48 THE ANATOMY OP THE HORSE. 



radius ; and passing over the outside of the carpus, it furnishes slips t 

 the cuneiform and unciform bones, and terminates on the head of th 

 external small metacarpal bone. The ligament is perforated by a theca 

 canal in which the tendon of the extensor suffraginis plays. 



The Internal Lateral Ligament is fixed superiorly to the interna 

 tuberosity of the radius, and inferiorly to the heads of the large am 

 inner small ■ metacarpal bones, furnishing slips, as it passes over th 

 carpus, to the scaphoid, magnum, and trapezoid bones. 



The Anterior Common Ligament has a flattened, four-sided form. I 

 is fixed superiorly to the radius, and inferiorly to the large metacarpa 

 bone, while its lateral borders are united to the lateral ligaments. It 

 deep face is partly adherent to the carpal bones or their anterio 

 ligaments, and pa,rtly it is lined by synovial membrane. The tendon 

 of the extensor pedis and the extensors of the metacarpus play over it 

 superficial face, where they are provided with synovial bursee. Th 

 ligament is somewhat loose when the joint is extended, and is put O! 

 the stretch during flexion. 



The Posterior Common Ligament is a much stronger ligament tha: 

 the preceding. It is fixed above to the radius, and below to the larg 

 metacarpal bone. Its internal border mixes its fibres with the interns 

 lateral ligament, while its outer border is blended in the same way wit 

 the most external of the intercarpal ligaments. Its anterior or dee 

 face is very intimately united to the carpal bones, and its posterior fac 

 is smooth and lined by the synovial membrane of the carpal sheati 

 The suhcarpal ligament, or fibrous band which reinforces the perforan 

 tendon below the carpus, takes origin from the posterior common lig£ 

 ment, or may be described as the downward continuation of tha 

 ligament. 



Directions. — The anterior and lateral ligaments just described are t 

 be carefully dissected away, and in removing the first of these, care i 

 to be taken of the anterior bands connecting the bones in each row. 



Eadio-carpal Ligaments. — There are three of these. The stronges 

 of them is a thick cord that stretches obliquely downwards and inward 

 behind the carpus, and connects the radius and scaphoid. It will b 

 seen, without removing the posterior common ligament, which covers i" 

 by strongly flexing the joint and looking into it from the front. Th 

 second is a very slender ligament which is fixed to the radius beneat 

 the preceding, and -passes downwards to be attached to the pisiform an 

 the interosseous ligament uniting the cuneiform and semilunar bonei 

 The third is situated at the outside of the carpus, where it conned 

 the radius and the upper border of the pisiform bone, and is parti 

 covered by the lateral ligament. 



The Inter-carpal Ligaments are also three in number. Two < 

 them are situated behind the joint, under cover of the posterior commo 



