pastern

American  

[pas-tern] / ˈpæs tərn /

noun

1. the part of the foot of a horse, cow, etc., between the fetlock and the hoof.

2. either of the two bones of this part, the upper or first phalanx great pastern bone,orfetter bone and the lower or second phalanx small pastern bone, between which is a joint pastern joint.

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pastern British  

/ ˈpæstən /

noun

1. the part of a horse's foot between the fetlock and the hoof

2. Also called: fetter bone.  either of the two bones that constitute this part

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Etymology

Origin of pastern

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pastron “shackle,” probably same word as Middle French pasturon, pastern, from unattested Vulgar Latin pastōria “herding” + Middle French -on noun suffix; pastor, -ia

Example Sentences

On Saturday morning, Battle of Midway suffered a fracture of his hind pastern during a timed workout.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2019

Beholder returned for the first time since June 7 after getting a cut on her left hind pastern in a race on that day’s Belmont Stakes undercard.

From Washington Times • Sep. 27, 2014

Helped off the field, Joy Bells was found to have a broken pastern in her right foreleg.

From Time Magazine Archive

He defined both leeward and windward as "towards the wind," thought that pastern meant "the knee of an horse."

From Time Magazine Archive

A right hindleg from the stifle joint to the pastern, bent, so as to indicate a rearing action.

From A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, Volume I (of 2) by Smith, A. H.