54 



surface. Its rounded terminal insertion measures about four 

 inches, and it spreads out somewhat like a fan, and finds an 

 attachment to the roughened inferior semicircular border of the 

 coffin bone. Such are some of the more salient features of 

 these important tendons, a consideration of which, in all its 

 bearings, would form a subject of considerable interest and 

 prolonged study. 



THREE-FOLD FUNCTIONS OF THE FLEXORS. 



Their united function is obviously of a three-fold character. 

 They lift and flex the foot in upward action. In the downward 

 motion their great strength is utilized to diminish the force of 

 the descending weight of the animal, with the acquired mo- 

 mentum in addition, which must be very considerably increased 

 during rapid action. The perforatus and perforans are liable 

 to sprains, to laceration, to rupture, to ulceration, and the latter 

 to adhesion to the navicular bone. 



THE EXTENSOR TENDONS OF THE FOOT. 



The extensor tendons are very light and slender in compari- 

 son with the flexors. They blend intimately with the faschiae 

 that enwraps the upper and lower pastern joints. The thickest 

 portion of the extensor pedis is inserted into the coronal em- 

 inence of the os pedis. The less thick portion is interwoven 

 with the faschise that finds an attachment along the entire 

 superior margin of that bone. The combined general function 

 of the extensors is the extension of the foot and leg. 



LOW INSTEP A FREQUENT SOURCE OF LAMENESS. 



A by no means unfrequent source of lameness I have ob- 

 served to be, pressure upon this tendon, arising from a low 

 instep, which I have found to disappear after lowering and 

 shortening the toe, or raising the heels, or both, as circum- 

 stances may render necessary. It comes from lowering the 

 heels unduly, or from allowing the shoes to remain on 

 the feet too long, the toe thereby becoming elevated from inor- 



