Three =metacarpal bones= (Ossa metacarpalia) are present in the horse.
Of these, only one, the third or large metacarpal bone, is fully
developed and carries a digit; the other two, the second and fourth, are
much reduced, and are commonly called the internal and external small
metacarpal or “splint” bones.
[Illustration:
FIG. 56.—DISTAL ROW OF CARPAL BONES, METACARPUS, FIRST AND SECOND
PHALANGES, AND PROXIMAL SESAMOID BONES OF HORSE; POSTERIOR VIEW,
LEFT SIDE.
The fourth (external) metacarpal bone is wrongly numbered as I. (After
Schmaltz, Atlas. d. Anat. d. Pferdes.)
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 57.—LEFT METACARPAL AND DIGITAL BONES OF HORSE, INTERNAL VIEW.
(After Schmaltz, Atlas d. Anat. d. Pferdes.)
]