Backside- this refers to the portion of the racetrack complex that is assigned to the stables for the horses and the living quarters for the grooms and exercise riders. It is usually located furthest from the grandstands and thus is normally behind the racecourse, thereby obtaining its name.

Bandana- a decorative kerchief that many cowboys of the Americas use tied around their neck, but which also can serve the purpose of protecting the face from sand and dust, for tying down their hats in windy weather or for making a tourniquet when receiving a wound far from home. Huasos originally used bandanas, but in standardizing the modern attire it was eliminated.

Bars of the Mouth- the space between the equine incisors and molar teeth where the mouth piece of the bit rests. Due to the fact that this space is made up of gums, the horse has many nerve endings that make it sensitive to the pressure of the bit.

Bars of the Saddle Tree- two flat pieces of wood that are shaped to the contour of the horse’s back. This is the foundation of the saddle, which distributes the weight of the saddle and rider over a longitudinal area that runs along each side of the spine. In Chile, the bars of the saddle tree are known as “lomillos”.

Bay- this is a hair coat color that can be varying shades of brown with a black mane and tail and black points on the extremities of the legs. In Spanish, it is referred to as “colorado” or “castaño”, but should not be confused with the term “bayo”, which refers to the dun, buckskin and palomino colors.

Blue Hens- the most influential broodmares of a horse breed that are recognized as the elite maternal bloodlines.

Bog Spavin- this is a synovial distension of the hock at the tibiotarsal joint. The excessive fluid can be redistributed around the inner and outer portion of the hock joint by pressing on it with a finger. There can be many causes, but OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) is the primary suspect.

Breast Plate- this is a piece of horse equipment that goes across the chest of the horse and attaches to each side of the saddle in order to prevent backward slippage of the saddle.

Breed of Horse- refers to a related group of horses with similar characteristics best suited for specific functions and environments and whose family lineages are accounted for in a registry that assures the continued purity of its members with genetic similarities.

Breed Type- this includes the physical and psychological characteristics that are closely associated with a specific breed.

Brisket Disease- this is a name for altitude sickness in horses. It is characterized by edema (this is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in intercellular spaces) under the jaw, and in below the lower neck and around the sternum.

Broodmare- this is a female horse that is devoted to reproductive functions.

Buckskin- this is a hair coat color that has the basic genetic make up of a bay color with the presence of a heterozygous condition of a “CCcr” dilution gene that results in a yellow hair coat color with black points (black mane, tail and leg extremities). If the homozygous condition of the “Ccr Ccr” gene is inherited, a “perlino” is produced. The “perlino” has a cream hair color, pink skin and blue eyes. A homozygous condition of the “CC” will result in a solid colored bay.

Bumping Lead Steer- this is a steer that is used by Chilean Rodeo horses for training purposes only. The horses learn to maintain a perpendicular posture to the side of the bumping lead steer. This requires them to sidestep in order to maintain this position as the steer moves forward at different speeds. The steer can also be used to condition the horse to push the side of the steer with the horse’s chest, but this steer will never be aggressively pinned so that it does not learn to shy away from contact by the horse.