Part II. TerfeB Farrier. 271 



ASplent is a callous, hard, and in- 

 fenfible Swelling on the Shank^bone } SpUnts. 

 which fpoils the fliape of the Leg, 

 when it grows big. The ordinary caufe of it, is a 

 hurt on the Shankjbom, that injures its furrounding 

 Skin or Poriofteum ; fo that the humours repairing 

 thither, gather into a Swelling. Sometimes 'tis 

 cccafion'd by over-riding or over-working, when 

 the Horfe is young, and his Bones tender ; for the 

 draining of the Bone makes it fubjeft to Defkixions 

 of humours, which flipping in between the Bone 

 and its Membrane, rife gradually into a hard lump, 

 that draws its nourilhment from the Bone, which 

 I have feen full of holes like a Sieve in that part. 

 Now, to proted the weak Bone, nature makes a 

 Callus, which we call a Splent. If the SpUnt be 

 increafed by Travelling, and afcend to the Knee ? 

 it makes a Horfe halt *, and is more difficult to 

 cure. In young Horfes a Splent may be eafilj 

 cur'd; but in old ones, it can hardly be removM- 

 If it be only the natural misfhaping of the Bone $ 

 'tis not to be cur'd, as being a Blemifh rather than 

 a Difeafe. 



For the cure of Splents, violent Cauflicks, which 

 often fcale the Bone, and dry up the Sinew, are 

 very pernicious ; for tho' they take away the Splent^ 

 they weaken the Leg extreamly. The 

 better way is to fhave off the Hair, ^*Xt 

 and beat or rub the Swelling with 

 the handle of a Shooing-Hammer, till it be (of- 

 tend j then chafe the Splent with the juice that 

 fweats out of both ends of three or four Haz.el-fticks 9 

 burnt while the full Sap is in them, applying it as 

 hot as you can without burning : After which, rub 

 or bruife the Swelling with one of the fticks ; and 

 continue to apply the hot juice, and rub till it grows 

 foft *, then apply a Linnen Cloth, five or fix times 

 doubled, and dipt in the hot Hawl-juice, fuffering 



it 



