advice on small gall around girth area

[hgm5]

Help! Advice needed!!

My boy has had a few months holiday, and has never suffered with this before but his skin has obviously become very soft over winter as after riding for about 20 mins yesterday he had a small lump running down about 2 inches in front of his girth area and about 1 cm across.

I feel awful as he has never had this before and my tack has not changed etc. but think its a reaction to a bit of sweat and soft skin.

Washed it off really well and by the evening it has reduced in size and its not really visible today only if you run your hand across where it was its slightly hard but not very raised, not hot and not open in any way.

Its obviously a gall but as he's never had one before my question is has anyone else had experience of this type i.e. under the skin?

I'm obviously not going to let the tack anywhere near him until its completely gone but how long did it take your horses to go completely, a week? a month etc?

Thanks.

 

[hgm5]

bump.....

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I once had to give my mare a few days off (I can't remember how many exactly but it was about a week) due to the start of a girth gall. I also changed her girth to one that was shaped around the elbows and got a sheepskin cover for it. I wash the cover regularly and she's never had a gall or rub from the girth again.

 

[hgm5]

Thank you! Hopefully like you I have caught this early, will invest in sheepskin sleeve, the girth I used was shaped but think his skin must be uber sensitive after his holiday!

 

[g16]

my old mare got galls one year and its been a nightmare ever since so do your best not to let it get any worse! i tried sheepskin cover, shaped girth etc. the best thing ive found is to rub surgical spirits on the area (not when skin is broken). Everytime i go home to ride (im at uni so shes only ridden in the holidays) i do this for a bit and it heps hugely

 

[hgm5]

Thankyou for all your suggestions! Very helpful. Fingers crossed its just a blip and they'll go away but good to glean some ideas!

 

[irish_only]

Another very strange remedy which works is to cut a tyre inner tube up, and use part of it to sleeve the girth where it is rubbing. Yes it will be sweaty underneath, but it doesn't rub and definitely doesn't aggravate the area. (A trick taught to me by a dealer many moons ago)