What is a spilnt?

[tazzsmum]

Can you get rid of them? Will it make him lame? Should I stable him? can the vet do anything for them?

I'v enot had an experience with them before, Bit worried! My boy has one (I think) He's not lame, it's not swollen or hot. What should I do? How do they get them?!

 

[Gucci_b]

Horses walk on one digit in the same way as we might try with difficulty to walk on one toe or do a handstand on one finger of each hand. The other digits that are comparable to our other fingers and toes are the splint bones. In horses there are only two other fingers or toes on each limb called splints. When a horse has ‘splints’ the splint bones are damaged. In such cases pressure or damage to the area first affects the ligament that holds the splint bone to the rest of the leg and this in turn affects the lining of the splint bone which causes extra bone to form. Bad splint problems result in large lumps of extra bone formation on the sides of the legs.

Causes of splint damage are: direct blows to the leg, work on hard ground, poor conformation and poor shoeing. They most easily occur in young horses under 6 years. Most splint damage is seen about 10cm below the knee on the inside of the front leg and there is pain and discomfort in the area. This pain can cause lameness if it interferes with structures like the suspensory ligament.

Splints are treated by reducing inflammation in the affected area. This can be done by using cold hosing, by using drugs like ‘Bute’, by resting and by applying ointments like DMS0. Surgery is not usually recommended unless the splints unless they affect the suspensory ligament badly, keep getting knocked or cause arthritis in the knee joint.

 

[viola]

Understanding Splints