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This article is a direct quote from Horse Muscles and Their Use article provided by Hayfield Riding Centre/Aberdeen, Scotland. There was no visible copyright on the site. I found this information to be so well done it is provided for visitors to HorseHints.org as an informational reference.

Massester (cheek muscle) - Opens and closes the jaw. Allows chewing.

• Base of the skull behind the jaw
• Below the point of shoulder to the humerus
• Moves the head from side to side, pulls the scapula forward, raises it in collection, swings the foreleg forward.
• Well developed for good movement. Too strong a rein contact stops free forward movement.

• Jowl
• Sternum
• Moves the head and neck
• Over developed in ewe or bull necked horses, difficult to get into a relaxed shape

• Nuchal ligament
• Scapula
• Lifts shoulder and the forehand. Pulls the scapula forward

• Behind the poll
• Beginning of the Trapezius
• Turns and extends the neck
• Makes up the top line if well developed

• Occipital bone
• Spines of the 7th cervical and all the Thoracic vertebrae
• Lifts shoulder and forehand
• If this is well developed the horse is working in a good outline

• Poll
• Withers
• Helps muscles in the neck support the head

• Scapula
• Humerus
• Flexes shoulder joint
• If over developed it wil load the shoulder

• Below the Trapezius
• Point of shoulder
• Maintains the shoulder in extension

• Lower Thoracic vertebrae
• Back of the humerus
• Flexes the shoulder and pulls the foreleg back

Triceps - Flexes the shoulder and extends the elbow

Biceps - Flexes the elbow and extends the shoulder

Pectoral - Helps pull the foreleg foreward

Triceps Brachii - Extends the elbow joint

Biceps Brachii - Flexes the elbow joint

Extensor Carpus - Extend the knee

Flexor Carpus - Flexes the knee

Digital Extensor - Extends the toe and knee

Digital flexor - Flexes the toe and knee and extend the elbow

Muscle or ligament

• Origin; where it starts
• Insertion point; where it finishes

• Beneath thoracic part of Trapezius
• 4th cervical vertebrae

• Ilium
• Vertebrae along the sine and the last 4 cervical vertebrae
• Extends the spine and raises and supports the head, neck
• Main muscle used in rearing, kicking, jumping and aids turning
• Longest and strongest muscle, rider sits on them

Intercostal muscles - Spaces between ribs and aids breathing

• Poll
• Sacrum
• Supports head and neck, traction force aids support in weak thoracic lumbar area
• Spreads out, attaching to spines of the cervical vertebrae, Called nuchal ligament in the withers and neck area

• Origin - Where it starts
• Insertion point - Wwhere it finnishes

• Croup
Bottom of the hip attached to the sacrum
• Flex and extend the hip, pulls hindleg toward the body, used for rearing, galloping and kicking
• More developed in a dressage horse

• Behind gluteals
• Bottom of the high attached to the patella and tibia
• Maintains hip joint in extension
• Main muscles over the hindquarters, part of the hamstring group, well developed in eventers, race horses

• Behind biceps femoris
• Back of the hindquarters
• Extends the hip and hock joints
• Part of the hamstring group, well developed in eventers and race horses

Semi membranosus - Part of hamstring group, well developed in race horses/eventers

• Rear of the femur
• Point of hock
• Maintains hip extension

• Femur
• Cannon bone
• With superficial digital muscle moves the stifle and hock

• Gastrocnemius
• Over point of hock

• Sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae
• Pelvic bone

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