BONES OF TPIE FOOT 21 



BONES OF THE FOOT. 



PLATE VI, Fig. 3. 



This figure represents a back view of the bones of 

 the pastern joint and of the foot, and those connected 

 with it. The coffin bone constitutes its osseous fabric, 

 to which the navicular bone may be regarded as an 

 appendage. The anatomy of this part should be well 

 understood, as it is of much importance in the action 

 of a horse, as also very liable to disease. 



a. The coffin bone, with its horny laminae. It is situated 



within the hoof, which it nearly resembles in form, being 

 in its outline crescent-shaped. Its form, however, varies 

 with the natural make and morbid changes in the form 

 of the hoof. The coffin bone is of a soft, spongy texture. 



b. The navicular bone, or shuttle bone, which is situated at 



the back of the coffin joint, into whose composition it 

 enters. It is crescent-shaped. One of its extremities is 

 directed outward, and the other inward ; their points are 

 obtuse, and are fixed by lateral ligaments to the coffin 

 bone. 



c. The lower pastern, or coronet bone. Its situation is be- 



tween the pastern and the foot, and answers to the 

 second phalanx of the human foot. Its form is nearly 

 square. 



d. The upper pastern is situated below the cannon bone, with 



which, from taking an oblique direction, it forms an 

 obtuse angle. It is connected with the cannon and 

 coronet bones, and with the two sesamoids. 



e. The sesamoid bones, or os sesamoidea. These are situated 



at the back of the articulation formed by the pastern and 

 cannon bones. They are articulated only with the large 

 metacarpal bone, and are connected both with that and 

 the pastern bone. 



FRONT VIEW OF THE PASTERN. 

 PLATE VI, Figs. 4, 5, and 6. 



We have described some of the injuries to which 

 the fetlock is liable, page loi. 



