withers

 
Pronunciation: /ˈwɪðəz/

plural noun

  • the highest part of a horse’s back, lying at the base of the neck above the shoulders. The height of a horse is measured to the withers.

Origin:

early 16th century: apparently a reduced form of widersome, from obsolete wither- 'against, contrary' (as the part that resists the strain of the collar) + a second element of obscure origin