-
Dermal (Equine Anatomy Term)
Dermal means relating to or of the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the epidermis (outer surface layer). In general equine anatomy, the term describes any tissue, structure, or condition associated with the skin or dermis. The skin is the horse’s largest organ, functioning as a barrier against infection, a thermoregulatory surface, and a sensory…
-
Heilongkiang
The Heilongkiang is a sturdy Chinese draft breed developed through crossbreeding programs in Heilongjiang Province, combining cold-climate endurance with improved work capacity.
-
Buck
Buck is the movement in which a horse drops its head toward the ground, rounds and arches its back, and kicks out with both hindlegs simultaneously or in rapid succession, projecting the hindquarters upward. The action is a natural equine behavior, horses in open pasture buck during play, at the start of a fast canter,…
-
Defecation in Horses
Defecation is the expulsion of fecal matter from the body through the rectum and anus, completing the process of digestion. In horses, the frequency, consistency, and appearance of fecal output are primary indicators of digestive health. A healthy adult horse typically defecates eight to twelve times per day, producing well-formed fecal balls that are moist…
-
Deep (Horse Anatomy Term)
In equine anatomy, deep describes the position of a structure located below the surface of the body or further from the skin than another structure being used as a reference point. A muscle, tendon, or bone described as deep lies beneath a more superficial (surface-closer) layer. The term is always relational: a structure is deep…
-
Astringent
Astringent describes any substance that causes living tissue to contract by precipitating surface proteins. In equine medicine, the clinically relevant astringents are tannic acid, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, and alum. Each acts by cross-linking proteins in the superficial layers of skin or mucous membrane, reducing local blood flow and secretion and producing a drying, tightening…
-
Brawn
Brawn refers to well-developed, functional muscle mass, the physical power produced by the muscular system rather than skeletal size alone. In horses, brawn is most valued and most visible in the hindquarters, the gaskin (lower thigh), the forearm, and the shoulder, where the largest locomotor muscles originate and insert. A horse described as brawny is…