Page 89 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

Functional Anatomy of the Equine Musculoskeletal System 55

VetBooks.ir Caudal Tensor fasciae
cutaneous
femoral n.
latae m.

Fascia lata

Semitendinosus m.

Lateral cutaneous sural n. Biceps femoris m.
(three divisions)

Figure 1.49. Lateral view of right stifle and thigh.

arises from the last two ribs and the lumbar transverse from lumbar nerves) and to all heads of the quadriceps
processes; the iliacus comes from the wing of the sacrum, femoris. Near the insertion of iliopsoas, the femoral
ventral sacroiliac ligaments, ilium, and tendon of the nerve gives rise to the saphenous nerve.
psoas minor muscle.
Three heads of the quadriceps femoris muscles (vas­
tus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis) Caudal Aspect
take origin from the shaft of the femur. The fourth head, Innervation to the caudal skin of the thigh and hip is
the rectus femoris, originates via a pair (medial and lat­ provided principally by the caudal cutaneous femoral
eral) of tendons from the ilium craniodorsal to the ace­ nerve (Figure 1.49). The main muscle mass is that of the
tabulum (Figure 1.50). A bursa is located under the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus with the cau­
lateral tendon. All four heads of the quadriceps femo­ dal division of the biceps femoris related to these laterally
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ris attach to the patella. Bursae occur commonly under and the gracilis medially. The long head of the semimem­
the insertions of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and branosus attaches to the caudal border of the sacrotuber­
vastus medialis. ous ligament. The thicker short head attaches to the
The femoral nerve passes distad between the iliop­ ventral part of the ischiatic tuber. The thick, roughly
soas and sartorius muscles. It supplies branches to the three‐sided belly of the semimembranosus ends on a flat
iliopsoas (which also receives segmental innervation tendon that attaches to the medial femoral epicondyle.