| comminuted (fracture) |
 | A fracture with more than two fragments. |
| company |
| Class of horses in a race He last ran in stakes company. |
| Comparable Index (CI) |
| Indicates the average earnings of progeny produced from mares bred to one sire when these same mares are bred to other sires. A CI of 1.00 is considered average, 2.00 is twice the average, 0.50 half the average, etc. |
| compound (fracture) |
| A fracture where the damaged bone breaks through the skin. Also known as an "open" fracture. |
| condition book(s) |
| A series of booklets issued by a racing secretary which set forth conditions of races to be run at a particular racetrack. |
| conditioner |
| 1) A trainer. 2) A workout or race to enable a horse to attain fitness. |
| conditions |
| The requirements of a particular race. This may include age, sex, money or races won, weight carried and the distance of the race. |
| condylar (fracture) |
| A fracture in the lower knobby end (condyle) of the lower (distal) end of a long bone such as the cannon bone or humerus (upper front limb). |
| conformation |
| The physical makeup of and bodily proportions of a horse how it is put together. |
| congenital |
| Present at birth. |
| connections |
| Persons identified with a horse, such as owner, trainer, rider and stable employees. |
| consolation double |
| A payoff to holders of daily double tickets combining the winning horse in the first race of the double with a scratched horse in the second. |
| cooling out |
| Restoring a horse to normal temperature, usually by walking, after it has become overheated during exercise. All horses that are exercised are cooled out. |
| corn |
| An irritation on the sole of the foot, toward the heel. As in a human, the result of pressure from the shoe. |
| coronary band |
| Where the hair meets the hoof. Also called the "coronet." |
| coronet |
| See coronary band. |
| corticosteroids |
| Hormones that are either naturally produced by the adrenal gland or man-made. They function as anti-inflammatory hormones or hormones that regulate the chemical stability (homeostasis) of the body. One common misconception is that a horse which has received corticosteroids experiences an increase in its natural abilities and therefore has an unfair advantage. At the present time, there is no scientific evidence to support such a perception. |
| cough |
| To expel air from the lungs in a spasmodic manner. Can be a result of inflammation or irritation to the upper airways (pharynx, larynx or trachea) or may involve the lower airways of the lungs (deep cough). |
| coupled (entry) |
| Two or more horses running as an entry in a single betting unit. |
| cover |
| A single breeding of a stallion to a mare For example, "He covered 70 mares." |
| cow hocks |
| Abnormal conformation in which the points of the hocks turn in. |
| cracked hoof |
| A vertical split of the hoof wall. Cracks may extend upwards from the bearing surface of the wall or downwards from the coronary band, as the result of a defect in the band. Varying in degrees of severity, cracks can result from injuries or concussion. Hooves that are dry and/or thin (shelly) or improperly shod are susceptible to cracking upon concussion. Corrective trimming and shoeing may remedy mild cracks but in severe cases, when the crack extends inward to the sensitive laminae, more extensive treatment is required, such as using screws and wires to stabilize the sides of the crack. |
| cranial |
| Toward the head. |
| creep feeder |
| A feed device designed to allow a foal to eat but keep its dam out. Otherwise, the mare will eat the foal's food. |
| cribber |
| A horse that clings to objects with its teeth and sucks air into its stomach. Also known as a "wind sucker." |
| crop |
| 1) The number of foals by a sire in a given year. 2) A group of horses born in the same year. For example, "An excellent crop of three-year-olds." 3) A jockey's whip. |
| croup |
| Along the horse's topline, the area between the back and the tail. A straight, level croup provides maximum outreach of the Thoroughbred's hindquarters as it gallops, producing a longer stride. |
| cryptorchid |
| A "unilateral cryptorchid" is a male horse of any age that has one testicle undescended. A "bilateral cryptorchid" is a male horse of any age that has both testicles undescended. The Jockey Club defines "cryptorchid" as a male horse of any age that has both testicles undescended. |
| cup |
| 1) Refers to the irregular occlusal surface of the tooth (the surfaces that meet when a horse closes its mouth) and is used as a visual method of determining age in a horse. 2) Trophy awarded to winning horse owners, usually in a stakes race. |
| cuppy (track) |
| A dry and loose racing surface that breaks away under a horse's hooves. |
| curb |
| A thickening of the plantar ligament of the hock. |
| cushion |
| Top portion of a racetrack. |
| cut down |
| Horse suffering from injuries from being struck by the shoes of another horse. Or, due to a faulty stride, a horse may cut itself down. |
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