Points of the Horse

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Nutrition plays a critical role in your horse’s health and well-being. Here’s what you need to know about hay, grain, and designing your feeding program. Hoof (foot) – The keratin structure at the end of a horse’s legs. An old proverb states “No hoof, no horse” as the hoof and hoof care are vital to horses’ comfort, soundness, and longevity. Point of the shoulder….this is below the shoulder joint at the bottom-end of the of the subclavian and supraspinatus muscles. The outer-most point of the humerus where you can feel the edge of the humerus bone. Equine anatomy encompasses the gross and microscopic anatomy of horses, ponies and other equids, including donkeys, mules and zebras. While all anatomical features of equids are described in the same terms as for other animals by the International Committee on Veterinary Gross Anatomical Nomenclature in the book Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, there are many horse-specific colloquial terms used by equestrians.

A horse’s legs are part of the reason a horse can run at nearly 27 miles per hour and all horses have four basic gaits: walk, trot or jog, canter or lope, and the gallop. Interestingly, horses travel on the tips of their toes because the hoof of a horse is similar to a fingertip or toe tip of a human, but much stronger. The hooves also bear the animal’s weight and the old adage, “no hoof, no horse,”[7] shows how important a good hoof is for a horse. To make sure the hooves are well cared for, most people developed routines established for a farrier to pare or trim them. Additionally, similar to the face, unique markings on a horse’s legs can be used to identify it. Leg markings include: Horses, as a species, don’t eat meat. While there have been many cases of horses eating animals and animal products, find out why it’s not the norm. Poll – The area between the horse’s ears. This is often referenced when talking about headgear and the leverages of different bits. Horses have the largest eyes of all land mammals and as their eyes sit on the sides of their heads, they have more than 350 degrees of vision, with a blind spot located at the front of their foreheads. With such wide, circular vision, a horse can tell if an animal is sneaking up behind them, and, on windy days, they are often skittish because too many things are swaying and blowing in the wind. Even when a horse is grazing his panoramic monocular vision is at work. Moreover, because horses have dichromatic vision, they see shades of red as green. They also have and superb daytime and nighttime vision. In the nineteenth century it was noted that a horse’s eyes and ears moved together, and “therefore will always be directed wherever the horse’s attention is attracted,”[6] which you can note if you watch a horse. When a sound or sight captures their attention, they will stop what they are doing, lift their head to get a better look, and move their ears towards the sound.

Tendons are easily damaged if placed under too much strain, which can result in a painful, and possibly career-ending, injury. Tendinitis is most commonly seen in high performance horses that gallop or jump. When a tendon is damaged the healing process is slow because tendons have a poor blood supply, reducing the availability of nutrients and oxygen to the tendon. Once a tendon is damaged the tendon will always be weaker, because the collagen fibres tend to line up in random arrangements instead of the stronger linear pattern. Scar tissue within the tendon decreases the overall elasticity in the damaged section of the tendon as well, causing an increase in strain on adjacent uninjured tissue. Muzzle – The area surrounding the nostrils and mouth. A change of skin and hair texture can be seen in this area. Chestnut….these are what are called ‘horny growths’ on the insides of the leg, usually halfway down inside the leg or forearm.

Cook FRCVS PhD, Robert (2008), Shoeing your horse is like foot binding your daughter, Veterinary Times, p.8, archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2017 , retrieved 23 August 2011The mare's reproductive system is responsible for controlling gestation, birth, and lactation, as well as her estrous cycle and mating behavior. It lies ventral to the 4th or 5th lumbar vertebrae, although its position within the mare can vary depending on the movement of the intestines and distention of the bladder.

Flank – Where the barrel meets the horse’s hind leg. Often a change in the direction of the hair can be seen here. This area is especially sensitive on most horses. The hearing of horses is good, [28] superior to that of humans, and the pinna of each ear can rotate up to 180°, giving the potential for 360° hearing without having to move the head. [29] Often, the eye of the horse is looking in the same direction as the ear is directed.

Eric Thomas Pro Leather Grooming Headcollar

Chin groove: the part of the horse's head behind the lower lip and chin, the area that dips down slightly on the lower jaw; area where the curb chain of certain bits is fastened The esophagus is about 1.2 to 1.5m (4 to 5ft) in length, and carries food to the stomach. A muscular ring, called the cardiac sphincter, connects the stomach to the esophagus. This sphincter is very well developed in horses. This and the oblique angle at which the esophagus connects to the stomach explains why horses cannot vomit. [14] The esophagus is also the area of the digestive tract where horses may suffer from choke. If you’ve ever wondered how to identify one horse from another besides using size or color, many horses have unique markings on their face. Face markings include: saddle helps distribute the weight evenly over the weight bearing ribs. If the saddle is improperly set too