Equine anatomy refers to the gross and microscopic anatomy of horses, ponies and other equids, including donkeys, mules and zebras.
What is the weakest part of a horse’s back?
The muscles covering the hindquarters are irregular and don’t make a nice smooth covering. Also you’ll notice, for the size of the horse, the hind quarters are proportionately smaller than you’d like. All these little observations point towards this mare being weak through pelvis and hindquarters.
What is ACTH horse?
In this condition, a gland that sits at the base of the brain called the Pituitary gland becomes enlarged and produces too much of the hormone called the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), as well as a few other hormones. High levels of ACTH cause an over production of cortisol from the adrenal glands.
What is a Gaskin on a horse?
Definition of gaskin
1 gaskins plural, obsolete : hose, breeches. 2 : a part of the hind leg of a quadruped between the stifle and the hock — see horse illustration.
Why is it important to know horse anatomy?
The better your understanding of horse anatomy the better decisions you will make. Something as simple as giving a horse a vaccine can become very dangerous if you do not know where the spine and jugular vein are positioned in an equine’s neck.
What is the back of a horse called?
Horses’ back shape can vary greatly from horse to horse. The upper curvature of a horse’s withers, back, and loin is called the “topline.” The line of the belly from elbow to flank is the “under line” or “bottom line.” In terms of the back, both are important; a long underline with a relatively short topline is ideal.
Why do horses drag their back legs?
Horses drag their hind feet for many reasons, but the main influences are the rider, the horse’s conformation or shoeing problems. … Low limb carriage, which can cause dragging of the toe, can be due to low heel, long toe foot conformation. Excessive toe wall thickness can also be a contributing factor.
What is the strongest muscle in a horse?
The Longissimus dorsi is the strongest muscle in a horse’s body. It originates from the last four cervical vertebrae and extends down the spine to the pelvis.
What is the back of the saddle called?
CANTLE. The cantle is the back part of the saddle that extends out from the seat.
What is laminitis in horse?
Laminitis is a common, extremely painful and frequently recurrent condition in horses, ponies and donkeys. It has significant welfare implications for owners. This condition affects the tissues (laminae) bonding the hoof wall to pedal bone in the hoof.
What is insulin resistance in a horse?
What is Insulin Resistance? Insulin resistance can be defined as the inability of normal insulin concentrations to stimulate tissues to uptake glucose. When a horse eats foods containing sugar or starch, glucose enters the blood, and this stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.
What are signs of Cushings in horses?
Clinical signs include increased coat length and delayed shedding of the winter coat, laminitis, lethargy, increased sweating, weight loss and excessive drinking and urinating. The disease primarily affects those over the age of 10, with 19 being the average age at diagnosis.
What is a chestnut on a horse?
Most horse people know that our horses have Chestnuts and not quite as many people know that they have Ergots on their legs. … A Chestnut is the harder fleshy growth above the knees on the front legs and just below the inside of the hock on the hind legs of our horses. Some people refer to them as ‘night eyes’.
What is a horse’s face called?
Muzzle: The part of the head that comes out of a horse’s face including the jaw, mouth and nose.
What is the frog of the horse hoof?
The frog is an essential component of your horse’s hoof. It can be easily identified by its V-shape. It consists of spongy, elastic tissue, demarcated by a central groove and two collateral grooves. Underneath the frog is the digital cushion, also known as the plantar cushion.
What is the most important part of a horse’s body?
The hoof is arguably one of the most important horse body parts. In structure it is somewhat comparable to our fingernails. Proper hoof care and shoeing can mean the difference between a sound and unsound (lame) horse.
What is a horse’s chest called?
A breastplate (used interchangeably with breastcollar, breaststrap and breastgirth) is a piece of riding equipment used on horses. Its purpose is to keep the saddle or harness from sliding back. On riding horses, it is most helpful on horses with large shoulders and a flat ribcage.
What are the holes above a horse’s eyes?
Here’s my take on “the hole.” All horses have this “hole”. Behind and a little above the eye is a “pocket” of fat that acts as a shock absorber and the hole is someplace for the pocket of fat to go when blunt force is applied to the eye.
What is a horse nose called?
An animal’s long, protruding nose is often called a snout. The tricky part, though, is that not all long animal noses are called snouts. An elephant has a very long nose, but we don’t call it a snout, we call it a trunk. A horse’s nose is rarely referred to as a snout, because it’s really their whole face that’s long.
What is a female horse called?
…male horse is called a stallion, the female a mare. A stallion used for breeding is known as a stud. A castrated stallion is commonly called a gelding. Formerly, stallions were employed as riding horses, while mares were kept for breeding purposes only.
Why does my horse keep stretching?
If your horse stretches his limbs exaggeratedly, or in a cat-like way, this could indicate abdomen or back problems. ‘Stretching is typically a way of decreasing pressure in the stomach or intestines,’ Gil explains. ‘So if you see this in your horse, it may be because he has ulcers or low-grade, grumbling enteritis.
