Galop 1Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Respecting the horseKnowledge
- 03Club, licence and FFEKnowledge
- 04SafetyKnowledge
- 05Understanding the horseKnowledge
- 06Approaching your ponyCaring for the horse
- 07Headcollar and knotCaring for the horse
- 08Brushing your ponyCaring for the horse
- 09Leading in handOn foot
- 10Parts of the horseKnowledge
- 11Basic coat coloursKnowledge
- 12The three gaitsKnowledge
- 13Mounting and dismountingIn the saddle
- 14The reins and the aidsIn the saddle
- 15Walk, rising trot, canterIn the saddle
- 16Saddle, bridle, tack roomCaring for the horse
- 17VocabularyKnowledge
- 18Revision and examRevision
The main parts of the horse
“Pat his neck”, “the girth goes just behind the forelegs”: to follow instructions, you need to know the names of the parts of the horse. On exam day, you will be asked to name them and point to them.
In the exam programme
- Name and point to the main external parts of the horse.Common module B
The horse is described in three main parts. Once you are in the saddle, they are easy to remember: the forehand is in front of you, the body underneath you, the hindquarters behind you.
- Mane
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Withers
- Back
- Loins
- Croup
- Thigh
- Buttock
- Tail
- Hock
- Flank
- Belly
- Hoof
- Knee
- Chest
- Mouth
- Nostril
- Head
- Eye
- Forelock
- Ear
| Part | What you find there |
|---|---|
| The forehand | The head, with the nostrils; the neck, topped by the mane; the shoulder; the chest, between the two shoulders; the forelegs. |
| The body | The withers, the highest point of the back, at the base of the neck; the back, where the saddle sits; the loins, which carry it on towards the rear; the ribs; the belly; and, behind the ribs, the flank, which hollows and fills as the horse breathes. |
| The hindquarters | The hips; the croup; the tail; the hind legs. |
Each leg ends in a hoof, the thick box of horn the horse walks on. In Galop 2, you will look at the legs in detail: knee, hock, cannon, fetlock, pastern, coronet.
Tip
Revise by touch: on the left side and working from front to back, lay your hand on each part of your pony and name it under your breath. For the hind legs, point to them rather than crouching down beside them.
Common mistake
The right words
Riders say forehand and hindquarters, never “front end” and “back end”. And don’t confuse the hip, the bony point on the side, with the croup, the rounded top that slopes down to the tail.
Did you know?
A horse’s height is measured at the withers, with a measuring stick. In competition, the FFE counts as a pony any equid that stands no more than 1.48 m at the withers unshod, or 1.49 m shod — about 14.2 hands, as British riders would say.