The rear end of a horse is called its croup. It sits at the top of the horse’s back behind the point of the shoulder or withers. The hip points stick up from the croup and are important leverage points for different bits, and they help the horse move its hind legs. Horses have been human companions and workers for thousands of years. Today, we use them for riding and sport such as racing and showing. We can also find them in sanctuaries and rescue shelters. Horses can be very useful to people with disabilities, and they are a wonderful source of entrainment from the exhilaration of speed to the elegance of dressage.
A horse’s neck is the area around its muzzle, nostrils, chin, and lips. It is very flexible and mobile, and it can help a horse sense things that are close to it, as well as communicate its emotions and intentions through facial expressions. The poll is the center of the top of the head, which includes the skull and cervical bones of the neck. It is a key lever in the horse’s bit, and it allows a rider to control the horse’s movements with the reins. The crest is the arch that forms the top of the neck, and it is where the mane grows out of.
The back is the portion of a horse’s body that extends from the withers down to the loin. The horse’s neck and spine are attached to the back, so it is important for the horse to have a strong, healthy back. A long back can indicate a weaker horse, and a dropped or swayback back could be a sign of aging.
In just one day, a horse can lose a cup of blood to mosquitoes. The horse’s tail helps it fend off these insects, and every large mammal, including elephants and zebras, has a tail that swats away mosquitoes.
The hind legs are the part of the horse that is most similar to a human’s leg, with the stifle joint being at the point closest to the ground and the hock being a little further up, near the back of the gaskin. A hind hock injury is a common problem, and the gaskin is often injured as a result. This is an area that is regularly radiographed to assess lameness and is a vital component in proper biomechanics. Understanding these and other equine body parts is important when discussing your horse’s condition with a veterinarian. Also, knowing where these body parts are can be helpful when shopping for tack or other horse outerwear to ensure a correct fit. It is also important for a horse owner to understand the terminology used when describing a horse’s condition or behavior over the phone to a veterinarian. Knowing what is the rear end of a horse called can save time and money when making tack purchases.