All riders and horse owners should be familiar with their horse's anatomy. They should know the proper names and where each part is located. Not only is this helpful when evaluating a horse, but it's essential when communicating with your vet and trainer.

Your Horse's Anatomy

From to head to hoof, your horse has various parts that you should be familiar with. It's important you take the time to memorize them. Use this drawing as a guide! Once you feel confident, ask a friend to test your knowledge on a real life horse. They can point to the various parts and you should be able to name them.

anatomy cowgirl magazine
Photo by: Something 2 Offer

You'll want to know your horse's anatomy so that you can better communicate with other professionals in the industry. This is especially helpful if your horse experiences an injury. When speaking to the vet, you'll want to tell them the exact part of the body that was hurt. For example- instead of simply saying my horse's leg was injured, you can specify that they have a wound on their stifle. The vet will have a better idea of what to expect.

With practice, it's actually easy to memorize the parts. You and a barn friend can learn them together!