Horse Head Anatomy Quiz

Horse Anatomy

Body Regions

• The point of croup is the highest point of the croup, formed by the sacral tuber.
• The dock or root tail is the point at which the tail begins.
• The buttocks are the masses of muscle lying on each side of the anus, extending downwards to the level of the stifle joint.
• The point of buttocks is the highest point of the buttocks, formed by the sciatic tuber.

Chest and Breasts

• The breast or brisket is the area directly between the forelegs at the front of the abdomen, below the neck, formed by masses of muscles.
• The chest is the muscled area at the front of the horse, below the neck attachment, down to the legs.
• The width, depth, and muscling of the chest influence how well the horse can move.

Trunk and Tail

• The trunk refers to the area between the elbow and the flank.
• The ribs consist of 18 ribs.
• The abdomen or belly is the broad area underneath the horse between the elbow and the flank.
• The groins refer to the inner aspect of the thigh.

Forelimbs

• The shoulder region is the region of the scapula.
• The point of the shoulder is formed by the upper extremity of the humerus.
• The arm consists of massive muscles lying over the humerus.
• The elbow joint is a compound joint between the humerus, radius, and ulna.
• The point of elbow is the olecranon of the ulna.
• The forearm is the area between the elbow and the knee, formed from the radius and ulna.
• The axilla is the region inside the elbow.

Forelimbs (continued)

• The knee joint (carpus) is a complex joint formed by the radius, carpal, and metacarpal bones.
• The back tendons are in the forelimbs.
• The fore cannon is formed from the shank of the metacarpal bone.
• The fetlock and fetlock joint are the joint between the distal end of the large metacarpal bone and the first phalanxes with proximal sesamoids.
• The pastern region is the area above the coronet band and below the fetlock joint.
• The pastern joint is the joint between the 1st and 2nd phalanxes.
• The coffin joint is the joint between the 2nd and 3rd phalanxes with distal sesamoids.
• The coronet is the area at the bottom of the pastern where hair stops and hoof growth begins.

Hindlimbs

• The hip joint is the joint of the pelvis.
• The point of the hip is lying just forward and below the croup, formed by the external angle of the ileum (tuber coxae).

Head and Neck

• The ears are located on the top of the horse's head.
• The poll is the region between the two ears.
• The forelock is a tuft of hair that hangs between the ears.
• The fore head is the front part of the head.
• The nasal bridge and zygomatic ridge or facial crest are facial features.
• The supra orbital fossa is a depression above the eye.
• The cheeks are distinct rounded bones on the sides of the horse's jaw.
• The parotid region is a place just behind the angle of the lower jaw containing the salivary gland.
• The jowl is the space between the branches of the lower jaw, just in front of the throat.

Eyes and Muzzle

• Each eye consists of an eyeball placed in the eye socket.
• The upper eye lid, lower eye lid, and third eye lid (nictitina) are parts of the eye.
• Eye lashes are also present.
• The muzzle is the region of the upper lip and nostrils (true and false).

Neck and Back

• The neck is the muscled area from the poll to the withers, attaching the head to the body.
• The crest is the upper part of the neck, where the mane grows.
• The mane is on the side of the neck.
• The jugular groove has two grooves running down the sides of the neck, above the windpipe.

Back Line

• The withers are the highest part of the trunk, where the height of the animal can be measured.
• The back (saddle region) is the area from behind the withers to the head of the last rib.
• The loins or lumbar region is the region of the lumbar vertebrae, extended from the head of the last rib to the external angle of the ileum.
• The croup is the region of the sacrum, extending from the highest part of the hip to the tail.