CUTTING. 



9S3 



!s placed on the foot by which the injury is done ; care being taken that the 

 shoe shall not extend beyond the edge of the crust, and the crust being 

 rasped a little at the quarters. The principle on which this shoe acts has 

 been stated when we spoke of the speedy cut. There are some defects, 

 however, in the natural form of the horse, which are the causes of cutting, 

 and which no contrivance will remedy; as when the legs are placed too 

 near each other, or when the feet are turned inward or outward. A horse 

 with these defects should be carefully examined at the inside of the fetlock, 

 and if there be any sore or callous places from cutting, tliere will be sufficient 

 reason for rejecting the animal. Some horses will cut when they are 

 fatigued, and many colts will cut before they arrive at their full strength. 



Ficr. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



a Upper pastern. 



b Lower pastern, 



c Navicular-bone, 



d Coffin-bone. 



Fig. 2. 

 a Scssamoid-bone. 



h Upper pastern. 



c Lower pastern. 



d Navicular-bone. 



e Coffin-bone, with the horny iamins. 



The u'pper pastern bone (I, p. 249, and a in the first figure, and h in the 

 second in this cut) receives the lower pulley-like head of the shank-bone, 

 and forms a hinge-joint, admitting only of banding and extension, but not 

 of side motion ; it likewise articulates with the sessamoid-bones. Its lower 

 head has two rounded protuberances, which are received into corresponding 

 depressions in the lower pastern. On either side, above the pastern-joint, 

 are roughened projections for the attachment of very strong ligaments, both 

 the capsular ligaments and many cross ligaments, which render the joint 

 between the two pasterns sufficiently secure. 



The lower pastern {d, p. 249, and b in the first figure, and c in the second 

 in the above cut) is a short and thick bone, with its larger head downward. 

 Its upper head has two depressions to receive the protuberances on the 

 lower head of the upper bone, bearing some resemblance to a pulley, but 

 not so decidedly as the lower head of the shank-bone. Its lower head 

 resembles the lower head of the other pastern, and has two prominences, 

 likewise somewhat resembling a pulley, and by which it articulates with 

 the coffin-bone; and a depression in front, corresponding with a projection 

 in the coffin-bone ; and also two slight depressions behind, receiving emi- 

 nences in the navicular-bone. Neither of these joints admit of any lateral 

 motion. The ligaments of this joint, which is called the coffin-joint, are, 

 like those of the pastern-joint, exceedingly strong, both the capsular and 

 the cross ones. The tendon of the extensor muscle is inserted into the 

 fore part, both of the upper and lower pastern-bones, as well as into the 

 upper part of the coffin-bone (I, p. 249); and at the back of these bones 

 the suspensory ligament is expanded and inserted, while a portion of it 

 goes over the fore part of the upper pastern to reach the extensor tendon. 

 Thsse attachments in front of the bones are seen in the accompanying cut. 



