Poll
The point where the head meets the neck, just behind the ears.
Crest
The top portion of the neck, generally more pronounced in studs.
Mane
Long hair which grows from the withers to the forelock and lies on either side of the neck.
Neck
Connects at the ears and runs down to the shoulder.
Withers
The highest point of the back, just above the shoulder blades. Horse height is measured at the withers.
Back
Begins at the withers and extends to the last thoracic vertebrae.
Loin
The area just behind where a saddle sits, the space from the last vertebrae to the croup.
Croup
Begins at the top of the hip and extends down to the dock where the tail begins.
Dock
The point where the rump and the tail connect.
Hindquarters
The large & muscular area of the upper hind legs, behind the barrel and above the stifle.
Point of Buttock
The rounded edge of the rump.
Tail
Not just long, flowing hair. The tail includes the coccygeal vertebrae & the surrounding muscle and skin from which it grows.
Hock
The bending joint (corresponds to the knee on the front legs) on the hind leg.
Chestnut
A fleshy callous found on the inside of each leg.
Gaskin
The large muscle just above the hock on the inside of hind legs.
Stifle
The joint where the hind legs connect to the body.
Flank
Area where hind legs meet the barrel just past the stifle and just before the ribcage.
Barrel
Body of horse, essentially the area enclosed in the ribcage.
Elbow
The joint where the front leg meets the body of the horse.
Chestnut
A horny growth on the inside of each front leg.
Ergot
A horny growth on the back side of the fetlock joint.
Fetlock
The “ankle” joint (although really closer to the ball of the foot in anatomy) connecting the hoof to the leg.
Hoof
The foot, Hard on the outside and softer on the inside. The hoof is a harder version of our fingernails.
Coronet Band
Ring of soft tissue around the top of the hoof where it meets the skin.
Pastern
The space between the coronet band and the fetlock.
Cannon
The long, slender space between the knee and fetlock joints.
Knee
The bending joint of the front legs.
Forearm
The area between the knee and the elbow of the front legs
Heart Girth
Or girth The area just behind the elbow, where the saddle girth sits. Should be the largest diameter of the horses barrel.
Breast
The muscle mass between the forearms that covers the front of the chest.
Point of Shoulder
The frontmost part of the horses chest.
Shoulder
The space between the withers and the point of shoulder
Throatlatch
Where the windpipe meets the jaw. Often where the strap of a bridle lays.
Cheek
The bottom circular portion of the horses face.
Nostril
The outside of a horses nose.
Muzzle
Chin, mouth and nose are all parts of the muzzle.
Forehead
The flat space between a horses eyes.
Forelock
A section of the mane which grows at the top of the forehead.
Now you know it, share it. Make sure everyone you know understands their horses anatomy too.
Great post! It’s always good to revisit such basics.
How bout a post on a horse’s internal organs? And another on identifying tendons/ligaments? The difference between the deep digital flexor tendon and the suspensory ligament, for example?
i think that would be grate thats what im trying to find out about ! grate comment hope they do it !
Sadly I think the only ones who will think this is important advice, are teh people who already know it.
Kesler,
I am a student in high school and I believe that this information is important to anyone who wants to learn and is willing to do a little bit of research on it. I believe that you think that it is unimportant because you don’t want to understand it.
Your so right what happens if ur horse has a cut on it’s hock and u dont know were that is how would u tell the vet
U have missed some like point of hock, jowls, chin grove, hip, jugular grove, pectoral, projecting cheek bone,thigh and hamstring and more but I forgot what their called
I am reading a book in which the author used the term ‘the horse’s snout.’ Horses don’t have snouts! They have muzzles. Lazy writing. She should have looked here.
Very informative article.Really thank you! Will read on…
So what you are saying is that the time period in your life prior to you actually knowing all the parts of a horse you WERE NOT a true horse lover, is this correct?
That your love for horses did not lead you be more interested in them; what a horse eats, the evolution of horse, or the anatomy of a horse? Interesting. It is my love for horses that has caused me to be more interested in them. I will say this much your diagram is very good and your definition of each word is clear and precise. However, your initial sentence is that of a fool.
YouTube video with vet explaining the anatomy of a horse’e leg with a horse, x-rays and scans.
http://horse-clips.co.uk/2013/10/video-anatomy-of-horse-legs/
this was realy help full could you tell me how the muscle structure works and a picture of the muscle structure and the names of each part pleas