Equine Photos & Drawings for Conformation & Anatomy
Shoulder Length and Action: The shoulder forms the foreleg's main point of attachment to the rest of the body. The foreleg is not connected to the spinal column by bones but by sheets of muscles. A longer shoulder provides more area for muscle attachment, resulting in greater support and smoother movement.     The length and slope of the shoulder determine its range of motion. A horse with a long, sloping shoulder has a greater range of motion than a horse with a relatively short, upright shoulder and correspondingly short humerus (upper arm bone). For example, this conformation allows the galloping horse to extend its foreleg out further, increasing its stride length.