A basic understanding of horse anatomy is important for anyone that either owns, rides, or leases a horse.  Anything that goes wrong must be addressed immediately for the protection of the horse, and treatment can’t be administered without knowledge of the horse.

Back: Where the saddle sits, extending from the last thoracic vertebrae (the loin or “coupling”) to the end of the withers

Barrel:  The body of the horse, enclosing major organs and the rib cage

Cannon or Cannon Bone:  The area between the knee and or hock and the fetlock joint, also commonly known as the “shin” of the horse, when in reality it is the third metacarpal

Chestnut:  A callosity on the inside of each of the horse’s legs

Chin Groove:  An area that dips down slightly on the lower jaw, behind the lower lip and chin.  This is where the curb chain of certain bits is fastened in order to improve control of the horse in regards to steering and stopping

Coronet or Coronary Band:  A ring of soft tissue just above the hoof that blends into the skin of the leg – if damaged, the horse could be permanently crippled, and it should be treated immmediately

Crest:  The upper portion of the neck where the mane grows

Croup:  Begins at the hip, extends along the sacral vertebrae, and ending at the dock of the tail.  It’s considered the topline of the hindquarters.

Dock:  The “living” part of the tail, consisting of the coccygeal vertebrae, muscles, and ligaments.

Elbow:  The joint of the front leg at the point where belly of the horse meets the leg.  It is actually quite similar to the elbows in humans

Ergot:  A callosity on the back of the fetlock

Face:   The area between the forehead and the tip of the upper lip

Fetlock:  Commonly called the ankle of the horse, but it does not have the same skeletal structure as the ankle of a human.  Rather, it is similar to the ball of the foot or the metacarpophalangeal joints in the fingers of humans

Flank:  Where the hind legs and barrel meet – specifically the area right behind the rib cage and in front of the stifle joint

Forearm:  An area in the front leg between the knee and the elbow, made up of the fused radius and ulna, and all of the tissue around the bones

Forelock:  The continuation of the mane, hanging from between the ears down to the forehead of the horse

Frog:  The highly elastic wedge-shaped mass on the underside of the hoof; the part that normally makes contact with the ground with each stride, and supports the movement and circulation of the horse

Gaskin:  The large muscle in the hind leg, just above the hock and below the stifle, similar to the calf muscle in humans

Girth:  The area right behind the elbow of the horse, where the girth of a saddle would go (the part that keeps that saddle on a horse’s back); its the area where the where the barrel is at its greatest diameter of a properly-conditioned horse

Hindquarters:  The large, muscular area of the hind legs of the horse, above the stifle and behind the barrel

Hock:  The tarsus (hind limb comparable to the human ankle and heel) – a ;large joint in the hind leg

Hoof:  The foot of the horse.  The wall of the hoof is tough outside covering of the hoof that comes into contact with the ground and can be considered the larger and stronger equivalent of the human fingernail

Jugular Groove:  The area above the jugular vein, carotid artery, and part of the sympathetic trunk

Knee:  The carpus (equivalent to the human wrist); a large joint in the front legs

Loin:  The area right behind the saddle, going from the last rib to the croup, similar to the lumbar spine

Mane:  Long, coarse hair growing from the dorsal ridge of the neck

Muzzle:  The chin, mouth, and nostrils of the face

Pastern:  The connection between the coronet and the fetlock, made up of the middle and proximal phalanx

Poll:  Located at the beginning of the neck, immediately behind the ears; a depression where the atlas meets the occipital crest

Shoulder:  The scapula and associated muscles, running from the withers to the point of the shoulder – the joint at the front of the chest.  The angle of the should has a huge effect on the horse’s jumping ability and movement

Splints:  Bones in each of  the legs on either side of the cannon bone, supporting the carpal bones in the forelimb and the corresponding tarsal bones in the hindlimbs

Stifle:  Identical to the knee of humans, consisting of the articulation between the femur and the tibia, as well as the articulation between the patella and femur

Tail:  The long hairs that grow from the dock

Throatlash:  The point at which the windpipe meets the head at the underside of the jaw

Withers:  The highest point of the thoracic vertebrae, just above the tops of the shoulder blades.  They can be seen best when a horse is standing square has its head slightly lowered.  This is how the height of a horse is measured.