Parts of a horse Flashcards
Ears
- Located at the top of the horse’s head
- Can swivel back and forth in any direction
- Expressive part of the horse’s behavior
Poll
Bony prominence, highest point on the horse body when head is up
Forelock
Lock of hair falling down the horse’s forehead
Mane
Long coarse hair growing from the top of the neck
Crest
Curved top line of the neck (fuller in male)
-Secondary sex characteristic
Point of the shoulder
Hard, bony prominence surrounded by heavy muscle masses; should be ling sloping and muscular
-Allows for flexibility of movement
Withers
Prominent ridge where neck and back join
- height measured here
- highest constant point
Heartgirth
Circumference around the horse directly behind the front legs and over the highest point of the withers
-used to estimate weight
Barrel
Extends from behind the shoulders to the loins
- Narrow at the shoulders and widen at the loins
- reflects the capacity of the body cavity
Back
From the base of the withers to where the last rib is attached to the spine
- Back should slope gently from front to rear
- saddle laced here
Point of the hip
First place indicating weight loss
Loin
Short area joining the back to rump
-AKA coupling
Croup or Rump
Btwn the loin and the tail
-highest point of the hindquarters
-should be long, horizontal, somewhat muscular and fairly wide
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Flank
Area below the loin, bwtn the last rib and the thigh
Buttock
Used to determine body length
