Innervation of the equine hip and stifle joint capsules.

The hindlimbs of 3 ponies and 3 horses were dissected. The hip joint capsule was found to receive articular nerve fibers from the femoral, obturator, cranial gluteal, and sciatic nerves. The nerve fibers were distributed to the fibrous joint capsule and associated capsular ligaments. The stifle joint capsule was found to receive articular branches from the femoral, saphenous, obturator, common peroneal, and tibial nerves. The fibers terminated in the joint capsule, fat pad, patellar and collateral ligaments, and the internally situated meniscal and cruciate ligaments.