Horse conformation

The points of the horse

Click a point to open that body part.

Head and neck

The points from ear to crest: where you read the horse and where the bridle and bit act.

• 1Ear

  The mobile ear on top of the head that catches sound and shows the horse s mood.

• 2Forelock

  The lock of mane that falls between the ears over the forehead.

• 3Poll

  The highest point of the neck just behind the ears, where the head hinges on the neck.

• 4Throatlatch

  The fold where the head meets the neck, on the underside behind the jaw.

• 5Bridge of the nose

  The straight bony line of the nose between the eyes and the nostrils.

• 6Nostril

  The wide, flexible nasal opening through which the horse breathes.

• 7Muzzle

  The soft end of the head with the nostrils and the touch-sensitive lips.

• 8Jaw

  The rounded lower edge of the jaw, where head and neck meet.

• 9Neck

  The neck that carries the head and helps the horse balance and steer.

• 10Crest

  The upper line of the neck along which the mane grows.

Body

From withers to dock: the body carries the rider and sets the horse s line and balance.

• 11Withers

  The ridge where the neck meets the back; height is measured here.

• 12Back

  The section between withers and loin where the saddle and rider rest.

• 13Loin

  The short, strong part of the back behind the saddle, before the croup.

• 14Croup

  The curve of the pelvis between the loin and the dock.

• 15Dock

  The muscular base of the tail where it attaches to the body.

• 16Shoulder

  The sloping bony plate between withers and foreleg that moves the forehand.

• 17Chest

  The front of the trunk between the two forelegs.

• 18Elbow

  The joint where the foreleg hinges against the trunk, just behind the chest.

• 19Barrel

  The middle of the body, formed by the rib cage, between fore and hindquarters.

• 20Flank

  The soft area between the last rib and the hip, ahead of the hind legs.

• 21Belly

  The underline of the trunk that encloses the abdominal organs.

Legs and hoof

From forearm to hoof: the legs carry the weight and absorb every stride.

• 22Forearm

  The muscular part of the foreleg between elbow and knee.

• 23Knee

  The joint in the middle of the foreleg; anatomically it matches our wrist (carpus).

• 24Cannon

  The straight bone between knee (or hock) and fetlock, with the tendons behind it.

• 25Fetlock

  The hinge joint below the cannon, with a small tuft of hair behind it (the fetlock tuft).

• 26Pastern

  The sloping segment between fetlock and hoof that works like a spring.

• 27Coronet

  The soft rim where the hairy skin turns into the hard hoof.

• 28Hoof

  The hard horn capsule at the end of each leg on which the horse stands.

• 29Thigh

  The upper, muscular part of the hind leg, below the croup.

• 30Stifle

  The large joint high on the hind leg, near the flank; it matches our knee.

• 31Gaskin

  The muscular part of the hind leg between stifle and hock.

• 32Hock

  The large, angular joint in the middle of the hind leg; it matches our ankle.