90 THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



only present in solipeds, and its absence in the cow enables that animal 

 to abduct the thigh to a much greater degree, a point which is well 

 illustrated in " cow kicking-." 



{b) Ligamentum Teres or Rou?id Ligament. — This is in the form of a 

 short cord, which in thickness is about equal to the small finger. Its 

 length is from an inch to an inch and a half, and it runs from the non 

 articular area of the acetabulum above, to the sulcus in the head 

 of the femur below, where it is inserted in common with the 

 pubio-femoral ligament. It will thus be seen that it plays a very 

 important part in maintaining the head of the femur within the cotyloid 

 cavity. 



Chauveau describes the above two ligaments together under the 

 name of the coxo-femoral ligament or ligamentum teres. To this point 

 in nomenclature attention will be drawn later in connection with one of 

 the surgical affections of the joint. 



(c) The Capsular Ligament. — This ligament is in the form or a 

 double-mouthed sac, which is attached superiorly to the rim of the 

 cotyloid cavity and also to the cotyloid and transverse ligaments. In- 

 feriorly it is attached to the roughening which surrounds the articular 

 head of the femur. The fibres of the ligament intercross, and anteriorly 

 it is strengthened by a bundle which runs obliquely downwards and 

 outwards to be attached to the anterior aspect of the shaft of the femur. 

 The internal face is lined by the synovial membrane of the joint, and 

 outwardly it is related to the following structures : 



Anteriorly are the tendons of the rectus femoris and rectus parvus 

 muscles ; posteriorly are the gemelli, the obturator internus, and the 

 pyriformis muscles. Below the ligament is the obturator externus, whilst 

 above it is the deep gluteus muscle. Between these various muscles and 

 tendons and the ligament itself is a considerable quantity of adipose tissue 

 which enables these structures to play over the ligament without any 

 undue friction. 



The three ligaments which have been described bind the bones 



