Black Beauty

Black Beauty Glossary

Broughham

roofed carriage with four wheels

check rein

bearing rein which forcibly holds the horse’s head up at a painful angle, used for fashion and appearance

coachman

driver of a horse-drawn carriage

constitution

state of health, composition

dike

embankment or rampart to prevent water from river or sea overflowing onto land

farrier

blacksmith who shoes horses

forelock

part of the mane of hair which hangs over the horse’s forehead

habit

dress, garb

heath

area of open land on sandy soil

high-mettled

willful, full of energy

hostler

man whose job it is to look after horses owned by people staying in an inn

jaded

exhausted mentally and physically, weary

livery

special uniform worn by servants or employees

Phaeton

open horse carriage with four wheels

prig

someone who acts self-righteously and sees themselves as better than others

skittish

easily startled, excitable

tandem

having one horse harnessed behind another

to blackguard

to slander with strong language, abuse

to pine for

to desperately wish to see someone or something, to miss it

to shear

cutting the wool or hair off of animals