When you learn the rest of the story re some of the speculation surrounding the Shuman/Gill missing leg incident. At the time a prominent vet thought it might possibly be a high neurectomy, though he added that as far as he knew the surgery had only been down on draft horses. I learned subsequently from an owner who used to race at Rockingham & knew Gill that you could run a horse which has been "nerved" under the fetlock, as long as the nerving has been reported to the Chief Vet. The reason for the reporting was so that a jockey would not knowingly take a mount on a horse which has an increased liklihood of breaking down. But what about the horse, the other jocks, & the bettors? Until a few moments ago, I assumed that this was something that could only happen at some of the smaller circuits. Then I happened on the NYRA Horsemen's Guide, page 19 in particular, and learned otherwise. It does say that a list of all de-nerved horses has to be posted in the Racing Secretary's Office, so I guess this is yet another thing that needs to be checked. Let's see, they announce it if a horse has been gelded or if he's wearing bends or bar shoes, but are mum when it comes to a horse which has been nerved under the fetlock. I wonder why that might be.