Pastern

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pastern \Pas"tern\, n. [Of. pasturon, F. p[^a]turon, fr. OF.
     pasture a tether, for beasts while pasturing; prop., a
     pasturing. See {Pasture}.]
     1. The part of the foot of the horse, and allied animals,
        between the fetlock and the coffin joint. See Illust. of
        {Horse}.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The upper bone, or phalanx, of the foot is called the
           {great pastern bone}; the second, the {small pastern
           bone}; and the third, in the hoof, the {coffin bone}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Pastern joint}, the joint in the hoof of the horse, and
        allied animals, between the great and small pastern bones.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A shackle for horses while pasturing. --Knight.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A patten. [Obs.] --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  pastern
       n : the part between the fetlock and the hoof [syn: {fetter bone}]