Which spinal levels are involved if a tetraplegic horse can raise its head?

Which spinal levels are involved if a tetraplegic horse can raise its head?

• A. C4-C6
• B. C1-C3
• C. T2-T5
• D. C7-T1

Answer: (D)

Raising the head is driven by neck muscles that receive their motor supply from the lower cervical and first thoracic spinal cord. In horses, the muscles that elevate and stabilize the head get innervation around the C7–T1 region, so those spinal levels are the ones involved in producing that movement. If a tetraplegic horse can still lift its head, it indicates these caudal cervical segments are functional enough to drive the neck muscles needed for head elevation, while higher cervical levels would generally affect additional limb or cranial functions. The thoracic-only levels don’t control the neck muscles required for raising the head, and very high cervical injuries would typically impair more of the head/forelimb control.

Raising the head is driven by neck muscles that receive their motor supply from the lower cervical and first thoracic spinal cord. In horses, the muscles that elevate and stabilize the head get innervation around the C7–T1 region, so those spinal levels are the ones involved in producing that movement. If a tetraplegic horse can still lift its head, it indicates these caudal cervical segments are functional enough to drive the neck muscles needed for head elevation, while higher cervical levels would generally affect additional limb or cranial functions. The thoracic-only levels don’t control the neck muscles required for raising the head, and very high cervical injuries would typically impair more of the head/forelimb control.