Equine Anatomy & Physiology
Lesson Overview
Media: Microsoft® PowerPoint® Presentation (65 slides)
Seat Time: 9 Classes | 450 minutes teaching
Goal:
To gain a basic understanding of equine anatomy and body systems.
Description:
This lesson includes information on the equine anatomy, such as external parts of the horse, external and internal parts of the hoof and parts of the horse’s mouth. Additionally, body systems are discussed and include the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, immune, integumentary, nervous, skeletal, muscular and reproductive systems.
Objectives:
1. To describe the anatomy and physiology of horses including the anatomical parts of the horse, hooves and mouth.
2. To describe the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, immune, integumentary, nervous, skeletal, muscular and reproductive systems of horses.
Class 1
Class Overview:
Equine Anatomy Microsoft® PowerPoint® Segment
Action Plan
Vocabulary Handout
Key Concepts
Equine Hoof Project
Essential Questions:
1. How does a horse’s body structure influence its movement and performance?
2. Why is it important to understand the form and function of a horse’s external features when evaluating its health and sustainability?
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Have students brainstorm answers to the following question:
- If a horse has a problem with its hooves, how might it affect the rest of its body and movement? Explain your reasoning.”
· Lead students to discuss their responses.
Step 2: Distribute the Action Plan, Vocabulary Handout and Key Concepts.
· The Action Plan lays out a list of tasks for students to complete during the lesson.
· The Vocabulary Handout is a list of terms used throughout the lesson.
· The Key Concepts is an outline which identifies the main ideas presented in the lesson which students can fill in to aid in note taking during the lesson.
Step 3: Show slides 1 to 19 of the Equine Anatomy PowerPoint® segment.
· This portion of the segment is 19 slides long.
· Be sure to utilize the Key Concepts for this segment of the lesson.
Step 4: Students should begin the Equine Hoof Project.
· Students will work with a group to research and select a hoof problem or disease which affects horses to create a quick reference guide.
Step 5: Exit Ticket:
· Have students write down two or three questions they would ask an industry professional in an interview. The industry professional should relate to the topic of equine hoof anatomy. Ask a few students to share their questions with the class.
· Have students turn in their responses before leaving class.
Class 2
Class Overview:
Equine Anatomy Microsoft® PowerPoint® Segment
Action Plan
Key Concepts
The Equine Hoof Project
Essential Questions:
1. How does a horse’s body structure influence its movement and performance?
2. Why is it important to understand the form and function of a horse’s external features when evaluating its health and sustainability?
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Provide students with the following scenario and have them answer and turn in the questions.
- You’re helping at a stable when you notice a horse that seems reluctant to move forward and keeps shifting its weight from one front leg to the other. The owner thinks the horse is just being lazy, but you’re not so sure. Based on what you know about hoof anatomy, what might be causing this behavior? Which parts of the horse’s hoof would you check first, and why?
Step 2: Show slides 20 to 28 of the Equine Anatomy PowerPoint® segment.
· This portion of the segment is eight slides long.
· Be sure to utilize the Key Concepts for this segment of the lesson.
Step 3: Students should continue the Equine Hoof Project.
· Students will work with a group to research and select a hoof problem or disease which affects horses to create a quick reference guide.
Step 4: Exit Ticket:
· Have students share the Equine Hoof Project reference guide with other groups for feedback.
Class 3
Class Overview:
Equine Hoof Project
· Anatomy relay: The class will be in two teams. Teams line up at the back of the room. Place a horse hoof diagram at the front.
- the first student from each team grabs a body part label and races to stick it in the correct spot on the diagram.
- if correct, they score a point for their team and go to the back of the line. If incorrect, they must fix it before returning.
- continue until all parts are placed or time runs out.
Step 2: Students should complete the Equine Hoof Project.
· Students will work with a group to research and select a hoof problem or disease which affects horses to create a quick reference guide.
Step 3: Exit Ticket:
· Students should provide constructive feedback to their group on how well they worked together for the Equine Hoof Project.
