There are many differences between the skeletons of horses and humans. One that needs to be clear in the minds of all farriers — and all riders and trainers, too — is the fact that humans have collarbones while horses lack them completely. The consequences of this difference impact every aspect of horsemanship, and that certainly includes the form and function of the equine hoof.

Probably the most famous anatomical demonstration that students of equine anatomy regularly see in the dissecting room — and certainly one of the most spectacular and interesting — is the coordinated opening and closing of the central joints of the hind limb, the “classic” hind limb reciprocation.