|
| |
The Hoof of the
Horse
The hoof of the horse is the firm covering
of the distal end of the digit. It is composed largely of keratinized
cells.
 | The hoof
wall is the part of the hoof visible when the foot is on
the ground. It grows downward from the coronary band and is the
part of the hoof that supports most of the animal's
weight. |
|
hoof wall |
| The sole of the hoof
is the majority of the ground surface. It is normally arched, and
is softer in consistency than the hoof wall. The frog is a
wedge-shaped structure toward the rear of the sole. |
|
hoof sole |
| The ergot and chestnut are small masses of
"horny" material that are apparently vestiges of additional digits
the ancestors of modern horses had.
The ergots are
located in the tufts of hair behind the fetlock regions - the
junction of the large metacarpal/metatarsal with the proximal
phalanx of the digit. |
|
Location of the ergots |
| The chestnuts are
located on the medial surface of each leg in the general area of
the carpus and tarsus. |
|
Location of the chestnuts |
|
|
