Home › Contents › Terms Used by Horsemen

Terms Used by Horsemen

The left side is called the "near side," the right the "off." Four inches make "a hand." The upper part of the horse's neck is called his "crest;" the bony ridge in front of the saddle the "withers," the part between the saddle and the tail the "croup;" the bony points, one on each side the bosom, the "shoulder points;" and the line between these and the back of the withers, corresponding with the shoulder blade, is the "line of the shoulder." The body between the hip and shoulder line is called the "middle piece." In the fore legs, the two divisions are called the "arm" and "cannon;" above which is the "elbow-joint," and between them the "knee-joint." In the hind leg, the two parts are called the "thigh" and "cannon;" and the joints are the "stifle" and "hock." Below these, in both the hind and fore legs, are the upper and lower "pasterns," then the "coronet," or ring between the leg and foot, and lastly, "the hoof."