Innie or an Outie?

This question came from one of our very own boarders at Meadowview Farms! Debbie from Yonkers approached me last week to ask a question I'm sure many any thorough horse owner would wonder:

"Does my horse have a belly button? Where can I find it?"

Horses do in fact have belly buttons as do all placental mammals.

The foal develops for 11 months inside the mare and is supported by an umbilical cord attached to a placenta during this time. Once the foal is born, the umbilical cord is broken naturally through the foals first few steps. A few weeks later there is a tiny stub on the belly much like an infants. This stub must be kept clean with an iodine solution to prevent over scarring or a hernia. Once the stub heals, it forms a navel and then hair grows over it, which is why it is not very noticeable. If you want to look for your horses navel, start at the sheath or udder area and work your way up the belly about four inches or so. Also like people, a horse navel can be any number of shapes or sizes. What does your horse have?