258 THE HORSE. 



of the hauncli-bones unite in the formation of this cup, and the sutures J)y 

 which these bones are held together are of such a nature, that one ^-ould 

 think no shock, or exertion, or accident, could disunite them. There is even 

 something more added to make the attachment doubly sure. Besides the 

 usual capsular and other ligaments, a singularly strong one rises from the 

 base of the cup, and is inserted into the head of the upper bone of the 

 thigh, and would seem to render separation or dislocation altogether impos- 

 sible, and yet such is the amazing power of the muscles of the hind limb, 

 th-at with all these attachments, sprain of the ligaments of the haunch- 

 joint, or the round bone, as horsemen call it, and even dislocation of the 

 head of the thigh-bone, are occasionally found. 



The upper bone of the thigh we should expect to be, from the powerful 

 muscles that are attached to it, a very strong bone, and it is both the 

 largest and strongest in the frame. It is short and thick, and exhibits the 

 most singular prominences, and roughnesses, and hollows, for the insertion 

 oi'the immense muscles which belong to it. Four prominences, in particu- 

 lar, called by anatomists trochanters, two on the outside, one on the inside, 

 and one near the head of the bone, afford attachment to several important 

 muscles. The head of the bone is placed at right angles with its body, by 

 which this important advantage is gained, that the motion of the thigh-joint 

 is principally limited to that of bending and extending, although it possesses 

 some slight lateral, and even some rotatory or round action. The lower head 

 of the upper bone of the thigh is complicated in its form. It consists of 

 two prominences, which are received into corresponding depressions in the 

 next bone, and a hollow in front, in which the bone of the knee plays aa 

 over a perfect pulley. 



A short description of the muscles of the hinder extremities may not be 

 uninteresting to the horseman. The next cut will give a few of them. 



The muscles of the hind extremity are more powerful in action than those 

 of any other part of the frame ; therefore there is a provision made to hold 

 them down in their respective situations, and thus contribute to thei* 

 security and strength. When the skin is taken from the hind limb, we dr 

 not at once arrive at the muscles, but they are thickly covered by a dense, 

 strong, tendinous coat, which reaches over the whole of the haunch and 

 thigh, and only ceases to be found at the hock, where there are no muscles 

 to be confined. If the power of the muscles be sufficient to dislocate and 

 fracture the thigh-bone, they need the support and confinement of this ten- 

 dinous coat. When this tendinous band is dissected off, another is found 

 beneath, which is represented at a, raised and turned back, larger than the 

 former, thicker and more muscular. It proceeds from the haunch-bones to 

 the stifle, upon the fore and outer part of the haunch and thigh, and is 

 intended to lighten and strengthen the other. 



Under the part of this flat and binding muscle, which is represented in 

 our cut as raised, is a large round muscle proceeding from the ilium, not 

 far from the cup which receives the upper bone of the thigh, and running 

 straight down this bone — and thence its name rectus — it is inserted into the 

 bone of the stifle. An inspection of the cut, p. 63, will show that it is so situ- 

 ated as to be enabled to exert its great power in the most advantageous w-ay. 

 It is a ver)' prominent muscle, and forms what we may term the edge of the 

 thigh forward. It terminates in a tendon, which is short and very strong, 

 and w'lich is, before its insertion in the patella, united with the prolongation 

 of the tendinous substance at ^, in the cut, p. 2G0, and also witli the tendon 

 of the muscle at i, in that cut, and at c, in the following cut, and which is 

 properly called vastus, from its great bulk. Some have divided this into two 



