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Topic:Anatomy
Anatomy in horses encompasses the study of the structural organization of the equine body, including the bones, muscles, organs, and systems that function together to sustain life and enable movement. Understanding equine anatomy is important for veterinarians, equine scientists, and horse owners, as it provides insights into how horses move, how they respond to external stimuli, and how various conditions can affect their health and performance. Key anatomical features in horses include the musculoskeletal system, which provides support and locomotion; the cardiovascular system, which circulates blood and nutrients; and the respiratory system, which facilitates gas exchange. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the detailed anatomy of horses, focusing on the structure and function of different body systems, their interrelationships, and their relevance to equine health, performance, and veterinary care.
Mobility of the early equine conceptus. Movement of the conceptus within the uterine lumen of barren mares was studied by daily ultrasound examinations on days 11-20 and by rectal palpation on days 15-48 (Experiment 1) and by ultrasound examinations 3 or 4 times per day at 2-4 hour intervals on days 11-16 (Experiment 2). In addition, broodfarm records were analyzed to compare side of ovulation with side of embryo attachment (Experiment 3). The vesicle was found in opposite uterine horns for 43% of the successive, daily, ultrasound examinations on days 11 and 12, 12 and 13, 13 and 14, and 14 and 15; 24% of the successive examinations...
Fixation and orientation of the early equine conceptus. Fixation and orientation of the conceptus within the uterine lumen of 40 barren mares were examined by ultrasound daily on days 11-21 and at three-day intervals thereafter until day 48. The growth curve of the in situ conceptus had a distinct plateau between days 17-24, as determined by measurements of the width and area of conceptuses on the ultrasound images. The vesicle expanded at an average daily rate of 3-4 mm before the plateau and 2-3 mm after the plateau. Dramatic changes occurred in the shape of conceptus. The predominant shapes were approximately as follows: days 11-16, spherical; d...
The equine spleen: an electron microscopic analysis. The capacity of the equine spleen to store and rapidly release as much as half the circulating blood volume after adrenergic stimulation depends upon the size of the spleen, its muscular capsule, and the distinctive structure of its red pulp. The unit, or lobule, of red pulp is a cylinder of pulp spaces organized in a reticular meshwork, supplied by a peripheral ring of arterial capillaries, and drained by a central venule. Reticular cells, which make up the meshwork of the pulp, contain an extraordinarily large complement of microfilaments and intermediate filaments and are richly innervated ...
Structural and functional organization of the suprapatella in two cercopithecines. Gross and microscopic study of Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus and Papio cyanocephalus anubis shows that these cercopithecines have a quadriceps tendon the distal portion of which consists mostly of dense collagenous bundles with scattered fine elastic fibres most of which lie in the loose connective tissue planes within and around the tendon and around blood vessels. A distinct fibrovesicular structure, the suprapatella, lies within the tendon of the vastus intermedius above the pony patella. Histologically, this structure is characterised by interwoven bundles of collagenous fibres, among...
Fibroblastic tumor of the premaxilla in two horses. In 2 horses with rapidly growing, locally destructive tumors of the premaxilla, there was major disruption and displacement of some incisor teeth, with radiographic evidence of disruption of the premaxilla at the base of the tumors. In horse 1, most of the tumor was removed by incising it at its base, and the tumor bed was treated cryosurgically with 3 freeze-thaw cycles, using liquid nitrogen. The area healed by 2nd intention. The tumor was found to be a benign fibroblastic tumor, possibly a fibroma. After 4 years, there has been no recurrence. Horse 2 was euthanatized on the basis of a tenta...
Kinematics of the equine thoracolumbar spine. At least three types of movement take place in the joint complexes of the equine thoracolumbar spine: dorsoventral flexion and extension, axial rotation and lateral bending. Using the standard right-handed Cartesian coordinate system, these movements may be defined as rotation about the x, y and z axes respectively. Except in cases of intervertebral fusion, all three types of movement occur in each joint complex of the equine back. The greatest amount of dorsoventral movement takes place at the lumbosacral and the first thoracic intervertebral joints. The greatest amount of axial rotation and ...
Microangiographic studies of metaphyseal vessels in young foals. Selective perfusion and microangiographic examination of the radius and metacarpus of 30 foals were performed. Vessels of extraosseous origin supplying the peripheral part of the metaphysis were not demonstrated in young foals, but became more obvious in older animals. The development of this vessel system coincided with the reduction of transphyseal vessels from the epiphysis crossing the growth plate.
Navicular disease in the horse. A microangiographic investigation. Microangiographical investigations of the navicular bone in horses with navicular disease show, compared to similar investigations of normal navicular bones, that, in general, the vascular pattern is preserved but the vessels are dilated with "pooling" of the contrast medium subchondrally under facies flexoria. Similar changes may be observed in cases of human arthrosis. The present investigation therefore supports the view that navicular disease is a disease which resembles arthrosis.
Diaphyseal angular deformities in three foals. Angular limb deformities in 3 foals were found to originate in the diaphyseal region of the 3rd metacarpal (2) and metatarsal (1) bones. In each case, treatment consisted of wedge ostectomy followed by compression plating. Two foals survived for useful performance; the 3rd was euthanatized because of ischemia of the operated limb. The condition appeared to resemble a similar syndrome in man involving tibial curvature.
Equine esophageal pressure profile. Esophageal motility was studied in 5 healthy adult horses, using a 4 side-hole catheter assembly continuously perfused with distilled water. Resting pressure and maximal pressures generated during swallowing were measured over the whole length of the esophagus (mean +/- S means = 132.7 +/- 2.31 cm). Four functionally distinct regions of the esophagus were demonstrated: cranial esophageal sphincter, caudal esophageal sphincter, and "fast" and "slow" regions in the body of the esophagus. The resting pressure of the cranial and caudal esophageal sphincters were 171.1 +/- 20.45 (x +/- S means) and...
[A pony with “false” colic]. Report on the case of a pony with colic submitted a to the department of internal medicine. However, the animal was found to be affected with dilatation of the oesophagus which had given rise to acute pleurisy resulting from rupture of the wall of the oesophagus. The diagnosis was established after death.
Geometric properties of equine metacarpi. Paired equine metacarpals were harvested, cleaned and sectioned transversely every 20 mm, and the bone geometry analyzed with a computer program. The cross-sectional area is largest in the middle third of the bone, and tapers off at either end. The principal axes are typically within 15 degrees of the anatomical axis, with the distal end rotated internally relative to the proximal end. At midshafts the bending stiffness in the antero-posterior plane is about 2/3 of the stiffness in the medio-lateral plane. The torsional stiffness is highest proximally. The equine third metacarpal appears to be...
Electron microscopic study of the veins of the dermal lamellae of the equine hoof wall. The venous organisation of the dermal lamellae of the equine hoof wall of 18 pairs of forelimb hooves from clinically healthy horses was studied using plastic vascular corrosion casts, and scanning electron microscopic and histological techniques. A consistent pattern of venous organisation was observed in the dermal lamella of the toe, quarter and heel regions. The lamellar corium had an extensive interconnecting capillary network which drained into axially located veins of the primary dermal lamella. Many of the capillaries had a proximodistal orientation and most of those located at the int...
