Points of the Horse

Product Information

Coronet or coronary band: the ring of soft tissue just above the horny hoof that blends into the skin of the leg Elbow – The bony point on the rear side of the front leg near the girth on the bottom side of the shoulder. In this week’s beginner’s guide you can find out where about these points of the horse. You can learn: Withers: the highest point of the thoracic vertebrae, the point just above the tops of the shoulder blades, seen best with horse standing square and head slightly lowered; the height of the horse is measured at the withers. 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 2011

Susan J. Holcombe (1998). "Neuromuscular Regulation of the Larynx and Nasopharynx in the Horse" (PDF). Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the AAEP. 44: 26. Point of Shoulder– The bony foremost location on the horse’s shoulder. This location is important when measuring for blankets or other equine outerwear. a b c d e f g h Giffen, James M.; Gore, Tom (1998) [1989]. Horse Owner's Veterinary Handbook (2nded.). New York: Howell Book House. ISBN 0-87605-606-0. Muscle in the hindquarters must be symmetrical and balanced with the rest of the body. The hindquarters influence the horse’s capacity for: Throatlatch [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] (also, throttle, throatlash [ citation needed], throat [11]): the point at which the windpipe meets the head at the underside of the jaw, [3] corresponding to where the eponymous part of a bridle goes. [12]Poll – The area between the horse’s ears. This is often referenced when talking about headgear and the leverages of different bits. The bones of the horse are the same as those of other domestic species, but the third metacarpal and metatarsal are much more developed and the second and fourth are undeveloped, having the first and fifth metacarpal and metatarsal. [22] Horse skeleton bones The Stallion: Breeding Soundness Examination & Reproductive Anatomy". University of Wisconsin-Madison. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007 . Retrieved 7 July 2007. saddle helps distribute the weight evenly over the weight bearing ribs. If the saddle is improperly set too Croup – The high point and slope of the horse’s hind end behind the loin. The exact location can be found by locating the bony structure on top of the horse’s hind end. The angle of this slope is often discussed in discipline suitability and conformation.

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. Knee – The forelimb joint that connects the upper and lower areas of the front leg. This joint consists of many small bones and is very similar in structure to the human wrist. There are no muscles on the horse’s front leg below this joint. Below the knee, the horse’s leg consists of soft tissue and bone. Flank…..this area lies beneath the loins of the horse from the last rib to the muscles of the thigh. All of this is abdominal fascia supporting and protecting the abdominal area. Similar to the girth, it gets really tight here. When the abdominal fascia is really tight it will restrict the stifle.The hind legs have fewer lameness issues than the front legs because they only carry 40 percent of the horse’s weight. But the front versus rear leg lameness tends to relate to overall horse use. 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. Girth (Heart Girth)– The area immediately behind the front leg. This area is where the girth or cinch should fit when the horse is saddled. Juan C. Samper (1 January 2009). Equine Breeding Management and Artificial Insemination. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 978-1-4160-5234-0. Point of Hip– The bony protrusion above the flank and below the croup. This will often be the widest part of the body.

Knee: the carpus of the horse (equivalent to the human wrist), the large joint in the front legs, above the cannon bone Girth or heartgirth: the area right behind the elbow of the horse, where the girth of the saddle would go; this area should be where the barrel is at its greatest diameter in a properly-conditioned horse that is not pregnant or obeseTendons 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. The cecum is the first section of the large intestine. It is also known as the "water gut" or "hind gut". It is a cul-de-sac pouch, [16] about 1.2m (4ft) long that holds 26 to 30L (7 to 8USgal). It contains bacteria that digest cellulose plant fiber through fermentation. [17] These bacteria feed upon chyme digestive, and also produce certain fat-soluble vitamins which are absorbed by the horse. [14] The reason horses must have their diets changed slowly is so the bacteria in the cecum are able to modify and adapt to the different chemical structure of new feedstuffs. [16] Too abrupt a change in diet can cause colic, which is a broad term used to describe abdominal pain in horses, much like a stomachache in humans. But unlike our occasional tummy upsets, colic in horses can have a myriad of causes and severities, ranging from mild gas buildup to serious intestinal obstructions [18] when the new food is not properly digested. Splints: bones found on each of the legs, on either side of the cannon bone (8 total); partially vestigial, these bones support the corresponding carpal bones in the forelimb, and the corresponding tarsal bones in the hindlimb; [4] anatomically referred to as Metacarpal/ Metatarsal II (on the medial aspect (inside)) and IV (on the lateral aspect (outside)) Andrews, F. M.; Buchanan, B. R.; Elliot, S. B.; Clariday, N. A.; Edwards, L. H. (2005). "Gastric ulcers in horses". J. Anim. Sci. 83 (13): E18–E21. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013.