THE HORSE 83 



horses, under five years of age, are most liable to 

 this complaint — indeed, comparatively few three- 

 year-olds escape a slight inflammation during their 

 period of training. The lameness soon passes off, 

 however, and rest and a mild blister will com- 

 plete the cure by hastening a bony union at the 

 injured spot. On the other hand, splints often 

 become absorbed in old animals which are enjoy- 

 ing a period of rest, and it is by no means uncom- 

 mon to find that they have diminished or even dis- 

 appeared vdth the increasing years of their owner. 

 As splints do not constitute unsoundness unless 

 they are actually causing lameness, and as lame- 

 ness is (except in those instances in w^hich the 

 splint, owing to its position, causes the horse to be 

 chronically lame) only evidenced when the splint 

 is forming, it is safe to buy a horse with even a 

 rather large spKnt on one fore leg if the growth is 

 moribund and not unfavorably situated. In the 

 majority of cases, as already mentioned, the growth 

 will diminish with age, and it is in no way likely 

 to interfere with the working capabilities of a horse. 



Side-bones 

 (See Fig. 27.) Cartilage is extremely liable to 

 ossify if injured. The disease called side-bones is 



