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The horse's hoof contains, the coffin bone ; the lower part of the second 

 digit ; the four ligaments binding the joint between these two digits ; 

 a tendon in front of the joint, which extends the foot ; a tendon 

 at the back of the joint which supports it, and is fastened into the coffin bone 

 behind, after gliding over the back surface of the navicular bone. This 

 tendon flexes the foot when called into action. In addition to these 

 structures, the hoof contains the lateral cartilages of the coffin bone, the 

 matrix or membrane which forms the horny covering, and, lastly, the 

 so-called cushion of the foot. 



In the abo\e figure of a section through a horse's foot, A is the tendon 

 that bends the foot ; B is the tendon which extends the foot ; C is the 

 navicular bone ; D is the sensitive membrane covering the coffin bone. Its 

 surface is covered with elongated vascular outgrowths, which fit into 

 depressions in the horny covering of the foot ; E is the so-called cushion of 

 the foot. 



This picture is a lateral view of the horse's foot after removal of the 

 hoo.''. A is the coronary cushion ; B shows the vascular prolongations ; 

 C is the cushion of the sole of the foot (after Chauveau). 



