The coffin bone, also known as the pedal bone (U.S.), is the distal phalanx, or "P3", the bottommost bone in the front and rear legs of horses, cattle, pigs and other ruminants. It is encased by the hoof capsule. In horses and other odd-toed ungulates, it is the third phalanx of the third digit; in even-toed ungulates such as cattle, they are the third phalanges of the paired third and fourth digits. The coffin bone meets the short pastern bone or second phalanx (P2) at the coffin joint. The coffin bone is connected to the inner wall of the horse hoof by a structure called the laminar layer. The insensitive laminae coming in from the hoof wall connect to the sensitive laminae layer, containing the blood supply and nerves, which is attached to the coffin bone. The laminae compose a critical structure for hoof health, therefore any injury to the hoof or its support system can in turn affect the coffin bone.