Which distal bones of the limb have a growth plate (physis) at the proximal end of the bone?

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Growth plates are the sites where bones lengthen during development. In the horse’s distal limb, the bones between the fetlock and the hoof—the short pastern (proximal phalanx) and the long pastern (middle phalanx)—have a physis located at their proximal ends, toward the fetlock. This means these two distal bones grow in length from that end as the animal matures. The coffin bone (distal phalanx) does not have a growth plate at its proximal end, so it doesn’t lengthen from there. Metacarpal/metatarsal bones are higher up in the limb and aren’t the distal bones being described here. So, the bones with a growth plate at the proximal end are the long pastern and short pastern.