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*Department of Anatomy, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU
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Elastic extension of leg tendons in the locomotion of horses (Equus caballus)
Article first published online: 20 AUG 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1986.tb03646.x
1986 The Zoological Society of London
Additional Information
How to Cite
Dimery, N. J., Alexander, R. McN. and Ker, R. F. (1986), Elastic extension of leg tendons in the locomotion of horses (Equus caballus). Journal of Zoology, 210: 415–425. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1986.tb03646.x
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*Department of Anatomy, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU
Publication History
- Issue published online: 20 AUG 2009
- Article first published online: 20 AUG 2009
- Accepted 21 January 1986
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Several of the distal leg muscles of horses have such extremely short muscle fibres that their changes of length in locomotion must be due almost entirely to elastic extension of their tendons. Films of a horse have been analysed to determine these extensions, using data obtained by experiments on dissected legs. The tendons investigated experience peak strains of 3–6% in walking, 3–7% in trotting and 4–9% in galloping. These strains occur while the foot is on the ground.