Why does my horses leg click?
Equine joints can snap and click even when there is nothing wrong with the horse. These sounds are more common in older horses (and older people too). … More of a “popping sound” could indicate that the horse’s limbs or hooves are contacting (mostly forging) at the walk.
What is horse sliding called?
A competitor performing the sliding stop, one of the signature moves of a reining horse | |
Highest governing body | International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) |
First played | United States |
Characteristics | |
---|---|
Contact | no |
What is a horse weakness?
Weakness can be caused by a lack of proper training, conformational problems, a lack of muscle development, or joint and bone problems. If you notice your horse is weak in the hind end, you need to have him checked by the veterinarian to determine if a medical problem is the cause.
Is a horse stronger than a lion?
Horses are pretty strong, and the largest draft horses, which weigh about 2,000–3,000 lbs, are significantly bigger and stronger than a lion, which is about 600 lbs tops. That could easily trample a lion to death.
Is horse or cow stronger?
Horses are probably stronger per pound. They certainly can produce more acceleration which takes strength. Cows are often larger than horses so in that case they are stronger per individual.
What is the Horn called on a saddle?
pommel Add to list Share. A pommel is the rounded knob on a horse’s saddle that a rider grips with one hand. The raised front of the saddle itself can also be called a pommel. Some saddles, particularly the modern western type, have a metal grip at the front, known either as a horn or a pommel.
What is a Latigo?
Definition of latigo
chiefly Western US. : a long strap on a saddletree of a western saddle to adjust the cinch.
What is the foot part of a saddle called?
Stirrup: part of the saddle in which the rider’s feet are placed; provides support and leverage to the rider. Leathers and flaps (English), or fenders (Western): The leather straps connecting the stirrups to the saddle tree and leather flaps giving support to the rider’s leg and protecting the rider from sweat.
The navicular bone is a small flattened bone, which lies across the back of the coffin joint. It attaches to the pedal bone via a short strong ligament (the impar ligament) and to the pastern joint by ‘suspensory’ ligaments.
What is foundered horse?
Founder (laminitis) in horses is a serious condition of the foot caused by the pedal bone rotating and pointing towards the horse’s sole. It is also one of the most common reasons for disability and lameness in ponies and horses.
What are the first signs of laminitis?
- A strong/bounding digital pulse. …
- A hoof that’s hot for hours. …
- A distorted hoof shape and/or unusual rings. …
- An increased heart rate. …
- Too little—or too much—foot lifting. …
- Apparent stretched and/or bleeding laminae. …
- A shortened stride. …
- Increased insulin levels.
What does metformin do for horses?
Conclusions: Metformin resulted in reduced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses both in healthy horses and in horses with experimentally induced IR. Potential relevance: Metformin may benefit horses with naturally acquired IR by reducing glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to dietary nonstructural carbohydrates.
What does EMS stand for in horses?
Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a hormonal disorder quite similar to Type 2 diabetes in humans. Any horse or pony is at risk, although it is seen much more often in overweight animals, as obesity is the main known risk factor for EMS1.
Can you reverse insulin resistance in horses?
Unfortunately, an EMS horse can never be fully cured, but the disorder can be managed through proper nutrition and exercise. “The key is to recognize the risk, mitigate the risk and prevent them from developing laminitis,” Dr. Frank says.
Can you still ride a horse with Cushing’s disease?
You should first consult with your veterinarian before beginning an exercise or riding program. However, generally speaking, horses with Cushing’s can be ridden like any other horse, particularly if the Cushing’s syndrome is well controlled with medication.
How does Cushing’s affect horses feet?
All of that cortisol and circulating blood sugar also has a deleterious effect on the lamina in the feet, which predisposes the horse to laminitis. The cortisol causes abnormal fat deposition and escess hair growth all over the body.
How do horses get Cushings?
Equine Cushing’s disease occurs when a tumor called a pituitary adenoma develops in the pituitary gland. As this tumor slowly grows, it sends inappropriate signals to the rest of the body to secrete excessive hormones — primarily a stress hormone called cortisol.
What causes Ergots on horses?
Ergot poisoning- The most frequent culprit that causes ergot alkaloid toxicity is the fungi in the Claviceps family. It is most often found in the form of Claviceps purpura (rye ergot fungus), which is parasitic to several types of grass and cereal, most notably rye grass.
What are the things on horses legs?
Chestnuts are located on horses’ legs.
The chestnuts typically appear on your horse’s front legs just above the knee and just below the hock on its rear legs. They can seem quite large or be small, but most are scratchy, flat, and devoid of hair.
What are the scabs on horses legs?
The bacteria can live in the soil for years and anytime your horse has a small defect in its skin it can penetrate it, multiply and set up an infection. What will I see? Mud rash is usually seen on the lower leg and your horse will have scabs and crusty exudates.