Common Diseases of the Horse 191 



found more frequently on the inside, is the fact that more weight 

 is thrown here than on the outside of the limb. 



Apart from being nearer to the centre of gravity the whole 

 of the inner splint bone comes into contact with the bones of 

 the knee, while only part of the head of the outer splint bone 

 does so. Remembering that concussion is the chief cause, great 

 care should be taken not to put undue stress on the bone whilst 

 it is still in the process of formation. 



Young horses, if they are to be given a fair chance of reaching 

 maturity with their development unimpaired, should not have 

 any great strain put upon them. Thus, a three- or even a four- 

 year-old should not be put into regular work on town stones, 

 or be driven regularly long distances on macadamized roads. 

 A young hunter should not be required to do a hard day, or 

 expected to gallop at top speed when the going is heavy. Such 

 are certainly the most fruitful causes of splints. I am not for 

 a moment an advocate of keeping young horses idle — in fact, I 

 consider they benefit largely by being broken soon after they 

 are two years old — but they should only be required to do such 

 light work as will not interfere with their growth and conforma- 

 tion, and help to bring them slowly and gradually to maturity; 

 so that when they attain five or six years of age, they will be 

 able to resist the extra strain of hard work. A six-year-old that 

 has not been worked is quite unfitted to perform hard work, and 

 is not in any way as suitable as a five-year-old, or even a four- 

 year-old that has been accustomed to work judiciously from two 

 years of age. It is similar to asking a boy to perform the work 

 of a man. 



The size of a splint has seldom any great bearing upon the 

 question of whether or not lameness may be caused. The posi- 

 tion is of the greatest importance. They may be so small as to 

 escape detection except by the most experienced veterinarian; 

 they may be so large as to be easily seen. It is the small 

 splint at the back of the small bone and three or four inches 

 below the knee, or higher up at the head of the same bone, that 

 is most often responsible for lameness either by its pressure upon 

 the tendon or upon the bone or its covering. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms shown are much more manifest 

 at the trot than when walking. In fact, an affected animal 

 walks sound, but when trotted it will go very lame indeed, 

 with much dropping of the head. Lameness increases with 

 exercise and the animal will go worse downhill, particularly 

 on a hard road. On a level road, soft or hard ground does not 



