Horses from Scratch - The Points of the Horse

Name: Horses from Scratch - The Points of the Horse
Rating: 4.8 (6 reviews)

Learn about the anatomy of the horse's head, neck, shoulders and ribs.

Created byAshleigh Sanderson, Jodi Townley

Last updated 9/2025

English

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What you'll learn

Understand why we need to know the basics of horse anatomy
Be able to locate and discuss an area with their vet, instructor or fellow rider
Have a clear understanding of what each part of the horse is and why that part is relevant to riders
Use this information for tests with local clubs and societies, e.g., The Pony Club

Course content

1 section • 7 lectures • 1h 43m total length

Why do we need to know the Points of the Horse?9:55
Horses and humans share a lot more anatomy than you may first think, but some are equine specific.
Each part of the horse is given a name, or point. These points remain the same, no matter the size or type of horse. The conformation, or shape of the horse doesn’t impact the names of the points, although learning the points is the first step in beginning to understand differences in conformation and developing an eye for a good or bad point.
If you ever have to discuss an issue with your vet, farrier, instructor etc, you will find it much easier if you know the correct terms for each part.
During this free mini course, we'll be looking at the points of the horse's head, neck and body.
The Horse's Head - poll, ears and eyes.21:38
The horse's jaw and lips.14:01
The horse's whiskers, bars and throat.10:00
Practical looking at the horse's head.6:21
The horse's neck and shoulders.23:36
The horse's barrel and ribs.18:14

Requirements

No experience is necessary - we start from the beginning
Perfect for riders or for the parents or significant others of riders!

Description

An introduction to the points of the horse. All sports, hobbies and activities have their own language, and the equine industry is no exception. Here we are looking at the correct terms for the horse's body parts, some simple (like why are horse ears placed where they are, and how does a horse communicate with them) through to more technical names, such as poll, withers, depth of girth and croup high.

Through 7 videos and 3 PDF documents, we begin at the top of the head, and work through the neck, shoulders and into the body. Each point is seen first on a photograph of a horse and then on a picture of a skeleton. This helps you to recognise the point visibly, and then understand the structures below. Once you understand what is going on beneath the surface, you can use your hands to feel for bony landmarks, which is vital for understanding while the horse is sound and well, and ever more crucial if you suspect that something is wrong.

By adding some information about why each point is important, or what it's used for, learning becomes easier as facts are anchored in. This is the foundation for later work on conformation, biomechanics, movement and balance.

Who this course is for:

This is to help people starting out on their journey to become riders. Coaches at riding schools are often pushed for time and run through the basics, but will mention words that are unknown, such as wither or crest. Having some theory knowledge before starting lessons, helps to speed up the practical learning process.