What is wrong with a horse having a splint?

[only_me]

After seeing quite a few posts on here lately asking about the outcomes of a splint, I have wondered why people think they are so bad?
Then I was reading a wanted ad, and the person wanted a run of the mill horse to hack, but with absolutley no blemishes, sarcoids, splints, scars etc...

Obviously those splints that are from a break of the splint bone are a bit more serious, but I am talking the ordinary run of the mill splint.

I had a pony with a splint; was the biggest the vet had ever seen. Never caused him any problem once it settled! He did county working hunter ponies and it was never mentioned; ok in the final line up the one without the splint would win over the one with a splint, but thats understandable.

My baby horse has one, probably from when he was hooning about as a youngster on a hard field. Certainly didn't put me off buying him, and I want to event!

Why do people see it as a huge problem?
Fair enough if you want to show at county in show hunters etc. but why though, for the majority of people who compete local or unaff get so worked up about the dreaded splint?

Not meant to cause offence to anyone, but as a general curosity!

 

[competitiondiva]

I think it depends on the size and location but I've heard the opposite sometimes, especially for rigorous activities like eventing that a splint can strenghthen the leg!! But personally a splint wouldn't put me off unless I was showing.....

 

[spotty_pony]

Most splints; once formed, don't cause a horse any problems. Unless, you are hoping to show at County Level or above then I wouldn't rule out buying a horse just because it had a splint.

 

[only_me]

I have heard that too CD, but usually an urban (country?) myth!
Agree SJS

Just seems silly people are passing over good horses just because they have a splint!

I mean, my horse passed an extensive and very thorough 5* vetting with a splint, didnt bother the vet nor I!

 

[TGM]

I've got friends who won't go and look at anything with a splint which seems bizarre as they are not into showing? They can't even explain why it is a problem to them! Splints don't concern me at all unless they are caused by faulty leg conformation.

 

[Doormouse]

Alot does depend on the position of the splint. If it is a long way back it can cause trouble with the tendons or if it is very high and close to the knee but to be fair most of the splints I have seen on hundreds of horses are all near to the front of the cannon bone and never cause them a moments bother. I bought a 4 year old with a matching pair of splints in front and had him till he was 9, hunted him hard, evented him in the summer and he never took a lame step!
As you say, it is only a problem if it was caused by a conformation defect but honestly very few are, much more likely hard ground or a blow as they are concussion injuries I think?

 

[Orangehorse]

A vet will note a splint on an examination, but it wouldn't fail unless it was in a difficult situation. We had one failed by our vet as the splint was right underneath its knee, but normally once formed they don't cause any trouble. Sometimes they disappear again.
It is a bit like hindleg windgalls, you almost expect a horse that has done a certain amount of work to have them, and if they haven't you wonder what they have been doing.

Different if you are wanting to buy a show horse.

 

[TheMule]

They dont interfere with any structures in the leg unless they actually wrap around the curve of the cannon bone and keep going- these can affect the suspensory ligament.

I have dissected as leg of a horse who was perfectly sound for many years who had a splint totally un-noticeable from the outside as it was in between the cannon and the suspensory, well inside the leg- the suspensory had changed shape around it but clearly this hadnt caused much of an issue!

 

[neeny5]

my horse has more splints than I have hot dinners LOL still win at showing as well and touch wood never been lame with me

 

[NicoleS_007]

They dont bother me the slightest My last boy had a wee one when we bought him then threw one when we had him. It was right below the knee and about an inch long but luckly didnt go into the knee and it never caused him any bother at all.

 

[ncarter]

NicoleS_007 - nice to hear that your splint below the knee did not bother your pony, as mine has one there too - quite a big one - it does not seem to bother him but I do keep an eye on it. It was only small when I got him, and then one day it seemed to become a 'double' splint. Vet has said it is fine though.

I personally would not be too bothered about splints when buying a pony (mine had a matching pair when I got him but they were quite small). However if they were particularly big it may put me off a bit, not sure why.

I think some people just have a list of 'must haves' some of which are more like a 'would be nice'. I would much prefer a sound pony with splints that one with clean legs that is susceptible to lameness!

 

[dibbin]

My boy had a splint in each foreleg - no problems at all in the 7 years I had him.

 

[LaurenM]

Without sounding daft, but what exactly is a splint?

Upon viewing my horse my friend thought he had a splint but nothing was mentioned during the vetting or when another friend came to view him.

 

[Damnation]

A splint would not put me off at all.
If I wanted to do showing then yes it would but I hack and do dressage.

 

[soulfull]

Splint is a bony lump that grows on the splint bone (usually) It can be caused by a knock or working/playing on hard ground. Not ususally a problem, some horses can be lame when they first get them as they can be sore, but usually settle pretty quickly and lots of horses don't notice them

AS for why it puts people off who don't want to show ....I think the answer is ignorance in most cases and possibly resale if someone wanted a horse to show

My last horse developed 2 after I got him, both in winter messing around. he never noticed them.

new horse had one when I bought him. I spoke to owner who had him before the person I got him off and she said he banged it on the water trough, but was never sore or lame.
It is not a tiny one so would probably get marked down for it in showing, but that's not the main thing I bought him for so I really don't care

 

[honetpot]

Splints are the formation of extra bone(callus) which form as a result of stress or injury to the bone. Its the bodies way of scaffolding the weak point. One set of bone cells lay down the extra bone and another set of bone cells remodal the bone, so often the splint will disappear or get smaller over time naturally over time. If you broke your arm there would be a boney callus where the break is but obviously on horses legs its much more apparent.
I think when a horses is lame with a splint its more likely to be from the injury that caused the splint than the splint its self.
I own a draft X who has two enormas splints on both sides just below his knee joints. He has had them since he was three and they happened when he became his mature weight,they have never bothered him and he has never been lame with them.
I think most judges will over look an odd splint but if a horses has a lot it must make you think has it got poor action/confirmation to cause these splints.