Structures made of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments
Skeletal anatomy of a horse
The limbs of the horse are structures made of dozens of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the weight of the equine body. They include two apparatuses: the suspensory apparatus, which carries much of the weight, prevents overextension of the joint and absorbs shock, and the stay apparatus, which locks major joints in the limbs, allowing horses to remain standing while relaxed or asleep. The limbs play a major part in the movement of the horse, with the legs performing the functions of absorbing impact, bearing weight, and providing thrust. In general, the majority of the weight is borne by the front legs, while the rear legs provide propulsion. The hooves are also important structures, providing support, traction and shock absorption, and containing structures that provide blood flow through the lower leg. As the horse developed as a cursorial animal, with a primary defense mechanism of running over hard ground, its legs evolved to the long, sturdy, light-weight, one-toed form seen today.
Good conformation in the limbs leads to improved movement and decreased likelihood of injuries. Large differences in bone structure and size can be found in horses used for different activities, but correct conformation remains relatively similar across the spectrum. Structural defects, as well as other problems such as injuries and infections, can cause lameness, or movement at an abnormal gait. Injuries to and problems with horse legs can be relatively minor, such as stocking up, which causes swelling without lameness, or quite serious. Even leg injuries that are not immediately fatal may still be life-threatening to horses, as their bodies are adapted to bear weight on all four legs and serious problems can result if this is not possible.
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result in the death ofthehorse. The hoof ofthehorse encases part ofthe second and all ofthe third phalanx ofthe lower limbs, analogous to the fingertip...
normal horses and those with wings or additional limbs, and multiple myths also call upon thehorse to draw the chariots ofthe Moon and Sun. Thehorse also...
supports soft parts ofthe body. Horses typically have 205 bones. The pelvic limb typically contains 19 bones, while the thoracic limb contains 20 bones...
The Tennessee Walking Horse or Tennessee Walker is a breed of gaited horse known for its unique four-beat running-walk and flashy movement. It was originally...
fashion in the extended limb. In the dog and horse, the bones ofthe proximal limbs are oriented vertically, whereas the distal limb structures ofthe ankle...
the use of chemicals, pressure or devices to cause pain to the front feet and legs ofhorses when they touch the ground. This results in thehorses picking...
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mares. Normal blood circulation in the lower limbsof a horse depends in part on thehorse moving about. Lack of sufficient movement, alone or in combination...
The Shire is a British breed of draught horse. It is usually black, bay, or grey. It is a tall breed, and Shires have at various times held world records...
brachiocephalicus. Supports the back, helps to pull the body ofthehorse forward when a limb is extended and placed on the ground, also helps to flex the scapulohumeral...
significant importance for horses in Germanic paganism, with them being venerated in a continuous tradition among the Germanic peoples from the Nordic Bronze Age...
tail. Limbs are short and strong, with feathering—long hair on the lower legs. A Friesian horse also has a long, thick mane and tail, often wavy. The breed...
Horse-flies and deer flies are true flies in the family Tabanidae in the insect order Diptera. The adults are often large and agile in flight. Only female...
through the lifting ofthelimbs. He also indicated a light source to attenuate the tints, and thus give thehorses a volumetric effect. Thehorses represented...
neuromuscular disorder ofhorses. It is characterized by muscle tremors, difficulty holding up the hind limbs, and an unusual gait when thehorse is asked to move...
Alexander the Great did not exist, and he had an infinite number oflimbs. The argument is proof by induction. First, we establish a base case for one horse (...
competition. It is one ofthe most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise – to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course...
is the act of completely disconnecting and or removing thelimbs from a living or dead being. It has been practiced upon human beings as a form of capital...
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The upper limbs or upper extremities are the forelimbs of an upright-postured tetrapod vertebrate, extending from the scapulae and clavicles down to and...
than the usual number oflimbs. It is a type of dysmelia. In humans and most land-dwelling vertebrates, this means having five or more limbs. The extra...
efficiency to drive thelimb forward. This makes it hard to engage the hindquarters. The rear limbs may not track up and thehorse may have a reduced rear...
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