There are 205 bones in the horse’s skeleton, and the spot where one or more bones join is the joint. This installment of the anatomy and physiology series focuses on these critical areas of movement.
A horse’s conformation and muscle types can determine how well he can perform certain tasks, but all horses are subject to muscle injury and disease. In this article, we’ll take a look at how equine muscles function and are nourished.
Learn how your horse’s anatomy works with our complete anatomy and physiology guide, including basic terminology, skin, forelimbs, hindlimbs, feet/hooves, head and neck, tendons/ligaments, muscles, digestive, cardiovascular and reproductive systems.
This first article of a 12-part series on equine anatomy and physiology discusses basic terminology, the horse’s largest organ (his skin), and how horses and humans are alike (and different).
The foreleg of the horse is, for the most part, a model of good engineering. Most of a horse’s weight is carried on its forelimbs. Good conformation will help ensure long-term soundness.
No matter the breed or discipline, good conformation of the hind legs will contribute to more successful performance and a better ride. We want a horse to have excellent rear leg conformation so that it can tolerate the demands placed on it.
Understanding the equine digestive system can make your horse healthier and give you fewer worries about gastric upset. In this article, we’ll take a look at just how this “factory” is designed and how it functions.
Anatomy and physiology of the horse’s head and neck, and related structures such as the eyes, ears, mouth/teeth, and upper respiratory tract.
If your horse has ulcers, giving him omeprazole isn’t the only thing you can do to help reduce the severity of the problem. Noah Cohen, VMD, PhD, MPH, Dipl. ACVIM, discussed a study that found alfalfa hay reduced the severity of ulcers in young,
My 4-year-old Quarter Horse gelding does not like to bend his knees and hocks. He feels like he’s walking on stilts.
Choice of farrier might have a significant influence not only on the shape of a horse’s hoof, but its soundness and athletic ability, according to research carried out by veterinarians in Switzerland. Forty dressage and show jumping horses, divided
Horse hooves aren’t created equal, which can make it hard to understand the healthy foot’s form and function.
Ileus is one of the leading postoperative causes of death in horses.
A 10-year-old Icelandic gelding has a tendency to hold his head to the right while at a walk.
You might have heard your veterinarian say, “Let’s run a titer on him,” when referring to your horse and whether he’s protected against disease, or to figure out what might be causing particular clinical signs. What exactly does “titer” mean?
By the time a horse crosses the finish line in a five-furlong race, has completed a Grand Prix show jumping round, or gone one-sixth of the way round a 3-star cross-country course, he will have moved somewhere around 1,800 liters of air in and out of the lungs.
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