The distal interphalangeal ligaments connect which bones?

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The distal interphalangeal ligaments stabilize the joint between the middle and distal phalanges, tying together the long pastern bone (middle phalanx) and the coffin bone (distal phalanx). In the horse, the short pastern is the proximal phalanx and forms a different joint, while the navicular bone sits behind the coffin bone and interacts with the hoof’s internal structures through other ligaments. So these ligaments specifically connect the middle and distal phalanges (the long pastern and coffin bones), not the short pastern with the coffin bone or other bone pairs.