The front section of an animal's body, including the front legs, shoulders, and chest; the forward part of a quadruped.
From 'fore-' (before) + 'quarters' (plural of quarter). The plural form referring to the front half of a four-legged animal.
Horses are built with their forequarters lighter and more flexible than hindquarters, which is why they can rear up on hind legs—front-loaded power in humans (broad shoulders) versus back-loaded power in horses reveals how evolution optimizes different species for different needs.
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