LEGS OF THE HORSE, THEIR ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES. 



529 



other, beginning at the corner of the pastern and extending arouna the 

 front of it to the opposite side ; but do not draw lines in the hollow of 

 the pastern, as the flexion of the leg would keep the part eternally sore. 

 Apply the blister. No. 9, immediately after firing. Remove the shoes 

 and give absolute rest (no exercise at all) for four or five weeks ; then 

 turn to pasture for a couple of months. If the lameness is not cured, or 

 shows no prospect of curing, in four or five weeks, repeat the operation, 

 drawing the irons in the same lines made by the first applications. The 

 lines may be made from the coronet to the lower edge of the fetlock joint, 

 a distance of from two to four inches, according to the length of pastern. 

 A short pastern is more liable to ringbone from the greater amount of 

 concussion it sustains through its lack of elasticity, which the long pastern 

 has. The foot will always grow faster after the leg has been fired for 

 ring))one, therefore the shoes will need to be reset of tener than on a 

 healthy foot, and the hoof reduced. 



VUL. Splint. 



Splint is an enlargement on the cannon bone just below the knee, 

 usually on the inside, but it is sometimes seen or the outside. Splints 

 are quite conmion on the fore legs ; in fact, nearly all horses that have seen 



DIACJKAM. 



Showing the different locations 

 of splints. 1. High splint 

 near the knee. a. Low splint 

 far below the knee. 3. Bony 

 tumor, often miscalled a 



SPLINTS OF A SERIOUS KIND. 



Splints involving the knee joint. 2. Splint 

 interfering with the back tendons. 3. 

 Small splint under the tendon of the ex- 

 tensor muscle. 



splint. 



much service have them, but they are occasionally seen on the hind legs. 

 The usual seat of them is between the cannon and inner splint bones. 

 Sometimes they attain to the size of a hen's egg, but usually are quite 

 small. They generally cause some lameness when growing, but rarely do 

 so after they become hard. 



Causes. — Slipping, jumping, running, kicks, bruising the bone, etc., 

 anything that may sprain the ligamentous attachment between the can. 

 non and the splint bones. Sometimes the splint comes on the surface^ 



