Forefoot

In land vertebrates, the forefoot is the equivalent of the human hand , i.e. the end of the front extremity . The anatomical structure varies greatly, as the forefoot has undergone major changes in function in the course of evolution (e.g. as a running, gripping, digging tool, etc.). The horses represent an extreme specialization within the odd ungulates , in which the metacarpal bones and fingers are largely reduced to the central ray.

Hand skeletons in mammals (from Meyers Konversationslexikon 1888) From left to right: orangutan, dog, pig, cattle, tapir, horse

Abbreviations: U: Elle R: spoke A – G, P, Cc: carpal bones A: Scaphoid B: moonbone C: triangular leg D: large polygonal leg E: small polygonal bone Q: head leg G: hook leg P: pea bone Cc: Os centrale carpi M: metacarpus 1 to 5 denote the fingers (1 = thumb)