The cannon bone, fetlock and pastern are located in which region?

• A. Upper leg
• B. Neck
• C. Tail
• D. Lower leg front and hind

Answer: (D)

These structures sit in the distal portion of the limb—the lower leg—on both the front and hind legs. The cannon bone is the long, weight‑bearing bone (the third metacarpal in the forelimb and the third metatarsal in the hindlimb). The fetlock is the joint just below the cannon bone that connects to the long pastern bone (proximal phalanx). The pastern refers to the region from the fetlock down to the hoof, including the proximal and middle phalanges and their joints. Since these parts are located below the knee/hock on both the front and hind limbs, the correct region is the lower leg front and hind. They aren’t in the upper leg, neck, or tail.