SPLINTS. 105 



import as that the possession of a pen-knife pre- 

 sents a certain mode of cure ; for it is only when 

 it is circumstanced as I have described, that this 

 simple operation will have any effect, or at all 

 events produce any thing like a cure : for, if a 

 splint is so situated as to interfere with the action 

 of the knee ; the horse must be lame unless such 

 interference can be removed ; if it arises from 

 ossification that has taken place, embracing, and 

 in fact cementino- too-ether, the laro;e and tvv'o 

 smaller bones, splint then becomes as serious, and 

 I believe generally as incurable a lameness, as 

 any incidental to the horse ; for, though there is 

 no motion or movement in the cannon bone, there 

 is in the small ones ; consequently, if they become 

 attached, their motion is lost. 



I have found it necessary to go somewhat fur- 

 ther into the causes, effects, and dliFerent natures 

 of some of the ailments of t]ie horse, than I antici- 

 pated would be the case when I commenced this 

 vrork ; but the object of it not being to tell the 

 reader what are the failings of horses, and to reject 

 all horses possessing such, but, on the contrary, 

 to tell him to the best of my judgment when he 

 may buy an imperfect animal, it becomes neces- 

 sary to point out the different consequences of 

 different failings, be they of what nature they may, 

 and then to leave it to his own judgment to select 

 or reject as he may think proper. 



