Horses have long been used for athletic pursuits due to their superb physiological and biomechanical abilities. This talk explores structural and functional specializations of the equine limbs in relation to athletic performance. During locomotion the limbs cycle back and forth relative to the trunk moving primarily in the sagittal plane. Protraction and retraction are facilitated by morphological adaptations that reduce limb mass, especially in the distal limb, and allow a more proximal location of the moment of inertia. The joint angulations and muscle architecture of the hind limbs facilitate the generation of forward and upward propulsion of the center of mass, whereas the more strut-like forelimbs control speed and direction of movement. During a stride each limb has stance and swing phases. During swing the limb is rapidly protracted and then there is a final period of retraction that reduces hoof velocity relative to the ground at impact. During the first 50 ms after hoof contact with the ground, the hoof is rapidly decelerated and brought to rest with the effects of deceleration being mitigated if the hoof can slide a little forward and sink downward into the footing. The forces associated with hoof impact are damped within the hoof and distal limb so their effects are progressively attenuated in the more proximal parts of the limb. Vibrations associated with impact are damped by the digital flexor tendons. During the stance phase the limb is loaded by the mass of the horse (and rider). It is during this phase of the stride that stretching and recoil of elastic tendons makes a significant contribution to the exchange between kinetic and potential energy in the gaits that have a suspension phase. In the terminal part of the stance phase, tension applied to the third phalanx by the deep digital flexor tendon eventually exceeds the counteracting ground reaction force causing the heels to lift. During locomotion dynamic balance is maintained by the interactions between momentum that carries the horse forward, gravity that pulls the body downwards, and the propulsive forces from the limbs. As each limb contacts the ground it ‘catches’ the body, raises it and provides propulsion to maintain the forward progression.