged; to subject to such punishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
Solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A chessman in the shape of a horse's head; can move two squares horizontally and one vertically (or vice versa)
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Oct 19, 2023
Horse
A large, solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped, Equus ferus caballus, used for riding and transport.
The majestic horse galloped across the field.
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Dec 06, 2023
Horse
A unit in chess, also known as a knight.
He moved his horse to a strategic position on the chessboard.
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Dec 06, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can a mare be referred to as a horse?
Yes, a mare can be referred to as a horse as it falls under the general category of horses.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
What is a horse?
A horse is a large, hoofed mammal known for its strength and speed, used for riding, transport, and other work.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is a mare?
A mare is an adult female horse, typically over the age of three.
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Dec 06, 2023
What is the male counterpart of a mare?
The male counterpart of a mare is either a stallion (uncastrated male) or a gelding (castrated male).
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Dec 06, 2023
How is a mare different from a stallion?
A mare is a female horse, while a stallion is an adult male horse.
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Dec 06, 2023
What age does a female horse become a mare?
A female horse is generally considered a mare at the age of three.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is the term mare used in chess?
No, mare is not a term used in chess; however, the term 'horse' is sometimes colloquially used for the knight piece.
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Dec 06, 2023
Is there a special care required for mares?
Mares may require specific care related to reproductive health and cycles.
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Dec 06, 2023
Are there specific breeds of mares?
There are no specific breeds of mares; mare refers to the gender of a horse in any breed.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can mares be trained as easily as male horses?
Mares can be trained just as effectively as male horses, though their temperament may vary.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can mares and stallions be kept together?
Mares and stallions can be kept together, but careful management is required, especially if the stallion is not gelded.
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Dec 06, 2023
Can a mare participate in horse racing?
Yes, mares can participate in horse racing and often do.
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Dec 06, 2023
Do mares have specific roles in equine sports?
Mares participate in all equine sports, similar to male horses, without specific role restrictions.
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Dec 06, 2023
How do you determine if a horse is a mare?
The gender of a horse can be determined by its physical characteristics and reproductive anatomy.
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Dec 06, 2023
Do mares play a role in horse breeding?
Mares play a crucial role in horse breeding as the female parent.
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Dec 06, 2023
How long is the gestation period for a mare?
The gestation period for a mare is approximately 11 months.
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Dec 06, 2023
Are mares used in therapeutic riding programs?
Yes, mares, like other horses, are often used in therapeutic riding programs.
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Dec 06, 2023
What are the behavior patterns of mares?
Mares may exhibit behaviors influenced by hormonal cycles, but individual temperament varies widely.
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Dec 06, 2023
Are there any famous mares in history?
Yes, many famous mares have made history in various fields, including racing, breeding, and show jumping.
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Dec 06, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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Hifza Nasir
