Resting The horse has evolved a mechanism called the stay apparatus that allows it to doze standing up. The horse has three separate tendons in the stifle joint, the middle, medial (inside) and lateral (outside) ligaments, that allow the kneecap (patella) of a hind leg to slide into a resting position on the femur (the bone from the hip to the stifle), effectively locking the patella into position. With the stifle stabilized, the actions of the reciprocal apparatus mean the hock is also stabilized, letting the horse stand for long periods with minimal muscular effort. You can see this stay apparatus in action in a horse standing at rest: one hip is higher than the other and the leg with the lower hip is resting on the toe while the other hind leg holds up most of the weight. You can feel the changing position of the kneecap by placing your hand on the front and a little toward the inside of the stifle joint of the leg your horse is standing on. Push the horse over so he stands on the leg he had been resting, and the kneecap will move out of its resting position back into the position that allows the joint to bend. In the resting leg you should be able to feel at least two of the three patellar ligaments. Take care, though, as some horses are sensitive about having their stifles palpated. Excerpt From: Beth A. Valentine and Michael J. Wildenstein. “Draft Horses.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/bKqXE.l
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 10:00:00 +0000
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