276 



HIND LEGS. 



CUT OF THE HAUNCH AND HIND LEGS. 

 44. 



Rest, fomentations, bleeding, and physic, will be the proper means 

 of cure.* 



The lower bone of the 

 thigh is double. The larger 

 portion, in front, extending 

 from the stifle to the hock, 

 is called the Tibia. The 

 smaller bone, or fibula, be- 

 hind (see U, Fig. 1), reaches 

 not more than a third of the 

 way down. It is united to 

 the shank-bone, like the 

 splint-bone, by a cartilagin- 

 ous substance, which is soon 

 changed into a bony one. Of 

 the use of these little bones 

 we cannot speak. 



The lower bone of the 

 thigh forms an angle with 

 the upper one, being the re- 

 verse of that which exists 

 between the upper bone and 

 the pelvis. In proportion to 

 the acuteness of the angle 

 between these two bones, and 

 the degree consequently in 

 which the stifle is brought 

 under the horse, will be the 

 direction given to the mus 

 cles favorable to their power- 

 ful action. [But, to prevent 

 any misapprehension as to 

 the external form of the parts 

 which indicates what is here 

 laid down as the proper di- 

 rections of these bones, see 

 the remarks on the Haunch 

 in the beginning of this 

 chapter. — Am. Ed.] 



There is much difference 

 in this in different horses, 



* Note hy Mr. Spooner. — This joint and its connections are much more 

 frequently the seat of disease than the joint above. From its situation, it i3 

 rather exposed to blows from the horse running through a narrow gateway^ 

 and thus striking his stifle against the post. Swelling, and heat, and ten- 

 derness, will point out the injured part, in addition to which the horse will 



