SPLENT, OR SPLINT 93 



weight is sustained by the outer splent-bone, and the 

 pressure is divided between it and the shank-bone. 

 Besides, many smiths who are imperfectly acquainted 

 with their profession, most absurdly elevate the outer 

 heel of the shoe to a great degree, which throws an 

 additional quantity of the weight of the animal 

 on the inner splent-bone. Severe blows sometimes 

 occasion splents on the other portions of the shank- 

 bone. 



During the formation of a splent, the horse is fre- 

 quently lame, occasioned by the periosteum, or mem- 

 brane which covers the bone, being inflamed and 

 stretched to an unnatural degree, and causing great 

 pain to the animal in consequence of the sensitive 

 nature of that membrane. But when the inflamma- 

 tion has subsided and the membrane has been so 

 stretched as to accommodate itself to the form of the 

 growth causing the " splent " — unless it be in a situa- 

 tion which comes in contact with the tendon, or the 

 animal from his peculiar action strikes the splent, 

 the lameness will disappear. 



"Splents" by a recent decision have been held as 

 constituting a horse unsound, and as *' splents " are 

 always the result of a diseased action, viz., inflamma- 

 tion of the periosteum or covering of the bone, legally 

 the decision appears a fair one, but as on an average 

 80 per cent, of horses have ''splents," and as in all 

 probability not over 5 per cent, of horses remain per- 

 manently lame from splents, but make a perfect re- 

 covery, it should only be held to constitute unsoundness 

 under given conditions. A splent or splents on the 

 limbs of well -formed horses, and whose action is 

 straight, rarely lames except during the period of its 

 growth, and is of no more practical consequence than 

 a splent or knob of bone on his nose. On the con- 



