398 



THE ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



The supraspinous ligament consists of small compressed bundles of longi 

 tudinal fibres, extending from the last cervical spine to the spine of the 

 anterior coccygeal bone, and thus forms a continuous chain. 



The interspinal ligaments consist of fibrous plates, filling up the spaces 

 between the spines, and attached before and behind to their opposite borders. 

 One set of these fibres passes from the anterior border of one spine to the 

 posterior border of the one before it, taking a direction from below, forwards 

 and upwards ; another set runs from the posterior border of the spine to tlie 

 anterior border of that situated behind it, taking a direction from below, 

 upwards and backwards. 



The arches or plates are connected together by the ligamenta vertebra- 

 tum subflava. These ligaments consist of yellow and white 'fibrous tissue. 

 Their attachment extends from the roots of the oblique processes to the origin 

 of the spinous processes. Their anterior edges are attached to the posterior 

 edges of the vertebral plates which are in front. Their posterior edges are 

 attached to the anterior edges and inferior faces of the plates Avhich are 



l"iG. 37. — Profile View of the Ligaments 



COMMON TO THE VEBTEBR.E. 



2. 2. Bodies of vertebra;. 



;.'.. 3. Spines. 



4. 4. Transverse processes. 



b. Head of the body. 



(i. Oblique process. 



7. Hole of conjugation. 



8. Glenoid cavity. 



9. Supra-spinous ligament. 



10. lutra-spinous ligament. 



11. Inter\'ertebral fibro-cartilnge. 



12. 12. Inferior common vertebral ligament. 



behind. The ligamenta subflava do not exist between the occiput and atlas, 

 or between the atlas and dentata. 



Inter-transverse ligaments are situated between the transverse processes, 

 running from the transverse process of one vertebra to the same process of 

 the one next to it. 



The oblique processes ai'e united by synovial capsules one to the 

 other. These capsules, throughout the vertebrcne of the back, are pro- 

 tected by white fibrous tissue, but in the cervical region the fibres 

 covering the capsules are yellow and elastic, and on this account, and 

 owing to the size of their arthrodial surfaces, latitude of movement is 

 permitted to a greater extent than is noticed in any other vertebi'al 

 leffion. 



THE LIGAMENTUM NUCHCE, OR GREAT CERVI- 

 CAL LIGAMENT, AND OTHER PECULIARITIES 

 IN THE LIGAMENTS OF THE NECK 



In the neck a much greater latitude of motion is required, to admit of 

 the lowering of the head in grazing, and of raising it for various purposes, 

 a.s well as balancing its gi'eat Aveight at all times. Lateral flexion and 



