Welcome to the Foal Patrol Education Blog!
Questions or comments? Contact us at foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net
A racehorse moves roughly 1,800 liters of air in and out of its lungs during a five-furlong (5/8 mile) race. That's equivalent to six bathtubs full of air! The harder a horse works, the more its respiratory system is called upon to move oxygen into and carbon dioxide from the lungs. Learn more about the intricate system of horses' airways, lungs, and respiration in this online resource by Dr. David Marlin available on The Horse.
A horse's ability to run, take tight corners, bend, and stop on a dime hinges on a complex neuromuscular system of which muscles, tendons, and ligaments play a huge part. Learn more about the horse's locomotor apparatus in this online resource by Dr. Stacey Oke available on The Horse.
In response to a question from a viewer about the differences between food intake in domesticated horses versus horses in the wild, this online resource by Les Sellnow from The Horse gives some explanation of intake differences and the challenges those differences may present to the horse's digestive system. It also provides a great overview of how the digestive system is built and its functions. We thank The Horse for allowing us to share another great resource on equine anatomy and physiology with our Foal Patrol viewers.
In response to a viewer's question about the horse's cardiopulmonary system, this online resource by Les Sellnow available on The Horse provides a detailed overview of equine circulatory and respiratory systems and how they function in concert with each other.
In response to questions from viewers about front leg conformation, we think you will find the information in this comprehensive online resource by Heather Smith Thomas available on EquiMed very helpful. Thanks for reaching out to us with questions, and feel free to email additional questions to foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net.
Be sure to contact an equine veterinarian for any case-specific questions.
