Equine Studies: Anatomy, Physiology, and Health

• The average gestation length of a horse is 11 months.
• The gallop has 4 beats.
• Calcium is a macro-mineral required by horses.
• "TPR" stands for Temperature, Pulse, Respiration in horse care.
• Leopard is a distinct paint coat pattern.
• When referring to horse colors, "points" are the mane, tail, lower leg, and ear rims.
• The Coggins test determines if a horse has Equine Infectious Anemia.
• Warts are bump-like structures caused by papilloma viruses.
• A horse with an oviduct is a mare.
• A tapadera is another name for a stirrup cover.
• A horse with a short, steep croup might be described as goose rumped.
• The buttock is not a recommended site for intramuscular injection.
• A male donkey and a mare produce a hinny.
• A pony must be less than 58 inches at the withers.
• The small intestine is not part of the hindgut.
• Amino acids are not considered a source of energy.
• Vitamin A is needed for vision.
• Strangles has a vaccine.
• Adolescent is not part of the parasite’s life cycle.
• Ascarids is another name for Roundworms.
• Cranial means "toward the head."
• A pigeon-toed horse will most likely paddle.
• Cryptorchidism is when a horse has retained one or both testicles.
• Flehmen response is the sharp curling of the upper lip, often observed in stallions.
• Gums are an ideal place to check a horse’s mucous membranes.

Matching Questions

• Protein is made of building blocks called amino acids.
• Vitamins are classified as either fat-soluble or water-soluble.
• Lack of water can cause dehydration, impaction colic, and other health issues.
• Energy consists mostly of carbohydrates and lipids.
• Minerals include seven macro and seven micro minerals.
• Horses have 32 chromosome pairs.
• The normal resting temperature is 100 degrees F.
• The normal resting heart rate is 40 beats per minute.
• The normal resting respiration rate is 12 per minute.
• An adult mare has 36 teeth.
• The Percheron breed originated in France.
• The Missouri Fox Trotter originated in the Ozarks.
• The Appaloosa originated in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
• The Morgan originated in the New England States of the United States.
• The Clydesdale originated in Southern Scotland.
• Ink spots are small dark-colored spots seen on the white areas of some paint/pinto horses.
• Flea-bitten refers to small flecks of color over the base color, usually brown or red.
• A dorsal stripe is a stripe of color down the center of the animal’s back.
• Dapples are circular or ring-shaped patterns in a horse's coat.
• A blood mark is a dark-colored splotch on the basic coat color, generally red or brown and seen on a lighter base coat color.
• The small intestine is where the majority of digestion and absorption of protein, vitamins, minerals, and energy occurs
• The large intestine contains the cecum, large colon, small colon, and rectum.
• The esophagus is approximately 4-5 feet long and prevents burping and vomiting.
• The mouth is the location of mastication and salivation.
• The stomach secretes acids and enzymes that break down food.

Explore equine anatomy, physiology, and healthcare. Topics covered include gestation length, gaits, TPR, coat patterns, and common health tests. Learn about equine reproduction, conformation, and nutrition.