CUTTING. 



253 



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 (here be any sore or callous places from cutting, there 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. 



a The upper pastern. 

 b The lower pastern. 

 f. The navicular bone. 

 d The coffin-hone. 



Fig. 2. 

 a The sessamoid-hone. 

 b The upper pastern, 

 c The lower pastern. 

 d The navicular bone. 

 € The coffin-bone, with the horny laminae. 



The upper pastern bone (5, p. 249, and a in the first figure, and b in 

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

 bone, and forms a hinge-joint admitting only of bending 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 se- 

 cond in this 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 re- 

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

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

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

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

 eminences 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 (l, 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. 

 These attachments in front of the bones are seen in the accompanying cut^ iu 



