THE HAUNCH AND HIND LEGS. 



357 



CUT OF THE HAUNCH AHIJ 

 HIND Ll.GS. 



of the femoris upon the pelvis, or the pelvis and loins upon the hind quarter. 

 When the limb has been carried in advance under the body by the muscles 

 of the anterior femoral region, and the toe firmly set down upon the ground, the 

 glutei, by extending the haunch, will carry the trunk forward ; thus becoming 

 potent agents in progression^ and the maximus being the most powerful of them. 

 In the acts both of rearing and kicking these muscles are thrown into violent 

 and forcible contraction. In the former action the limbs become the fixed 

 points, and the trunk the weight moved, and vice versa in the latter *. 



There are also several other muscles proceeding from different parts of the 

 haunch -bones, and inserted about the heads of the upper thigh-bone, and per- 

 forming the same work ; but there are two muscles to which we must particu- 

 larly refer. The first occupies the outer part of the quarter behind, and is 

 beautifully developed in the blood-horse; it is found at e, p. 350. It arises high 

 up from the bones of the spine, from others at the root of the tail, from the pro- 

 tuberances, of the ischium (vide cut, p. 108), and from other bones of the pelvis. 

 It in fact consists of two muscles, but is usually described as one muscle with 

 two heads, biceps femoris, the two-headed muscle of the thigh. It is 

 situated on the postero-external side of the haunch and thigh, where, being 

 superficial, it is well marked in the living animal. The two divisions of it have 

 an opposite action. The anterior or superior one assists the vasti in extending 

 the thigh the posterior one flexes it. They 

 both, however, co-operate in abducting the 

 limb, and also in rotating it forward, the hock, 

 at the same time, turning outwards. 



Those muscles alone have been selected which 

 are particularly prominent in the thorough-bred 

 horse, and are the source of his strength and 

 speed. The following cut, containing one ex- 

 cellence above and many defects below, will not 

 be unacceptable here : 



The Os Femoris, or Thigh Bone (see P, page 

 108), is long and cylindrical, taking an oblique 

 direction from above, downwards ; and from 

 behind, forwards. At its upper extremities, and 

 projecting from the body, is a thick flattened 

 neck, terminating in a large smooth hemispheri- 

 cal head, adapted to a hollow, or acetabulum, in 

 the superior point of the haunch. 



This bone is commonly called the Round 

 Bone. It has, in some rare instances, been dis- 

 located and fractured. It is much oftener 

 sprained, but not so frequently as the groom 

 or farrier imagines. There is nothing peculiar 

 in the lameness to detect injury of this part, 

 except that the horse will drag his leg after 

 him. Injury of the round bone will be prin- 

 cipally discovered by heat and tenderness in 

 the situation of the joint. 



A part so deeply situated is treated with difficulty. Fomentations should 

 first be used to abate the inflammation, and, after that, an active blister should 

 be applied. Strains of this joint are not always immediately relieved, and the 

 muscles of the limb in some cases waste considerably : it therefore may bo 



* PercivaH's Anatomy, p. 148. 



