Horse Anatomy: the foot

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We continue our Equestrian World articles dedicated to horse anatomy and from the veterinary book written by Dr. Vittorio Meschia. In this Equestrian World piece, we will take an in-depth look at the foot and all its components.
The foot as a whole is known as the hoof and has a slightly conical shape. This cone-like hoof is made up of a protective wall and an oval base known as the sole. Below these are described in greater detail.
PROTECTIVE WALL
The outer protective wall of the hoof is divided into three parts and must be smooth, without bristles and hoops.
The outer nail is hygroscopic which means that it is affected by the wet conditions.
To ensure good compaction and resilience during periods of high humidity, lubrication of the foot is necessary to make it water-proof.
THE SOLE
The sole covers the bottom of the foot and faces the ground. The sole as a whole has a width and a length.
It is divided into the following parts:
1. Frog- This is a rubbery wedge shaped structure positioned in the middle and between the bars of the sole.
2. Bars- There are two bars on each hoof. They are on either side of the frog.
3. White line- This is in reality an inter-connected lamina.
4. Walls- These have the same basic structure as toe nails and are on the outside of the sole.
FUNCTIONS
The foot performs many functions:
1 – shock absorption.
2 – help with movement.
3 – assist with the return of the venous blood to the heart.
4 – resist against the wear and tear of the walls.
5 – protect the third phalanx.
In the next Equestrian World piece we will look at the internal structure of the hoof.

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