The Anatomy of a Horse

The Anatomy of a Horse (written for children) Horse's feet have a hoof, the hard part which he can pound, back of this is his frog, bottom part that stays off the ground. Between his hoof and his leg is a coronet, not like a crown it blends into the pastern the start of his leg, now don’t frown. Next is his fetlock, sort of an ankle, not a real lock. Horse's rear ankle turns backwards and that it is called his hock. His fetlock has a callous called an ergot, can you see? Then comes his harmless cannon, just below his hock or knee. On the front leg, it's a knee between forearm and cannon His hind leg has a hock which joins gaskin to his cannon. His elbow in the front and his stifle in the back, no fibs, connect his upper legs to his barrel which is our horse's ribs. Topside of the barrel, where a rider sits, twixt tail and head, highest part of horse's rump is called a croup instead. The dock is the soft part from which grows his tail, what the heck; above his high shoulders are withers, right beneath his neck. Behind his ears is a part called his poll, close to his brain? From his poll, hair makes a forelock, back down his neck, a mane. We’ve finally reached his head and the last part, called his muzzle, his jaw, his nose and mouth. A horse can be quite a puzzle. written October 28, 2016 for Shadow's contest, Horses