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the two splint bones. At its origin from the head of the canon bone, it is 

 quite thin ; but it soon becomes enlarged, and at the lower part it divides 

 into two branches, which are attached to the two small bones at the back of 

 the fetlock. The branches unite together again in front of the joint. The 

 purpose of this ligament is to limit the degree of extension of the fetlock. 

 jMany horsemen are acquainted with the site and appearance of this ligament 

 on the side of the leg, between the tendons at the back, and the canon bone 

 in front. It is not certain whether it is elastic or not. Probably it is not. 

 In a well-formed animal it is seen to stand out boldly and unmistakably, more 

 especially in well-bred horses. Often it is obscured by the presence of 

 additional tissue, and this is more especially the case in heavy draught 

 horses. Although this ligament may be sprained at almost any point, the 

 usual spot where the injury is inflicted, is at its division into the two branches 

 above spoken of. The tendons at the back of the leg are two in number. 

 They pass from their insertions into the muscles above, downwards behind 

 the ligament we have been speaking of. They are termed the perforated 

 flexor, and the perforating flexor tendons respectively. The former more 

 superficial one divides, and the two portions are inserted into the two sides of 

 the small pastern bone. The latter or perforating tendon passes between the 

 two branches behind both pastern bones, over the navicular bone, and is 

 attached to the back of the coffin bone. This is the tendon often involved 

 in the disease of the navicular bone. The check ligament is a powerful 

 band originating from the head of the canon bone, and becoming firmly 

 attached to the perforating tendon, about midway between the ends of the 

 canon bone. 



It is worthy of note that, whereas sprain of the suspensory ligaments is 

 of m»ore common occurrence among horses used for fast Avork, especially 

 when galloping on hard ground, sprain of the check ligament is more 

 frequently met with among heavy draught horses. In the latter, however, 

 this accident is by no means common, and, when it does occur, it generally 

 happens in descending a hill with a heavy load behind. Those cart horses 

 with oblique elongated pasterns are more subject to this injury. Of the 

 tendons the perforating is the one most subject to sprain. This tendon is 

 not uncommonly strained, owing to fast riding over heavy country, whereas 

 both the ligaments and this tendon are often injured, in going down hill with 

 a heavy weight behind, or in galloping. It should be remarked that, when 

 the progression is very fast, sprain most generally affects the suspensory 

 ligament of the fore leg. Contrary to what has been observed in cart 

 horses, it has been noticed that in racers with elongated and oblique pastern 

 bones, there is less risk of spraining the suspensory ligament. With upright 

 pasterns, there is of necessity great "lisk of spraining the ligament, more 

 especially when descending a hill. Racing men do not view with equanimity 

 the risks run by such an animal, should the course have any sharp descents. 



Sprain of the ligaments, one must bear in mind, is much more liable to 

 occur when the muscles are exhausted, or are in an atonic or weak condition. 

 Animals which often sprain the suspensory ligament, when used for racing. 



