Girth Galls

[PiebaldHorse]

Rode a lovely horse over the summer (see pic in signature), although he suffers badly with girth galls. Ive had ones saying that its cause hes severely overweight and that with the right exercise and diet, that he should stop getting them.

Its just that the owner is thinking of selling him as he cant be used for the treks (belongs to an open farm) and I would love to buy him.

However was wondering if good exercise and diet alone will stop this happening?

Hes loaned out during the winter and he puts on loads and loads of weight, hes like a barrel, infact he looks pregnant lol.

 

[miamibear]

I was lead to believe that girth galls were because of a lack of hygiene!!

When he sweats people dont wash him off thoroughly enough, the sweat builds up time after time and then gets in to the pores which then get infected and cause an infected lump called a girth gall.

I wouldnt have thought it was a lot to do with diet except for the fact that he is probably overweight which causes more sweat.

Also a soft girth may help to stop rubbing the skin and then sweat getting in. Maybe a sheepskin girth sleeve to wick the sweat away from his skin.

If he was mine i would wash sweat off with hibiscrub (or equivalent) after every time i rode.

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[AmyMay]

It's cause could be down to a few things.

1. Badly fitting girth for type of horse
2. Dirty tack
3. Overweight.

Loan horse developed a slight rub at the beginning of the summer and it was simply that the type of girth I was using didn't suit her. As soon as I stopped using it it went.

With your horse maybe a wider girth would help because it would spread the pressure around the area.

 

[PiebaldHorse]

Apparently different girths were tried on him, but hes a big lad, he loves his grub!

The RDA took him for the winter, but hes too wide for children to ride lol

 

[miamibear]

He sounds perfect for you!!

I wouldnt feed him anything but grass (out) or hay (in) to be honest he looks like the type that will live on fresh air!! I would give him a vitamin and mineral supplement to add to the grazing hay to ensure hes getting everything he needs.

I have a sheepskin girth cover and its so soft, theres no way it would rub, ive used it on a very sensitive mare i used to ride and she never got any rubs with it.

I would make sure i washed the girth area after every time i rode and dried it off with a very soft towel.

Thats should do the trick

 

[AmyMay]

I agree with MMB - and certainly having a girth gall wouldn't put me off.

You can put him on a strict diet which is bound to help. And a sheepskin girth sleeve is of course a brilliant idea.

 

[djb]

Apart from hygeine, if he's not been in much work the skin around the girth area might be very soft and so more likley to get sore, especially if he has pink skin underneath

 

[PiebaldHorse]

When I worked with him over the summer, we created such a bond, i just love him loads. Its like when you see and ride a horse, you just know hes the one for you, well he is for me.

Hes just a big lamb, loves being fussed over (and i love fussing over him lol). However cause hes so wide, he cant really be rode by kids.

I tried to get him on loan over the winter but the RDA wanted him back again. Dont see why when hes hardly used, and they work him on when he has girth galls, also he was returned with very very bad feet!!

Im so protective of this horse, its surreal. I actually cried when i heard he was sore with his feet etc, it really got to me!

I know im still pretty much a beginner, but I love horses. I would get one just to fuss over and treat as a big pet lol.

I did ride him with a fleecey girth sleeve over the summer when the galls disappeared, but within a few weeks they reappeared, so we had to ride him bareback.

I brushed him for ages everyday I could, got to the stage, he would call out when he seen me, and if he was in the field he would canter over to me. The owner would laugh as going to the field he didnt need a headcollar and leadrope as he would put his head to my back and we would walk up (we werent on a road, and the whole place was locked up so he couldnt get out).

Going to go cry now lol

 

[PiebaldHorse]

If i got him during the winter I had plans to lunge him every morning and night and put him on a high fibre diet.

He would have got a sugar free polo from me after the rides, as hes a good boy really.

Hes not really a beginners horse, as even though hes 11, hes a big wet blanket lol, he gets scared of things easy lol. Hes doesnt take off he just rolls the eyes.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
If i got him during the winter I had plans to lunge him every morning and night and put him on a high fibre diet.

[/ QUOTE ]
Personally I wouldn't lunge to excess - especially an overweight horse. Plenty of good consistent work, with a healthy (and reduced) feeding regime should do the trick.

 

[PiebaldHorse]

Years ago he was actually used 7 days a week at the farm, and he was doing 4 x 1 hour treks every day. Hes a great lump of a horse, and he is something that I really really want!!!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Hes a great lump of a horse, and he is something that I really really want!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Go for it then. How exciting

 

[PiebaldHorse]

Owner wont sell him!!!! I would give anything to have that horse!!!

There are pictures of him in the picture section, you can see all of him lol

 

[AlexAndJess]

My mare had girth galls about a month after we got her, and it took ages to find a sollution. We tried many different girths, lots of girth covers, cleaning after riding and none worked. We came to the conclusion it must be the saddle, so we bought a new one and they never came back

! We had a lady look at the old saddle and said that it was slightly too big for her and it was sawing around her belly because it was too big. This might be the cause of your problem.
Alex.

 

[mrussell]

Are you by any chance using a leather girth?

Our horse had galls all teh time at his old yard (who insited on using leather balding girths). We changed him into a cotton padded girth and he hasnt had one since....

 

[guisbrogal]

A horse at our yard gets terrible Girth Galls regularly yet his owner is fastidiuos about keeping the area clean

She has managed the problem by using White spirit? or is it surgical spirit? I can never remember

and using a string girth so she could put the strings around the GG . Other than that she rode bare back everywhere

Depending how badly affected the horse was and how often he got them it wouldn't put me off buying him. He sounds a babe

 

[Clodagh]

I was going to suggest surgical spirit and a string girth - where on earth do you get those nowadays!
He looks like a lovely boy.

 

[PiebaldHorse]

He is an amazing guy, and its like we just clicked from day one. Hes got a huge bottom lip and it quivers when I come near him lol. I used to think it was cause he was nervous, but was told by a lady that its excitement.

Hes just a big wet blanket, I have a charles owen skull jockey hat, the inside is yellow, he doesnt like that, he will rear if he sees a crop (I know why) and its like he stays with me to protect him lol

 

[guisbrogal]

you can buy surgical spirit from any chemist or from Boots and string girths are easy to get off ebay or any saddlery. there is a post in the lounge about them to!

 

[rosita]

Had a pony come for livery that had girth galls and was very 'girthy' got her a pro choice girth elasticated at both ends with detachable neoprene that 'sticks' to the horse and have not had a problem since. Doesn't even try and eat you when doing up the girth any more! One thing tho, must be sure to wash the girth area properly after use as they do sweat a little more with them, but it has been fantastic, also prevents over tightening.

 

[sojeph]

[ QUOTE ]
I was going to suggest surgical spirit and a string girth - where on earth do you get those nowadays!
He looks like a lovely boy.

[/ QUOTE ]

They're called a Stubben Cord Girth and someone on ebay does them.

 

[MagicMelon]

I would:

Buy a Stubben string girth, these are really soft, wide (to disperse pressure points) and helps with sweat.

I would sprinkle talc on the girth as well as I find this helps absorb sweat and keep their skin supple.

After any work I would wash very thoroughly round the girth area to make sure all sweat is gone.

Otherwise Id make sure to wash the girth often to keep it clean.

 

[PiebaldHorse]

If he was my horse then I definitely would be trying to find a solution.

The girth galls were the size of tennis balls and he was still being used, even then he didnt misbehave!