Dictionary Page P

Packing

Also called thumping; this is the procedure where a worker takes a small pig by her hind legs swinging the piglet overhead and slamming its head onto a concrete floor or against some solid object. This is supposed to kill the piglet but often this procedure must be repeated two or three times to complete what one attempt is supposed to achieve. [ Factory Farming ]

Paint

This horse’s heritage spans back to Spanish settlers and the two-toned horses they brought with them. Some of these Spanish horses eventually found themselves without owners and came to establish some of the wild herds of horses that are all but disappearing today. Many of these wild horses were captured and used by settlers and native Indians. The name of this horse is derived from a bright contrast of colors appearing as if someone had to paint the colors in order to achieve such a striking look. The constant in the Paint horse’s coloration is white, but any one of a variety of colors may accompany it such as, “black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, grulla, sorrel, palomino, gray or roan.” There is some confusion that a Paint horse is also a Pinto, but the latter refers only to a type of coloration. In short, horses considered Pintos are registered because of their unique coloration and Paint horses are registered because of their bloodline. A horse could have both the ancestry and the coloration to be dually registered, but the two are not mutually inclusive. The bloodlines of these horses are strictly regimented and proof must be shown in order to register a individual as a Paint horse that its lineage came from one of three clubs (Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horse Association, or American Paint Horse Association). [44] This horse can be up to 64 in. / 163 cm. (16 hands) in height. They are used today for “ranch work, rodeo, trail riding, US racing, showing, jumping, dressage,” and “driving.” [43] [ Equine ]

Pd

This is short for a pied colored pigeon which sports white feathers about her head and/or neck. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Pedigree

A record of a pigeon’s bloodlines and race history. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Permit

A permit is sold by state agencies allowing hunters to kill a certain species of animal (one per permit) for a variety of reasons. First, a permit allows such agencies to control the number of animals from a species, white-tailed deer for example, to be killed each year. While agencies claim this insures a proper balance, it also ensures that a certain animal is not over killed, thus providing an ample selection of animals (moving targets) for the next hunting season. Second, it allows the demographics of the killed animals to be controlled. It also serves as a kind of deterrent against illegally killing animals. Any dead animal that requires a permit to hunt must have the accompanying tag with the body. In some states even the meat taken from a animal must have the accompanying permit. Because a permit is often necessary postmortem it helps to enforce possession laws which determine the number of dead animals a person may keep as a food source at any given time. Some permits allow only male or female deer to be killed while others are indiscriminate. Last, and ethically by far the least, it allows for a greater generation of revenue by the state departments, thus continuing their existence. [ Hunting, Fur and Trapping ]

Pick-up Man

A pick-up man is the person in a rodeo who rescues the “cowboy” from the back of a horse after their daring 8 second ride (sarcasm included). The pick-up man is responsible for removing the rider and releasing the mechanism called the flank strap which makes the horse buck. Once this has been accomplished they lead the horse out of the performing arena. [59] [ Rodeo ]

Pied

This is a pied colored pigeon which sports white feathers about her head and/or neck. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Pin Feathers

A feather before it has emerged from the feather shaft. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Pipping

When birds are hatching they peck at their shell in order create an opening in which they can exit the egg. This is referred to as pipping. [66] [ Pigeon ]

POA

An acronym for Pony of the Americas. See "Pony of the Americas." [ Equine ]

Points

Otherwise known as tines, points branch from the main beam of antlers. When someone refers to a deer as an “eight pointer” they are saying the deer had 8 tines long enough to be counted. What length qualifies as a “point” is subject to a variety of standards and scoring systems, but it seems as if most hunters count anything over 1 ½ inches. [ Hunting ]

Pole Bending

A Rodeo event where a horse and rider must successfully weave between six poles (six feet high) placed 21 feet apart. Participants must weave through the poles circling the last and returning in a like manner. If a pole is knocked down five seconds are added to the overall time; departure from the established pattern or course results in a disqualification. [22] The participant with the quickest time is the winner. [ Equine, Rodeo ]

Poles

Sticks made of wood that are employed in herding pigeons into the trap which leads into the loft. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Poly

This is slang for synthetic rope. [33] The word “poly” is derived from materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, and nylon (don’t ask me on that one) used in the manufacture of this rope. [ Equine, Rodeo ]

Poly Saccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM)

PSSM is a result of an excess of glycogen accumulated in the muscles of affected horses. A horse afflicted with this condition is generically dubbed as “Tying-Up.” Horses with PSSM are considered to have a chronic problem. Symptoms vary but can include sweating, inability to move, trouble lying down or standing, assuming a stance similar to that of when urinating, firm muscles with tactile soreness, or dark colored urine. [29] [ Equine ]

Pony (Ponies)

A pony is the smallest type of horse measuring below 54 inches / 134 cm in height. Ponies are characterized by a stocky body and neck and a “full” mane and tail. [25] Ponies weigh less than 900 lbs / 409 kg. [34] [ Equine ]

Pony of the Americas

This pony was created in 1954 in Iowa from many different breeds of horses and ponies including the Arab, Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, Welsh Pony, and Shetland Pony. This pony was originally bred for children who were at an intermediate stage in their riding. That is, they were too big for a smaller pony yet to small for a horse. The Pony’s height is usually between 46 and 56 in / 117 and 142 cm (11.2 to 14 hands). The main colors of this pony breed are white with brown spots, though the pattern of the spots varies. These ponies can also be distinguished by “vertical black and white stripes” on their hooves. The Pony of the Americas is used as a mount for children, games, jumping, and show. [47] [ Equine ]

Pope and Young

The Pope and Young Club is a bow hunting organization in North America which serves as a recording house for animals killed with a bow and arrow. Members take recordings of animals considered worthy and derive a score based on these measurements. If a hunter wants his kill to be recorded he must pay a fee and then it will be listed in the Pope and Young records. In this way the Pope and Young club asserts that it “records for posterity scientific data.” [6] Yeah, right! [ Hunting ]

Pot Eggs

These are fake eggs that are used to replace those stolen from mother pigeons. This is done because sometimes the offspring of the pigeons are not wanted. The real eggs are subsequently destroyed. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Primaries

Pigeons have twenty feathers on each wing used primarily for flight. The larger ten, located towards the end of the wing, are called primaries. The secondaries are the smaller ten and are located on the portion of the wing closest to a pigeon’s body. [66] [ Pigeon ]

Prisoner

This is a pigeon that is never released from the cage in which it is confined. Most often prisoners are acquired from another person. [66] If the birds were released they would return to their original home. It seems likely that prisoners would be used for breeding purposes more than anything else. [ Pigeon ]

PSA

This is short for public service announcement. These are informative commercials ran on local or network television stations. [ Animal Rights ]

Puppy Mill

This is a facility where puppies are born and raised under less than desirable conditions. Many puppy mills have small cages with unsanitary conditions for expecting mothers and puppies alike. The primary concern of a puppy mill is the production of puppies so as to maximize profit. Puppy mills have been documented neglecting sanitary and medical concerns in order to increase profits. The females are impregnated every heat cycle and are disposed of after they can no longer give birth to live puppies. [17] [ Companion Animals ]

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Posted/Updated: 10/21/04