HORSESHOEING. 



31 



muscles to which these tendons are attached act,— that is, when 

 they draw themselves together, or contract, as we term this action, 

 —the foot is carried forward (extended). 



There are two flexor tendons of the pha- 

 langes,— namely, the superf,dal (perfo- 

 ratus tendon) and the deep (perforans 

 tendon). 



1. The superficial flexor ox perforatus 

 tendon (Figs. 15, 6, and 16, a, b) lies 

 behind, immediately under the skm, 

 and covers the deep flexor or perfo- 

 rans tendon. At the gliding surface 

 between the sesamoid bones (Fig. 15,/) 

 it broadens, and forms a ring or tube 

 (Fig. 15, h') through which the perforans 

 tendon {a'") passes, while a short dis- 

 tance farther down it bifurcates, or 

 divides into two branches (Figs. 15, b", 

 and 16, 6), which terminate, one on 

 either side, partly on the inferior lateral 

 borders of the first phalanx and partly 

 on the fibro-cartilage of the second 

 phalanx. It acts simultaneously on the 

 long and short pasterns. 



Right forefoot seen from behind : a, lower end of the 

 perforans tendon, cut through and hanging down, so 

 that its anterior surface is visible ; a', lower expanded 

 end (plantar aponeurosis) of this tendon, which attaches 

 itself to the semilunar crest of the os pedis ; a", shallow 

 groove which receives the slight elevation on the under 

 surface of the navicular bone ; a'", piece of the perforans 

 tendon enclosed by the ring formed by the perforatus 

 tendon ; 5, perforatus tendon bent over backward so that 

 its anterior surface is visible ; V, ring of the perforatus tendon ; 6", terminal branches of 

 the same ; the perforans tendon passes through the space between these two branches ; e, 

 navicular bone ; d, suspensory ligament of the same ; e, smooth surface on the os coronae over 

 which the perforans tendon glides ;/, the smooth groove (sesamoid groove) on the posterior 

 surface of the interaesamoid ligament for the gliding of the perforans tendon ; g, body of the 

 suspensory ligament of the fetlock ; g', terminal branches of the same, attaching to the sesa- 

 moid bones. 



