There are different terms used in the equestrian world for different things. Have you ever wondered what a group of horses is called or what is a collective noun for a group of horses? With sheep, goats, and other animals, herd or flock is used to describe a group of animals.
Male and female horses have different terms to describe them whereas there is more than one collective noun used to describe a group of horses depending on the age and gender.
A lot of these terms can confuse a person not knowing exactly what to call a group of horses.
Anyone new to the horses‘ world may get to know about different terms. Some will sound familiar whereas others may surprise you.
Most people think it is appropriate to call more than two horses a herd, Is it the right term? You will get to know different terms commonly used to call a group of equines.
Find a list below of the names used to call a group and the context they are used in.
What is a Group of Horses Called?
Several terms are used to describe a group of horses. There are many names used today, some are popular and sound more familiar whereas others are not well-known yet.
People not familiar with the horse terms often call them “Group of Horses” or a “Team”.
The term “Team” is widely used to refer to horses participating in “team-like” activities.
The term “Team of Horses” is used to call a group of horses working together such as pulling a cart or working the field.
It has been used for decades and is still equally popular to date. There are alternate names used to call horses such as rag, a harras, a stud, and even a string of horses.
Collective Nouns Used to Call A Group of Horses
Names vary depending on the gender, age, and activities of the horses. In different areas, different names are used to call a group of horses.
There are also alternate ways to call a group of equines in relation to the context and their lifestyle.
Some terms are used casually to describe a group of horses like “band of horses” or “string of horses”.
There are no clear-cut terms used to specifically call a herd or team of horses. Some of the collective nouns used to describe a group of horses is given below.
Stud
The correct collective noun used for a group of horses reared only for breeding purposes is known as Stud.
These domestic horses are typically kept on a stud farm to preserve breeds from going extinct or improve other breeds.
Haras, Harras, or Harrase
Have you heard people saying Harras of horses? Probably not, this term is not used more often nowadays, however, still, some ranchers in English-speaking countries use it to call a group of equines.
It is a name used for stud farms, horse farms located in French-speaking countries are still using this term.
Rag or Rake
Rag is a term used to describe a group of colts that are uncastrated male horses typically four years old or younger.
It is worth mentioning that these two terms are not used in the modern age.
They were more popular and widely used in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, only a handful of people still use these terms.
Bachelor Herd
Bachelor Herd also refers to a group of colts. It is more of a modern term used today by many ranchers.
String
A string of horses is a commonly used term for a number of horses owned by an individual for different activities.
This group is generally owned by a cowboy and every horse in the string has different purposes to serve.
Some horses are known for their athletic ability whereas others for their disposition.
Stable
The term Stable of horses feels strange and sounds wrong to refer to a group of horses.
Generally, it is referred to a place or shed where the horses live. It can be referred to call a group of horses no matter where and how they live.
Most people after hearing the term think that it is only used for horses living in stables, however, it is not true.
Team
It is widely used for a group of horses participating in different working activities, events, and competitions.
It is a modern term used for horses working together in “team-like” activities.
Troop
Troop of Horses is not an unheard term, it is used to describe a group of military horses.
Horses have been serving the military for centuries, so, they were bound to get a name for it.
Band – Band is referred to a fewer number of horses from a big herd.
To summarize, the collective nouns used to refer to a group of horses like Rag of horses, String of horses, Harras of horses, Stable of horses, Stud of horses, a herd of horses, Troop of horses, and Team of horses.
Is “Herd Of Horses” a Correct Term to Call A Group Of Horses?
This term is valid to use for a group of horses only if that particular group is interacting with each other outdoors while grazing like cows, goats, and sheep, etc. Besides spending time with each other on the pasture, the group should also participate in other herd-like behavior like moving from one place to another.
A herd of wild horses is also a correct term as they also form herds like other animals. Herd of horses is composed of a band of horses with three to five members each.
How Many Horses Make a Herd of Horses?
A group of horses may be composed of more or less two to twenty-five or more members. The herd mostly consists of mares and their offsprings with 01 to 05 stallions.
Concluding Thought
This wraps up our guide on collective nouns for a group of horses. Some of them have fallen out of use in the modern era whereas many other still exist today.