Class 4
Class Overview:
Equine Anatomy Microsoft® PowerPoint® Segment
Action Plan
Key Concepts
Equine Anatomy Check for Understanding
Tooth Eruption Schedule Student Handout
External Parts of a Horse Activity
Essential Questions:
1. How does a horse’s body structure influence its movement and performance?
2. Why is it important to understand the form and function of a horse’s external features when evaluating its health and sustainability?
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Project the image of two different horse teeth on the board.
· Ask students to work with a partner to brainstorm how old they think their teeth are and why it might be important to know as a horse handler.
· Lead students in sharing their responses.
Step 2: Show slides 29 to 37 of the Equine Anatomy PowerPoint® segment.
· This portion of the segment is eight slides long.
· Be sure to utilize the Key Concepts for this segment of the lesson.
Step 3: Administer the Equine Anatomy Check for Understanding.
· The check for understanding is a short review of the content presented in the segment.
Step 4: Students should review the Tooth Eruption Schedule Student Handout.
· This handout explains how a horse’s age is important for assessing its behavior and health and can be accurately estimated by examining tooth eruption, wear patterns and dental anatomy.
Step 5: Students should begin the External Parts of the Horse Activity.
· Students will label a diagram of the external parts of a horse.
Step 6: Exit Ticket:
· 3, 2, 1: Students should write three things they learned about equine anatomy, two new vocabulary words which relate to the lesson and one question they may still have about the lesson. Have students turn in their responses before leaving class.
Class 5
Class Overview:
Equine Body Systems Microsoft® PowerPoint® Segment
Action Plan
Key Concepts
Body Systems Activity
Essential Questions:
1. How do the major body systems of a horse work together to maintain health?
2. Why is it important to understand the functions of a horse’s internal body systems?
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Have students pick a body system from the list below and create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast a human and a horse.
- Circulatory
- Respiratory
- Digestive
- Endocrine
- Immune
- Integumentary
Step 2: Show slides 38 to 51 of the Equine Body Systems PowerPoint® segment.
· This portion of the segment is 13 slides long.
· Be sure to utilize the Key Concepts for this segment of the lesson.
Step 3: Students should begin the Body Systems Activity.
· Students will label various body systems of a horse.
Step 4: Exit Ticket:
· Instruct students to go back to their Venn diagram from the start of class and change or add information, based on what they learned.
· Ask students to volunteer and share out their thoughts.
Class 6
Class Overview:
Equine Body Systems Microsoft® PowerPoint® Segment
Action Plan
Key Concepts
Common Structural Issues Student Handout
Equine Body Systems Check for Understanding
Body Systems Activity
Essential Questions:
1. How do the major body systems of a horse work together to maintain health?
2. Why is it important to understand the functions of a horse’s internal body systems?
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Prior to class, write “The Nervous System” on the board. As students arrive, instruct them to write down all they know about this topic. Ask a few students to share their answers to begin a class discussion regarding the day’s lesson.
Step 2: Show slides 52 to 65 of the Equine Body Systems PowerPoint® segment.
· This portion of the segment is 13 slides long.
· Be sure to utilize the Key Concepts for this segment of the lesson.
Step 3: Students should review the Common Structural Issues Student Handout.
· This handout explains the importance of structural soundness in horses focusing on skeletal and muscular alignment. It also describes common conformation issues, their effects and possible treatment strategies.
Step 3: Administer the Equine Body Systems Check for Understanding.
· The check for understanding is a short review of the content presented in the segment.
Step 4: Students should complete the Body Systems Activity.
· Students will label various body systems of a horse.
Step 5: Exit Ticket:
· Have students take turns to draw images on the white board to represent a body system while other students guess which system they are drawing.
Class 7
Class Overview:
Effects on the Body Systems Project
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Quick Write: Students should respond to the following prompt in four to six sentences:
- "A horse collapses after a short ride on a hot day. You’re part of the team responsible for figuring out what went wrong. Based on what you know about the horse’s body systems, which ones would you investigate first, and why?"
Step 2: Students should begin the Effects on the Body Systems Project.
· Students will work in groups to create a news segment about a disease or illness affecting a specific equine body system.
Step 5: Exit Ticket:
· Student groups should swap their project scripts with another group to provide feedback.
Class 8
Class Overview:
Action Plan
Effects on the Body Project
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Show students images of different horse body systems and have them try to name each.
