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What Do You Call Horse Riders and Their Horses?

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What Do You Call Horse Riders and Their Horses?

Last updated: October 6, 2026

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

You’ll hear riders called equestrians, horsemen, and jockeys, but those names don’t all mean the same thing, and horse people notice when they get mixed up.

Quick answer: Someone who rides horses is a rider, horseback rider, or equestrian. A horse used for riding is a saddle horse or mount. Steed is an older, more poetic term.

Here’s how those words are used around the barn, the racetrack, and the ranch.

What Is a Horse Rider Called?

The simplest answer is a rider or a horseback rider. Beyond that, the word you’ll hear depends on what the person does with horses:

  • Equestrian: Merriam-Webster defines an equestrian as one who rides on horseback. It’s also used as an adjective, as in equestrian sports, and being an equestrian can mean anything from weekend trail rides to Olympic competition.
  • Equestrienne: The old-fashioned word for a woman who rides. You’ll rarely hear it today. Rider and equestrian work for women, too.
  • Horseman or horsewoman: Someone skilled at riding and handling horses. Around a barn, the word means more than being able to stay in the saddle. A good horseman understands how a horse thinks, handles problems calmly, and knows when to push a horse and when to back off.
  • Jockey: A professional who rides racehorses in races.
  • Exercise rider: Someone who rides racehorses during training, including morning gallops and workouts.
  • Cowboy or cowgirl: Traditionally, someone who works cattle, often on horseback. You’ll also hear these names used loosely for Western riders and rodeo competitors, but not every Western rider is a cowboy or cowgirl.
Horseman’s Take After more than 30 years of owning racehorses, I think of these names as describing the job, not necessarily two different people. A jockey rides races, and an exercise rider handles the training rides. Some jockeys also get on horses in the morning to work them.
Woman riding a palomino horse

What Is a Riding Horse Called?

Some names describe what the horse does. Others, like steed, are words you’re more likely to find in a story.

Everyday terms

  • Saddle horse: A horse trained and used for riding, as opposed to one used for driving or pulling.
  • Mount: The horse a rider is on or is assigned to ride. Jockeys pick up “mounts” in races.

Older and literary terms

  • Steed: An older word for a riding horse, especially a spirited one. It comes from the Old English steda, meaning stallion, according to Etymonline. Today you’ll mostly see it in stories, poetry, or playful descriptions.
  • Charger: A horse for battle, the kind a knight or cavalry officer rode.

If you’re solving a crossword clue like “gallant horse for riding,” steed is a five-letter possibility. Check the crossing letters to confirm it.

Terms that describe the horse’s job

  • Hack: In British usage, a horse used for ordinary riding. Going for a hack can also mean taking a relaxed ride outside of formal schooling or competition.
  • Lesson horse or school horse: A quiet, experienced horse used to teach beginners. For that job, a calm temperament matters, along with solid training and experience.

Western Names for Horse Riders

Some familiar Western terms, including vaquero and buckaroo, have Spanish roots, carried over from the Spanish and Mexican horse traditions of the American West.

Woman putting a bridle on her horse

What Is a Horse Lover Called?

The dictionary word for a horse lover is hippophile. Dictionary.com defines it as one who loves horses, from the Greek hippo, meaning horse, and -phile, meaning one who loves. It’s not a word you’re likely to hear around the barn, though. You’re more likely to hear someone called a horse person, or just horse crazy.

What Is an Unbroken Horse Called?

A horse that hasn’t been trained to carry a rider is called unbroken or unbroke. One that’s had some training but still needs more work is called green or green broke.

Bronc is a little different. It generally means a horse that bucks, especially one used in rodeo. It isn’t just another word for every unbroken horse.

Common Horse Riding Terms

A few riding terms come up constantly when you’re new to horses:

  • English and Western: The two main riding styles, each with its own saddles, tack, and techniques.
  • Dressage: A discipline built around precise, controlled movements, often called ballet on horseback.
  • Bareback: Riding without a saddle.
  • Sidesaddle: Riding with both legs on the same side of the horse.
  • Horsemanship: The skill of riding, training, and handling horses.

For gaits, tack, and the parts of the horse, I’ve put together a longer list of horse riding, racing, and betting terms.