THE DISTAL PART OF THE LIMB

The distal part of the limb, loosely known as the foot, consists of the expanded lower end of the metacarpus, the two principal digits (toes or claws), and the dew­claws. The toes are enclosed in a common envelope of the skin that extends to the coronets so that the hoofs alone are separated by the interdigital cleft. The dew­claws project behind the fetlock and do not come into contact with firm ground.