94 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



trary, splents the result of striking in action should 

 under all circumstances render the animal legally an 

 unsound one. 



Remedies. — When it is noticed that a splent is 

 forming, which generally commences with a tumour, 

 the hair should be shaved off all round it, and a small 

 portion of biniodide of mercury ointment rubbed into 

 it for two or three days, and after this a pretty strong 

 blister should be applied. If these do not stop its 

 progress, the cautery is sometimes used ; although 

 we would recommend that this should not be resorted 

 to, except where the splent threatens to be large, and 

 is making evident progress after the above remedies. 

 It often happens that the effects of the mercurial 

 ointment and blister do not manifest themselves at 

 first ; but after some little time the splent will begin to 

 lessen, and eventually disappear altogether. In fact, 

 most splents disappear by absorption when the horse 

 begins to get old. 



SPEEDY CUT. 



This is an injury inflicted on the inside of the leg, 

 just below the knee-joint, and extending to the head 

 of the inner splent-bone. Horses of high action are 

 liable to this injury, by severely striking this part with 

 the edge of the shoe when they are trotting at a 

 speedy rate. This, in some instances, occasions a bony 

 enlargement, and in others considerable tenderness 

 and great heat in the adjacent parts. Sometimes the 

 pain inflicted is so great that the horse will suddenly 

 drop as if life were extinct. 



Remedies. — The only thing required is to prevent 

 the shoe from extending beyond the hoof; and the 

 shoe should have only one nail on the inside of the 

 foot, and that placed near the toe. Let the shoe also 



