A light-hearted look at one of the most common injuries in sport horses. Further details can be found on melnewton.com, "The running, riding, writing veterinarian". Created in collaboration with Lucy of ponyhill.blogspot.com

1. Lucy,
what's a
splint? Let Lucy
tell you a
story

2. A splint is a corset stay-like bone that is semi-glued to
the side of the cannon bone as if by a pre-schooler, i.e.
not very well.
Paste

3. If the horse twists or jars his leg funny, the splint bone
pops off the pathetic excuse for glue and then settles
back into place.

4. The result is the area where it was supposed to be glued
gets inflamed and lays down extra stuff to glue it back
into place, resulting in the bump you can feel.
Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry!Hurry!

5. After a bit, the splint is glued back in place, it doesn't
hurt, and the whole area settles back down again ("cold").

6. The trouble comes when the lumpy re-glue occurs too
close to the suspensory.
Cannon bone

7. If the extra splint-glue oozes into the furrow area, the
suspensory doesn't have enough room and gets pissed
off.
The suspensory lives in
a tiny furrow of a cave,
with only space for it
and no friends.

8. And then your horse goes lame and you cry a lot. And have
to spend lots of time and money finding a new one.

9. Find Lucy @: pony hill.blogspot.com
Find Mel @: www.melnewton.com
I don't
think I want
splints
You have
learned
well
What's a
splint?...
NO!!!!! BAD
horse!
don't you
dare!