Biceps muscle of the thigh

Musculus biceps femoris

Extends the hip and the hock and drives the limb back; its front part extends the stifle and its rear part flexes it.

Where it runs from and to

A muscle is told apart from its neighbours by what it takes hold of at each end, which is also what decides what it does when it shortens.

Origin: A vertebral head from the sacrum, the first tail vertebrae and the sacrosciatic ligament, and a pelvic head from the ischial tuberosity.
Insertion: The patella and its lateral ligament, the tibial crest and, through the crural fascia, the point of the hock.
Action: Extends the hip and the hock and drives the limb back; its front part extends the stifle and its rear part flexes it.
Nerve: Sciatic nerve, with the caudal gluteal nerve to the vertebral head.

Written for Vetomica in its own words from the standard reference anatomy of the horse; the books it was checked against are listed below.