(lower jawbone) is one of the largest bones in the horse and is hinged between the eye and the base of the ear.
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Contributors:
Jan
Mane Comb
Is for removing tangles from the mane of a stabled horse. It may also be used on the tail (with care) as it may pull out too much hair.
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Contributors:
Jan
Manege
Is an enclosed, surfaced area, which is usually rectangular, for exercising horses or having a lesson in a 'safe' environment.
Typically maneges are indoors and arenas or schools can be indoor or outdoor facilities
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Sarah
Mange
A highly infectious skin condition caused by mites living on or burrowing under the skin. One form is common on horses with long feathers. Diagnosis is by skin scraping (done by a vet). The mites' feed on tissue fluid and skin cells, causing itchy red blisters, bald patches or scabs. This condition is noticeable and movement restrictions may be put in place upon diagnosis.
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Contributors:
Jan
Mare
A female horse over four years old.
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Jan
Marking
A mark on the horse's coat eg white hair in a dark coat.
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Contributors:
Jan
Marrow
Is soft material in the central cavity of the long bones, consisting of fat and blood vessels that make red blood cells.
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Jan
Martingale
Item of tack, fitted between the bottom of the girth and the bit which prevents the horse raising its head too much and escaping control from the bit.
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Contributors:
Jan
Mealy Muzzles and Eyes
Are cream or light in colour on an otherwise dark coat. They are usually characteristic of the Exmoor pony.
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Contributors:
Jan
Meconium
Faeces stored in the colon, caecum, and rectum of a foetus and usually expelled only after birth. Brown/black or green, hard/soft pellets with a slimy covering. Excreted within the first three days of life.
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Contributors:
Jan
Merychippus
Horses of the middle Miocene era have three toes on each foot. The side toes do not touch the ground.
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Jan
Mesohippus
Horses of the middle and upper Oligocene era have three toes on each foot. The side toes touch the ground.
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Contributors:
Jan
Metatarsal bones
Are the bone of the lower hind leg and are the same as the lower front leg, however the hind foot is narrower and more upright that the foreleg.
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Contributors:
Jan
Miniature Horse
A horse that stands to no more than 34 inches tall and can come in any colour.