Stylus bone

Splint bones (lat. Metacarpals / metatarsalia secundum et quartum , Eng. Splint bones ) are the rudimentary metacarpal and metatarsal bones of the second and fourth finger beam when horse . They lie laterally on the cannon bone (metacarpal or metatarsal bone of the 3rd finger ray).

One differentiates between a stylus bone , which lies at the upper end ( proximal ), a narrow body ( corpus ) and at the lower end a stylus bone button . The splint bone head is the Pastern - or ankle , and participates in this joint in the impact crusher function of the individual bones. The body and the stylus button are tightly connected to the cannon bone.

The interosseus muscle (fetlock support), which has an important function in the fetlock support apparatus , attaches to the head of the stylus and the upper part of the body . When overloaded it can splint bone fractures occur (landing phase with jumpers). The lower broken stylus leg must then be surgically removed.

literature

• Franz-Viktor Salomon: Bony skeleton. In: F.-V. Salomon et al. (Ed.): Anatomy for veterinary medicine. Enke-Verlag, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8304-1007-7 , pp. 37-110.