[Anatomy of the fetlock joint in horses by means of joint casts].

The equine fetlock joint cavity shows ten pouches. The dorsal recess, which is oriented to the proximal side, is separated from those three pouches, which show to the distal direction, by several capsular folds. These folds are documented by means of sagittal sections through the fetlock joint. A medial/lateral recess is covered by the deep part of the collateral ligament of the fetlock joint. The collateral ligaments as well as the sesamoidean collateral ligaments are closely connected with the joint capsule, from which two capsular folds are separated. Between the part of the sesamoidean collateral ligament, that inserts to the metacarpus/metatarsus and the part that inserts to the proximal phalanx, the fetlock joint cavity pouches as Recessus palmaris/plantaris distalis medialis/lateralis. The palmar/plantar distal pouch, which lies in the median line, is covered by the Ligamentum sesamoideum rectum. This recess is narrowed down by the cruciated sesamoidean ligaments. The dominant palmar/plantar proximal recess is subdivided into several small pouches by strings or bands of the joint capsule, which can already be seen with an unaided eye.