EXAMINATION 



them before resting, and these places on the 

 knee are apt to mislead one as to their true 

 character. They are, of course, quite unim- 

 portant, but look unsightly, and may readily be 

 distinguished by careful observation from the 

 scars of the broken knee. 



Splints. — Passing from the knee, the hand is 

 run down that part of the limb beneath it, firstly 

 in search of a sphnt, a bony excrescence, and 

 usually found on the inside of the limb. The 

 size and position of a sphnt have everything to 

 do with the amount of importance that is to be 

 attached to its presence. If the splint is but of 

 small dimensions, and is situated well forward on 

 the bone, and on pressure being applied to it the 

 animal does not flinch, no importance need be 

 attached to it, although in the eye of the law 

 a splint is an unsoundness. If, on the other 

 hand, it is large, and situated towards the back 

 of the bone, so as to be near the tendons, it is a 

 rather serious matter, as it may interfere with 

 the action of the tendons and cause the horse to 

 go lame. A sphnt that is situated high up and 

 close to the knee is also bad, and an animal 



