Horse Skeleton Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A horse nods its head at the joint between the skull and the first cervical vertebra. Which joint produces most of this flexion and extension?
The atlantoaxial joint
The atlanto-occipital joint
The temporomandibular joint
The lumbosacral joint
2. A diagram shows that a horse's forelimb has no bony joint connecting it directly to the rib cage. What normally supports this connection?
A joint formed by the clavicle and sternum
A joint between the humerus and spine
A fused extension of the upper ribs
A sling of muscles and connective tissues
3. Which bones make up the bony portion commonly called the pastern?
The proximal and middle phalanges
The carpal bones and third metacarpal
The cannon bone and proximal sesamoids
The middle and distal metatarsals
4. The small splint bones running beside a forelimb cannon bone are remnants of which bones?
The first and fifth metacarpals
The proximal and distal sesamoids
The second and fourth metacarpals
The radius and ulna
5. Which description best identifies the forelimb fetlock joint?
The joint between the radius and the carpal bones
The joint involving the cannon bone, proximal phalanx, and proximal sesamoids
The joint between the humerus and the scapula
The joint between the proximal and middle phalanges
6. A horse injures the prominent point at the back of its elbow. Which bony structure is most directly involved?
The head of the humerus
The olecranon of the ulna
The distal end of the radius
The spine of the scapula
7. Which group contains only structures of the horse's axial skeleton?
Skull, vertebral column, ribs, and sternum
Scapula, humerus, radius, and ulna
Pelvis, femur, tibia, and patella
Cannon bones, splint bones, and phalanges
8. An X-ray shows damage to the large bone enclosed within the hoof capsule. Which bone is this?
The middle phalanx
The navicular bone
The distal phalanx
The proximal phalanx
9. Which anatomical structure is commonly called the horse's “knee”?
The stifle
The carpus
The tarsus
The fetlock
10. During a rib-cage review, a student finds ribs whose cartilage joins the costal arch rather than attaching directly to the sternum. How are these ribs classified?
Sternal ribs
Cervical ribs
Asternal ribs
Vertebral processes
11. Which bone forms the main cannon bone of a horse's forelimb?
The third metatarsal
The proximal phalanx
The radius
The third metacarpal
12. A veterinarian is examining the cluster of bones in a horse's hock. Which skeletal region is being examined?
The tarsus
The stifle
The fetlock
The carpus
13. Which horse joint most closely corresponds to the human knee and includes the patella?
The hock
The carpus
The fetlock
The stifle
14. A small bone behind the coffin joint is being assessed during a hoof examination. Which bone is it?
The proximal sesamoid
The middle phalanx, or short pastern
The navicular bone, or distal sesamoid
The distal metacarpal, or cannon bone
15. What is the main skeletal role of the sacrum in a horse?
It links the vertebral column with the pelvis and transfers force between them
It connects the ribs directly to the sternum
It forms the movable upper portion of the tail
It anchors the forelimbs to the chest through a bony joint
16. An injury affects the tall bony projections that create the horse's withers. These projections belong mainly to which bones?
The scapulae
Cervical vertebrae
Lumbar vertebrae
Thoracic vertebrae