Girth Galls

[hilsclarke]

I have a 21 year old arab mare who gets girth galls. She is very chunky and has had a foal 3 years ago so her tummy now is quite rounded. She has practically no withers. I have tried a platinum grade sheepskin girth sleeve and quite a few girths of different sizes and shapes. I have an Ansur Dressage Saddle [which is treeless] and fits almost any horse. The problem is worse in the summer when she has her summer coat in. She has lots of folds of skin just in front of the girth area and I think it is the friction, skin on skin which actually causes the sores. The last time I rode her with the saddle on I took her around fields in walk only and when I took the saddle off she had big lumps which next day had formed into sores. So mostly I ride her bare-back which is restricting. Can anyone suggest a solution to this problem please. Thanks in advance, Hilary Burder [hilsclarke@hotmail.com]

 

[JAK]

Friends with thin-skinned horses have tried our Stubben Trevira girths & found them to be quite helpful, as they don't seem to rub at all. Don't be put off by their 'string girth' appearance, they are very wide & very soft! (Do pull her forelegs forward though once it's on, just to be sure!)
Other than that, the thing that seems to help the most is keeping everything spotlessly clean, inc. washing the girth every day if necessary so it remains as soft as possible.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Have you try putting Mentholated Spirit on the area to harden the skin??

 

[dozzie]

Had a similar thing with mine this summer (she has folds of skin too) but not actually girth galls. Got vet to have a look and he said it was Sweat rash. Basically dirt has got into the pores when they have opened up.

He suggested that using hibiscrub to clean them was the best thing once they had formed but tbh the best thing you can do is sponge off the girth area every time you ride and clean girths daily.

I didnt have time one day and hey presto, sweat rash.

I also put white powder under her armpits which acts like talc and this seems to help too. I havent used hibiscrub daily but i wonder if that would be better than just water. Might be worth a try.


Hope this helps.

 

[Ashf]

Our pony had Girth Galls when we first got her, It was caused by a badly fitted saddle. Changed the saddle, got a Gel girth sleeve, and they cleared up after a few weeks. Used the gel girth sleeve for about a year afterwards !

 

[Puppy]

Ditto the stubben string girth, with a sheepskin sleeve (real sheepskin, the fake stuff wasn't enough for my "sensitive" mare

) and surgical spirit on the area to toughen the skin - sorted my girl!