296 SPLINT. 
for life; and death, or a cart, is the lot of the wretched animal so 
diseased. ‘ 
2—Shows fine points of bone, so placed that they would impinge upon 
the suspensory ligament, if not upon the flexor 
tendons. Lameness, in its acutest form, would 
thereby be caused wherever the limb was bent. 
The lameness, probably, would last till death, as 
splints in this situation are rarely discovered dur- 
ing life. 
3—Denotes an enlargement, probably produced 
by a blow received during a leap, or given by an 
impatient groom. It is placed directly under one 
of the extensor tendons. In consequence of this 
minute substance, the severest agony is endured, 
SPLINTS oF A sertous xixp. OY the most marked lameness exhibited, whenever 
1. A splint involving the the leg is advanced. 
bones of the knee-joint. Soci Q 
2 A splint interfering with The great majority of these maladies may result 
ese ooell aolhat siteatei from the present rage for high action, and the too 
seule en efanexten- eneral practice of pushing the horse beyond his 
speed. Racers and hunters commonly have splints : 
almost every roadster exhibits them. Few draught-horses are without 
them: they are all but universal. It may be easy to detect or to feel a 
full-sized splint; but it is rather difficult to discover these tumors when 
they are small, or when they are just beginning to develop themselves. 
At that period they are most painful. They may be mere deformities when 
fully formed; but, when growing, though not to be 
seen, they are apt to cause decided lameness. 
The cause of such failing action very often can 
only be guessed at. To detect a fully-developed 
splint, stand at the side of the animal’s leg and 
grasp the posterior part of the shin; then, by run- 
ning the thumb down on one side and the fingers 
on the other, in the groove formed by the junction 
of the two small splint-bones with the cannon- 
bone, the examiner may recognize enlargement or 
feel heat, should either exist. By making pressure 
A uorse “pisnine,” on car- Where the heat or swelling is perceived, he may 
Wand, WHEN on uz tor, cause the leg to be snatched up. Should nothing 
result from this trial, the animal is trotted gently 
up and its action is observed. Horses with splints, when lame, gener- 
ally ‘‘dish” or turn the leg outward, when it is raised from the ground. 
That is done because the bending of the limb pressed the splint-bone 
