DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS 63 



Most of the importance of a splint lies in its position, 

 as, if one appears near the knee or tendons, lameness 

 is a pretty certain result, and under any circumstances 

 a considerable amount of inflammation is caused 

 whilst they are developing, and consequently they 

 should be attended to as soon as they are discovered. 

 The best treatment during the early stages is cold 

 water bandaging and lotions, whilst later on bin- 

 iodide of mercury or iodine ointment may be 

 applied. 



SpavifiSj too, are very troublesome affections of 

 the legs, the bone spavins being a bony growth on the 

 inside or inside front of the hock, and a very fruitful 

 source of lameness, as it causes a good deal of in- 

 flammation. In treating bone spavin Goulard's water 

 and laudanum compose an admirable cooling lotion 

 during the formation of the growth ; but when the 

 latter is once thoroughly developed the only resources 

 left are blistering or the firing irons. Bog spavin 

 is a soft swelling on the inside front of the hock, and 

 sometimes goes by the name of wind spavin^ owing 

 to its appearing to the touch as though it were filled 

 with air. This is not anything like so serious a matter 

 as bone spavin, and may be treated with iodine 

 ointment. 



Ri7ighone is a bony growth on the long pastern 

 bone, and may be either at the upper head or lower 

 head of the bone^ or on the shaft of the same, in 

 which case it is usually known as false ringbone. The 

 growth need not entirely encircle the bone, but it fre- 

 quently does so, and it may be caused either by injury 

 or by hereditary tendency, and very frequently by the 

 latter. The treatment is similar to that recommended 

 for splints, and leather or indiarubber pads between 

 the hoof and the shoe may be used to prevent con- 

 cussion. 



Side bone is described by Mr. Archer as calcifica- 

 tion of the cartilage or gristle which is attached to 



