Frog (horse)

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The frog is a part of a horse's hoof, located on the underside, which should touch the ground if the horse is standing on soft footing. The frog is triangular in shape, and extends from the heels to mid-way toward the toe.

The frog is an important part of the horse's circulatory system — it pumps blood up the horse's leg each time the horse takes a step, and the frog makes contact with the ground. The frog acts rather like the heart, in that blood flows down the horse's leg into the frog. The horse's weight then compresses the frog on the ground, essentially squeezing the blood out of the frog, pushing it back up the horse's legs.