This article consists of a description of tendons and ligaments and is followed by images of all the major muscles and their associated tendons and underlying ligaments.

Tendons attach muscle to bone. When the muscle contracts force is applied to the bone through the tendon creating force which may be either static, as in the standing horse, or result in motion. Made of carefully arranged protein fibers, primarily collagen, tendons are elastic. As long as the elastic tendon is not over stretched it recovers to it's original length without damage. Too much force and the tendon is damaged or even torn. This is an acute tendonopathy that is accompanied by inflammation, tendonitis.

Tendons usually travel within the connective tissue matrix of the body. However at places of high motion and friction, the tendon may travel within a synovial sheath. This sheath secretes and sequesters a lubricating fluid called synovial fluid, similar to that found in joints. It is important to understand this relationship and to know where the sheaths are. By knowing the sheath locations, you can better understand the swelling you might see, what type disease process is going on, the best treatment plan, and the possible complications. It is possible to have the sheath alone inflammed: synovitis or both the tendon and sheath inflammed: tenosynovitis.

Ligaments

Ligaments are much like tendons, composed primarily of collagen but have a different function. They attach bone to bone creating a joint. Most joints have considerable range of motion with the ligaments acting as hinges though some joints are relatively fixed in place like the pastern joint. Disease of the ligaments is called desmopathy and the accompaning inflammation desmitis.