· Discuss students’ answers as a class.
Step 2: Students should continue the Effects on the Body Systems Project.
· Students will work in groups to create a news segment about a disease or illness affecting a specific equine body system.
Step 3: Exit Ticket:
· Students should practice delivering their news broadcast to present in the following class.
Class 9
Class Overview:
Action Plan
Equine Anatomy & Physiology Final Assessment
Effects on the Body Project
Step 1: Bell Ringer:
· Quick Write: Students should respond to the following prompt/question in three to four sentences and turn in their responses before leaving class.
- If you could pick one external part of a horse’s body to dive deep and learn more about which part would it be and why?
Step 2: Administer the Equine Anatomy & Physiology Final Assessment.
· The assessment is a comprehensive assessment covering material throughout the entire lesson.
Step 3: Students should complete Effects on the Body Systems Project.
· Students will work in groups to create a news segment about a disease or illness affecting a specific equine body system.
· In this class, students should present their newscast to the class.
Step 4: Exit Ticket:
· Think, Pair, Share: Pose the following scenario to students and have them consider their response for one or two minutes before asking them to get into groups and share their responses. Have students turn in their responses before leaving class.
- How do a horse’s external body parts—like the hooves, legs, and back—work together with its internal body systems—such as the musculoskeletal, circulatory, and respiratory systems—during exercise, and what might happen if one part or system is not functioning properly?
Activity Overview
External Parts of the Horse
Students will label a diagram of the external parts of a horse. This activity allows students to demonstrate an understanding of basic equine anatomy. Recognizing and understanding the external anatomy of a horse is foundational for anyone working with or studying horses.
Accommodations:
Provide students with a word bank to use.
Modifications:
Provide students with a diagram which is half-filled out.
Extension:
Students should add descriptions to each labeled part.
Body Systems
Students will label the components of each body system within a horse. This activity allows students to demonstrate an understanding of each system’s location and primary function. Labeling the body systems of a horse provides students with a visual and foundational understanding of how the horse’s body is organized.
Accommodations:
Provide students with a word bank to use.
Modifications:
Provide students with a diagram which is half-filled out.
Extension:
Students should add descriptions to each labeled part.
Project Overview
Equine Hoof Project.
Students will work in groups of two or three to create a reference guide about a specific hoof problem or disease. Each group should choose a specific hoof problem or disease and get it approved by the instructor to ensure each group has a different one. Using the internet, library or any other available resources, groups will research the chosen hoof problem or disease to identify its causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention strategies. Students will then apply their understanding in a reference guide to detail their findings. If time allows, have students present their findings to the class in a clear and informative way. This project supports students understanding of hoof anatomy and how it can be affected.
Accommodations:
Provide students with a reference guide template to use for the project.
Modifications:
Students will fill out a table to compare four different hoof problems or diseases
Extension:
Students will create a model of a horse hoof to show how the problem or disease affects the horse.
Effects on the Body Systems
Students will be divided into nine different groups and assigned different body systems. Each group will research a specific disease or illness which affects the assigned body system. Using the researched information, the group will develop a script for a news segment in which the information will be shared with the public. This project requires students to analyze how a specific disease or illness affects an equine body system. Additionally students must evaluate credible sources to gather accurate information and create an engaging news segment script that effectively communicates their findings to a general audience. This project helps students connect scientific knowledge to real-world communication, which is a vital skill in veterinary science, animal care, and public education.
Accommodations:
Provide students with resources to use during the research phase.
Modifications:
Provide students with a template script to use for the project.
Extension:
Students will pick an additional disease or illness that effect their assigned body system in addition to one other body system.
Career & Technical Student Organizations
FFA
Agricultural Communications
Prepared Public Speaking
Career Connections
Using the Career Connections Activity allows students to explore careers associated with this lesson by viewing career interviews with various industry professionals. The career interviews are located in the Select Media drop-down menu on the lesson page. See the Career Connections Activity for more details.
James Rietkerk, Ranch Manager
John Pipkin, Ph.D., Professor Animal Science, West Texas A&M University
Kris Wilson, Horse Manager, Bell Ranch
Thad York, Ranch Manager, Bell Ranch
