20 



THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE 



The Canon. — The region between the knee and the fetlock-joint is 

 termed the canon. It comprises three bones, together with several import- 

 ant tendons and liga- 

 ments. The bones 

 consist of the large 

 metacarpal, or canon 

 bone, and the two 

 small metacai'jKil , or 

 splint bones. The 

 canon bone occupies 

 the central position, 

 and imparts to the 

 front of the limb 

 its natural roundness. 

 The sjjlint bones are 

 placed one on each 

 side, and somewhat 

 towards the back of 

 the limb. They are 

 united with the large 

 metacarpal bone by 

 short ligaments, which 

 in adult animals be- 

 come transformed into 

 bone, and then form 

 a permanent bond of 

 union between them. 

 Tlie splint bones are 

 very important, from the 

 fact of their being the 

 seat of bony excrescences 

 termed " splints", which 

 often produce severe and 

 protractedlameness. Situ- 

 ated in front of the large 

 canon bone are the great 

 extensor tendons of the 

 phalanges, and behind it, 

 in the order named, are: 

 the suspensory ligament; the subcarpal ligament; the tendon of the flexor 

 pedis perforans; and the tendon of the flexor pedis perforatus (fig. 12). 



Fig. 12. 



1. Front View. 



A, Extensor Metacarpi Obliqiius, 



B, Extensor Metacarpi Magnus, 

 c, Annular Ligament. 



D, Extensor Pedis. 



E, Extensor Suffraginis. 

 c, Outer Branch of Suspensory 



Ligament. 



Principal Tendons and Ligaments of the Fore Limb 



2. Outer Side View. 



A, Extensor Metacarpi Obliquus. 



B, Extensor Metacarpi Magnus, 

 c, Annular Ligament. 



D, Extensor Pedis. 



E, Extensor Suffraginis. 



F, Outer Small Metacarpal or Splint 

 Bone. 



G, Outer Branch of the Suspensory 

 Ligament.* 



H, Flexor Pedis Perforatus. 

 I, Subcarpal Ligament. 

 J, Flexor Pedis Perforans. 

 K, Suspensory Ligament. 



