THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HORSE 133 



matter whether the movement is backward, forward, 

 outwards or inwards. 



Each fore Hmb is composed of the following bones : 

 the scapula, or shoulder-blade ; the humerus, or the arm ; 

 the radius and the ulna, or the forearm ; the bones of the 

 knee or the wrist ; the large cannon bone ; and the two 

 splint bones behind this. Technically, the bones last 

 named are the large and small metacarpals. These are 

 succeeded by the sessamoids — two small bones at the 

 lower end and the back of the large cannon bone. 



We now come to the long pastern bone, the short 

 pastern, and the coffin or pedal-bone. Sometimes these 

 three bones are spoken of as the first, second, and third 

 phalanges. All these bones articulate with one another 

 so that we have the shoulder joint ; the elbow joint ; 

 the knee joint ; the fetlock joint ; the pastern joint ; 

 and the coffin or pedal joint ; the two last-named being 

 enclosed within the hoof. 



All the bones in the fore hmb are fairly strong, and two 

 at least of them occupy a very sheltered position which 

 materially diminishes their risk of injury. These are the 

 shoulder-blade and the arm, though of course neither are 

 exempt from fracture. 



Each hind limb consists of the femur, or first thigh-bone; 

 the tibia fibula, or second thigh-bone. The fibula is a 

 very slender rod of bone. 



The second thigh is succeeded by the hock joint, 

 composed of the os calcis (heel), the astragalus, and 

 several other small bones. From the hock to the foot 

 the remainder of the bones bear exactly the same names 

 and occupy corresponding positions to those bones in 

 the fore limb. At the back of each pedal-bone there is a 

 small shuttle-shaped bone — the navicular. 



The joints in the hind Hmb are as follows : the hip ; 

 the stifle ; the hock ; and those of the phalanges. At 

 the stifle there is the pateUa, or bone which forms the 

 knee-cap. 



