Equine Musculoskeletal Anatomy & Pretest Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering equine skeletal and muscular anatomy, antagonistic muscle pairs, joint actions, and specific anatomical apparatuses.

Palpable muscles of the pectoral girdle

Muscles that include the Brachiocephalicus, Trapezius, Rhomboideus, Serratus Ventralis, Pectoralis Descendens, and Transversus.

Humeroradial joint antagonistic pair

The Biceps Brachii, which flexes the joint, and the Triceps Brachii, which extends the joint.

Calcanean tendon

A composite structure formed by the SDFT (Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon) and gastrocnemius tendons; it inserts on the tuber calcanei (point of hock) and functions to extend the hock.

Front limb stay apparatus initiator

The Biceps Brachii muscle.

Deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) insertion

Inserts on the bottom of PIII in the distal limb.

Coxofemoral joint antagonistic pair

The gluteal muscles, which extend the hip, and the iliopsoas, which flexes the hip.

Carpal flexion and extension joints

The Radiocarpal and Intercarpal joints.

Distal interphalangeal joint antagonistic pair

The DDFT acting as the agonist (flexes the distal interphalangeal joint, pulling downward) and the common digital extensor tendon acting as the antagonist (extends the joint, lifting the toe).

Lumbosacral space boundaries

Bounded immediately caudal by $5$ sacral vertebrae and immediately cranial by $6$ lumbar vertebrae.

Suspensory ligament primary insertion

The proximal sesamoid bones.

Tarsus antagonistic pair

The Gastrocnemius and the Cranial tibial muscle.

Carpus antagonistic pair

The Extensor Carpi Radialis and the Flexor Carpi Radialis.

Femorotibial joint antagonistic pair

The Biceps femoris and the Quadriceps femoris.

Metatarsophalangeal joint antagonistic pair

The DDFT (Deep Digital Flexor Tendon) and the Long digital extensor tendon.

Proximal interphalangeal joint antagonistic pair

The SDFT (Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon) and the Common digital extensor tendon.

Scapulohumeral joint antagonistic pair

The Supraspinatus and the Deltoideus.

Atlas

The first cervical vertebra ($C1$).

Quadriceps femoris

A muscle that inserts on the patella, functions to extend the stifle joint, and helps stabilize and lock the hindlimb in the stay apparatus.

Extensor process of PIII

The insertion site for the common digital extensor tendon (forelimb) and long digital extensor tendon (hindlimb); functions to extend the coffin joint ("flips the toe up").

Topline muscles of the horse

The three muscle groups composed of the Trapezius, Latissimus dorsi, and Longissimus dorsi.

Reciprocal apparatus

An anatomical structure composed of the SDFT (Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon) and the Peroneus Tertius.