32 SKETCH OF THE ANATOMY OF THE HORSE, 



just above the elbow joint, and running down the fore arm, is joined to its 

 tendon, which passes over the knee, and which is inseited on the head of the 

 cannon-bone. The three muscles which bend the knee take their origin on 

 the back part of the humerus, just above the elbow joint, and are inserted on 

 the trapezium and splint bones. The two muscles which extend the fetlock, 

 pastern and coffin joints, lun down the front of the fore arm. One of them has 

 its origin at the head of the radius, and is inserted on the front part of the 

 long pastern bone. The other commences on the humerus, just above 

 the elbow joint, and ends on the front and upper part of the coffin bone. 

 The muscles which flex the fetlock, pa^tern^ and coffin joints {the flexor muscles of 

 the foot) and aid in bending the knee, take their origin on the back part of 

 the humerus, just above the elbow joint, and proceed down the back of the 

 fore arm. A little above the knee they are joined to their tendons {the hack 

 tendons), which pass through the sheath formed by the trapezium and the 

 annular ligament at the back of the knee. From theilce they run down the 

 back of the cannon bone. The front one, which lies next the suspensory 

 ligament, goes over the sesamoid bones, which form a pulley for it ; down 

 the back of the pastern; over the navicular bone, which also acts as a 

 pulley ; and is finally inserted on the base of the coffin-bone. The rearmost 

 tendon, which lies between the front one and the skin, forms a sheath for 

 Its fellow at the back of the fetlock, and, dividing in two, is inserted on 

 the short pastern bone. There are two short muscles which assist the front 

 one of these two muscles, but which I need not further allude to. As the 

 action of the suspensory and check ligament is closely connected with that 

 of the flexor muscles of the foot, I may appropriately describe them here. 

 The suspensory ligament lies at the back of the cannon-bone and between the 

 two splint bones. It has its origin at the head of the cannon-bone and lower 

 row of the small bones of the knee. At about two-thirds of the distance 

 from the knee to the fetlock, it divides into two branches, which are 

 respectively inserted on the summits of the sesamoid bones. They then 

 extend downwards and forwards, and unite together, at the front and about 

 the middle of the pastern, with the tendon of the muscle which extends 

 the foot. The suspensory ligament is composed of white fibrous tissue, with 

 a few muscular fibres in it, and acts in supporting the fetlock. It is 

 generally considered to be inelastic, although Goubaux and Barrier 

 entertain the opposite opinion. They remark that " its obscurely muscular 

 structure, and the manner in which its fibres inter-cross, render it a true 

 elastic brace, which counteracts the effects of weight, as long as they do not 

 overcome the resistance and strength of the tissues." In omnivorous 

 and carnivorous animals this ligament is replaced by a muscle which 

 has similar functions. The check ligament has nearly the same origin 

 as the suspensory ligament and joins the front back tendon, at a point 

 about half-way down the cannon-bone. Its office is to aid in supporting 

 the fetlock and to relieve the muscles of the tendon, with which it is con- 

 nected, of weight. 



Muscles of the hind limb, — The hip is extended by the great croup 



