ceej
Administrator 
im back.... :)
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Post by ceej on May 13, 2008 13:41:25 GMT
ha!! I did EXACTLY the same thing then but by the time I got back from checking you had posted!!!
I am struggling with that a lot...all I can picture is a horse with big feet and no joints until it gets to the shoulder - I dont thing an animal od that stature woudl have made it very far!!!
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ceej
Administrator
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Post by ceej on May 13, 2008 13:49:57 GMT
This is what i found The ancestors of the horse came to walk only on the end of the third toe and both side toes. Skeletal remnants show obvious wear on the back of both sides of metacarpal and metatarsal bones, commonly called the “splint bones”. They are the remnants of the second and the fourth toe. Modern horses retain the splint bones; it is often believed that they are a useless attachment, but they in fact play an important role in supporting the carpal joints (front knee) and even the tarsal joints (hock).This reads, i think, that out of five toes, three became one hoof, and the remining two became the splint bones (which of course is disputed by othger scientists so there is no definate)... If you take a look at this picture you can see the splint bones (which is being suggested above are two old toes) well they are still below the knee (therefore not including the chestnuts) and are not involved with the ergot.... www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/89-093.htmI hope that makes sense...it still doesnt answer the original question, but even on your account Meas (which I think is the same as I have quoted above) chestnuts havent come from toes...  |
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joandlad
Apprentice Poo Picker
My beautiful boy!
Posts: 473 
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Post by joandlad on May 13, 2008 15:05:32 GMT
So the conclusion is that chestnuts are there for us "picker" types to give us something to fiddle with and ergots are there for farriers to throw at people! :-)
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Post by kateflashy on May 13, 2008 18:43:00 GMT
the chestnut is above the knee because if it were a human hand it would be his thumb look where your own thumb is
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ceej
Administrator
im back.... :)
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Post by ceej on May 13, 2008 23:14:08 GMT
But above my thumb is my wrist and my elbow - not my shoulder! That would work for ergots, and dew claws on dogs, but I just cannot believe it of the chestnut...
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Post by kateflashy on May 14, 2008 4:52:28 GMT
but a horses knee is the equivilant to our wrist and my thumb bone starts leval with the wrist
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ceej
Administrator
im back.... :)
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Post by ceej on May 14, 2008 9:34:10 GMT
if the knee is equivalent to the wrist, then what is the fetlock?
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Post by kateflashy on May 14, 2008 10:00:59 GMT
the knuckle
who'd ever thought there could be a discussion on chestnuts
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Post by Jen on May 14, 2008 16:24:37 GMT
you lot would love blossom - heeeeeeeeuge chestnuts on all 4 of her legs and even bigger (if possible) ergots - again in all four corners!
might take you some pics of them when they are long again - the farrier chopped em off last time he came!
jen xx
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