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Pastern and Fetlock Anatomical Study
Images and Anatomy of the Pastern and Fetlock of Horses
Introduction
It is difficult to appreciate the complexity of the fetlock and pastern of the horse with its myriad of tendons and ligaments that pass over or insert here. The pastern is also one of the hardest working locations in the horse's skeleton. Unlike other joints that have bone stacked one on top of the other, the angle of the fetlock and pastern require the skeleton to be "suspended" above the ground by muscle, tendons, and ligaments. The fetlock and pastern literally sits in a sling composed of the suspensory ligaments and flexor tendons. It is no wonder that this is one of the key areas that frequently limits a horses ability to do work. This article, using images and text, takes you through the structures of the fetlock and pastern and explains their functions.
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