Horse Stifle Anatomy

The radiograph at left credit vetwerx is a lateral view of the stifle showing the knee cap or patella and the femur. The stifle is the area where the tibia the bone that forms the gaskin meets the femur the bone that extends upward to the hip.

A New Approach To Stifle Injuries The Horse Owner S Resource

The synovial membrane secretes the synovial fluid which provides lubrication within the joint.

Horse stifle anatomy. The horses stifle is akin to a human knee and it usually bends forward. The equine stifle consists of three compartments. There are various disease processes that affect the nature of the synovial fluid because of inflammation and disease in the synovial membrane.

The mother of all joints. A horse with a locked stifle will likely hold its hind leg stiff and straight unable to unlock the joint. Femoropatellar medial femorotibial and lateral femorotibial.

Communication of the femoropatellar and medial femorotibial joints has been found 60 to 70 of the time although inflammation anatomic variation and unidirectional flow affect this communication. As the leg moves the patella rides up and down the trochlear ridges of the femur in the femoropatellar joint. Observe your horse to see if it holds its leg taut and if it drags the toes of its hoof on the ground behind it.

Anatomy the stifle is the equivalent of the human knee and it is the largest most complex joint in the horse. Stifle anatomy radiograph patella femur the equine stifle corresponds to the human knee. The bones that make up the stifle are the femur thigh tibia shin and patella kneecap.

The stifle lifts the leg upward and forward so its pretty critical to moving. Inflammation in the joint causes excessive fluid production. The stifle is analogous to the human knee.

When you pick up a horses hind leg the joint bends forward just as your knee does as you climb a staircase.

Behind The Bit The Stifle The Mother Of All Joints