The Stay Apparatus

Horses are Flight Animals All horses can sleep standing up. Because they are prey animals, they often choose to sleep standing up so that they can make a quick getaway if needed. Stay Apparatus of the Forelimb Each joint of the forelimb is stabilized by a combination of exor and extensor forces. Proximal and distal check ligaments This stabilization allows the horse the rest in the standing position.

Functional Anatomy of the Shoulder The shoulder is attached to the forelimb by a combination of: Serratus ventralis Biceps tendon Extensor carpi radialis

Functional Anatomy of the Elbow The elbow joint is stabilized by: Triceps muscle Collateral ligaments Bony anatomy of the humerus and radius

Functional Anatomy of the Carpus Stabilizing ligaments Extensor Flexor Check Bony anatomy Carpal bones

Functional Anatomy of the Fetlock Prevents overextension Suspensory apparatus Supercial Digital Flexor tendon Check ligament Deep Digital Flexor tendon Ligaments of the sesamoid bones

Functional Anatomy of the Pastern 4 pastern ligaments And SDF, DDF, suspensory, and sesamoidean ligaments

Functional Anatomy of the Cofn Joint Common digital extensor tendon Deep digital exor tendon

The Forelimb Flexor and Extensor forces Check ligaments Bony column Stay Apparatus of the Hindlimb The leg is xed to prevent exion of the stie and hock

Prevents extension of the fetlock and foot Below the hock it is similar to the forelimb

Functional Anatomy of the Hindlimb The peronius tertius and supercial exor tendons cause the stie and hock to move in unison.

Functional Anatomy of the Stie Anatomy of the femur Patella Patellar ligaments

"Locking" Stie Patella is in the resting position It then rotates medially This hooks the media ligament over the medial trochlea of the femur Stie is held in extension with minimal muscular effort Functional Anatomy of the Hock The hock is linked to the stie by the attachments of the peroneous tertius and supercial exor tendons. The bony anatomy provides some stability as well.