Horse Anatomy
A Visual Guide to Understanding Horse Anatomy
Horse Body Systems Overlay
Drag the slider to see horse muscular, skeletal, & digestive systems.

A Horse's Skeleton
The horse's skeleton gives the body it's form and provides the structure and support for the muscles that allow the horse to move. The skeleton also provides protection for the horse's internal organs.
Compare Anatomy
Horse & Human Bone Structures
Human
Fingers/Toes
Fingers/Toes
Fingers/Toes
Metatarsal Bones
Ankle
Horse
Pedal/Coffin Bone
Short Pastern Bone
Long Pastern bone
Hind Cannon Bone
Hock
Tibia & Fibula
Femur
Patella (knee cap)
pelvis
Metacarpal Bones
Wrist
Front Cannon Bone
Knee
Radius & Ulna
Humerus
Scapula
Ribcage
Spine
Skull
Human Skeleton
Horse Skeleton
Learning Activity Downloads
Crafts, Games, & Coloring Pages That Teach about Horses & Horsemanship
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Compare Horse & Human Limbs & Digits
Compare the Bone structures on a horse and human front and hind limbs.


Equine Evolution
Notice how horses have evolved to walk on one toe.
H. Zell (User:Llez), CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A Horse’s Digestive System
A horse’s gut is designed to digest small amounts of food frequently. Horses cannot vomit, and will colic. “Colic” is a general term meaning abdominal pain.

Horse Digestion
A Horse's Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract
Did you know it takes up to two to three days for food to completely pass through a horse's digestive tract?
The GI Tract of a Horse
Consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, cecum, large colon, small colon, and rectum.

Mouth
Digestion begins in the mouth. The horse's teeth chew the food and they produce saliva which starts digestion.
Esophagus
The horse's esophagus transports food from his mouth to his stomach.
Horses cannot throw up, and their stomachs are very small compared to their large bodies. If a horse eats too much feed at once, he can colic or even rupture his stomach.
Cecum
Roughage is fermented (digested) by microbes In the cecum. Horses have a very large cecum because they eat high fiber diets. The horse's cecum is about 4 times as big as his stomach.
Stomach
The stomach secretes a strong acid that begins digestion and also kills bacteria. Some stomach cells secrete a protective mucous to keep the stomach acid from harming the cells lining the stomach. Food material does not stay in the horse's stomach very long because the stomach is so small (it is only about 2 gallons in a 1,000-pound horse).
Large Intestines
Some fermentation occurs by microbes that live in the first part of the large intestine. As material passes through the rest of the large intestine, water is absorbed back into the horse's body.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is where most digestion occurs due to the enzymes the horse secretes. These enzymes can digest (break down) starches, proteins, and fats.
The small intestine is where almost all of the nutrients are absorbed into the horse's bloodstream. Any nutrients that are not absorbed into the bloodstream are lost in the manure.
Rectum
Undigested food is expelled through the rectum.
A Horse’s Muscular System
Muscular System in Horses


Horses Inside Out & Muscle Systems
Gillian Higgins of Horses Inside Out shares in depth knowledge about horse muscular systems and anatomy. Check her out!
Horse Drawing Activities
Draw a Horse's Face
Go to the Drawing App or Download a PDF
Draw a Horse's Head
Go to the Drawing App or Download a PDF
Draw a Jumping Horse
Go to the Drawing App or Download a PDF