374 NAVIN ox THE HORSE. # 



be distinctly felt through the skin, just where the mane rises. 

 It is the principal agent in supporting the head and neck; 

 but being A^ery elastic, it permits the head to be lowered, 

 even to the ground. This ligament is peculiar to quadrupeds, 

 or four-footed animals. The seat of poll-evil is beneath the 

 forward end of this ligament, over the first bone of the neck. 

 It is sometimes severed in this disease. 



The ligaments of the stifle-bone, or imtella, attach it to the 

 femu)\ or upper thigh-bone, above, and to the lower thigh-bone, 

 or proper leg-bone, below. These, of course, are two difPerent 

 sets of ligaments. The stifle-bone is sometimes thrown out of 

 place, and in this case some of the ligaments must be torn 

 loose and others badly strained. 



The ligaments connected with the foot-bones have been de- 

 scribed in the chapter on the foot. 



"Whenever a joint is thrown out of place, or badly wrenched, 

 the ligaments are either torn or very much strained, and con- 

 siderable time and rest will be necessary for them to recover. 

 In certain places the ligaments may, from disease, be con- 

 verted into bone, as happens with those about the hough in 

 spavin, about the pasterns in ring-bone, and ossification of the 

 lateral ligaments. 



