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grassy fields, unbroken and untouched by the hand of man. Not only, 

 however, are horses of under five years more subject to splints, but at this 

 period of life they are also more commonly rendered lame by these bony 

 deposits. When one learns that concussion is the chief cause of splints, one 

 will readily see how it is that the more purely bred animals, since their work 

 is faster, more frequently develop splints, than animals of coarser breed. 

 One will also understand that a splint in a draught horse, not required for 

 fast work, is of less serious moment, than in more rapidly moving animals. 

 Although we attribute the greater immunity from splints, which cart-horses 

 enjoy, more especially to the smaller amount of concussion, which their legs 

 undergo in progression, we must bear in mind that their limbs, being of 

 much heavier build, are not so liable to be injured by continual shock, as are 

 those of finer bred horses. We do not often meet with splints in old horses, 

 but they are sometimes seen, even in horses of advanced age. 



The bones of man and most animals are covered over by a fibrous 

 envelope ; and it is inflammation of this covering or periosteum, as it is 

 termed, as well as of the bone itself, which results in the formation of those 

 osseous deposits, which we know under the term splints. One can easily 

 imagine that a young bone, not fully grown, is more liable to become inflamed 

 by work, more especially when such work causes much concussion. 



It is fortunate that a great number of splints are those which we spoke 

 of as simple ; and, as these rarely cause lameness, excepting sometimes during 

 their period of growth, that is in the early stages of inflammatory action, 

 the progression of the animal is not so often interferred with, by this disease 

 of the bones, as one might expect. A splint, situated on the outer side of the 

 leg, in most mstances causes greater lameness, than one seated on the inner 

 side. 



It should always be borne in mind, that lameness from a splint does not 

 depend upon the size of the deposit. Sometimes, indeed, a very small 

 deposit causes marked lameness, while at other times a very large bony' 

 growth may not even alter the gait in any way. One cannot gauge the 

 amount of alteration in the bone by the external size and conformation of 

 the splint, because a very small superficial growth may co-exist with 

 inflammatory deposit, existing more deeply. It is not strange that horses 

 often manifest marked lameness, as the result of inflammatory action of the 

 bone, while as yet there is no external sign of a splint. In such cases, the 

 amateur is often at a loss to account for the lameness. There are, however, 

 certain facts which help us in diagnosing correctly, whether the lameness 

 proceed from inflammatory action of the bone, or not. Lameness in a young 

 animal, in the first place, is more likely to be due to this cause ; whereas in 

 older animals it is more likely to proceed from navicular disease. 



Again, it is well known that a horse, whose progression is altered by the 

 existence of a splint, walks sound or nearly so ; whereas in trotting, the 

 lameness is very marked. Manipulation of the leg also often reveals heat 

 and tenderness at the usual seat of splint, and a small hard rounded growth 

 may sometimes be discovered. Pressure upon the site in such instances, 



