Girth sores?

[Ellietotz]

So after some research, I think what my mare has is a girth gall behind her elbow. It doesn't look sore but the hair has rubbed away a little and there was a small penny sized lump which has now gone down. It hasn't been an open wound so there was no broken skin luckily. None of it is skin that goes under the girth, only in front. There were a few pink lines that looked to be either a trace of the girth edge or where the skin creases and then the lump. Lines have gone but just the small round 1cm patch is still there looking a bit bare. I have cleaned it off every day for the last 3 days and applied green oils and hypocare spray plus no riding.
She has lots of skin behind her elbows, plus it's pink and sensitive and she gets very sweaty there! I always make sure to stretch her front legs out before riding and can always fit 4 fingers under the girth.
I have just ordered a sheepskin girth sleeve to put over a new Wintec chafeless girth once she has healed.
Is there anything else I can do to prevent this happening again? I fear she will get sore behind her elbows anyway if she sweats excessively as her breeding means she is thin skinned and a sensitive soul.
Is there something I can put on the area before work, some sort of ointment or grease?
I've not experienced this before so any advice is very much appreciated!
Thank you

 

[fabbydo]

You're right, a real sheepskin girth cover should really help. We have a hunter who would get a sore every time he came back into work if he didn't wear one. After a few months, he can do without it but yours sounds very sensitive so may need it full time. It's also worth asking the saddler about different girth options that work best with your saddle.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Surgical spirit on a bit of flannel and wipe the entire area the girth covers, do it daily when any sores have healed.

 

[Ellietotz]

You're right, a real sheepskin girth cover should really help. We have a hunter who would get a sore every time he came back into work if he didn't wear one. After a few months, he can do without it but yours sounds very sensitive so may need it full time. It's also worth asking the saddler about different girth options that work best with your saddle.

Thank you. That's a good idea, I knew that I could try different girths but didn't think about seeing what works best with that particular saddle. I will have a look into that. She hates and doesn't travel but when she came back from her previous loan home before I took her on, when she got off the trailer, she was dripping in sweat and behind her elbows the next day were red raw. I'm hoping the sheepskin girth sleeve will wick away the sweat if that's what's irritating the area the most. I always keep my tack and girth really clean and sponge the area off after work. I wasn't sure if a grease of some sort will stop the friction between the creases, I haven't been able to find anything about that from researching.

 

[Ellietotz]

Surgical spirit on a bit of flannel and wipe the entire area the girth covers, do it daily when any sores have healed.

Thank you. Is that as a prevention? Or just while healing?

 

[Leo Walker]

Thank you. Is that as a prevention? Or just while healing?

Prevention as it toughens the skin up. Dont use it till its all healed though.

 

[Ellietotz]

You're right, a real sheepskin girth cover should really help. We have a hunter who would get a sore every time he came back into work if he didn't wear one. After a few months, he can do without it but yours sounds very sensitive so may need it full time. It's also worth asking the saddler about different girth options that work best with your saddle.

Woops, I've just realised it says lambswool, does that make any difference?

 

[Ellietotz]

Prevention as it toughens the skin up. Dont use it till its all healed though.

Thank you. Where's the best place I can get this from?

 

[Rowreach]

Thank you. Where's the best place I can get this from?

Any pharmacy, but tbh if her skin is sensitive and generally pinkish I would be a bit wary of using it on her.

 

[Ellietotz]

Any pharmacy, but tbh if her skin is sensitive and generally pinkish I would be a bit wary of using it on her.

That's what I'm worried about too. I don't like using things I don't know enough about! Unless I could dilute it with water maybe? I don't know if it would still work. How long would it normally take to harden the skin?

 

[Ellietotz]

Gold Label do a skin hardening gel, has anyone used this? Might be less harsh on thin pink skin? Also wondering if something like pig oil would reduce the friction between the creases when ridden?

 

[fabbydo]

Lambs wool is 'real' and will be on the skin so all totally natural. I just meant don't use anything man made as it won't absorb/breathe as well. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Ellietotz]

Lambs wool is 'real' and will be on the skin so all totally natural. I just meant don't use anything man made as it won't absorb/breathe as well. Hope that makes sense!

Thank you! I thought it was pretty much the same as sheepskin but wanted to be sure!

 

[paddi22]

i found those wintec chafless girths, and wintec girths in general, awful. it gave my lad girthgalls when no other girth had over the years. i switched to using a kieffer girth that has a much softer jelly style feel and havent had any issues since

 

[poiuytrewq]

i found those wintec chafless girths, and wintec girths in general, awful. it gave my lad girthgalls when no other girth had over the years. i switched to using a kieffer girth that has a much softer jelly style feel and havent had any issues since

Was going to say this. My work bought some and had to stop using them.
I've heard several people have issues with them

 

[Rowreach]

Was going to say this. My work bought some and had to stop using them.
I've heard several people have issues with them

I used to work for a company that recommended them and I refused to. They "draw" the skin and raise it after not much time, and twist the skin because of their grumpiness. Natural materials all the way for me.

 

[Ellietotz]

Was going to say this. My work bought some and had to stop using them.
I've heard several people have issues with them

Oh dear, what one should I get then? Don't want to risk making it worse!

 

[Ellietotz]

i found those wintec chafless girths, and wintec girths in general, awful. it gave my lad girthgalls when no other girth had over the years. i switched to using a kieffer girth that has a much softer jelly style feel and havent had any issues since

Thank you. What Kieffer girth is it? They seem to have quite a few! Will the Wintec one still be bad if it has a lambswool sleeve on it?

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Leovet propolis gel is good. When riding use a lambswool or sheepskin sleeve has to be proper stuff

 

[NOISYGIRL]

And don't do the girth up too tight this can also cause it. When you do the girth up stretch the front legs out in front to stop any wrinkles in the skin under the girth

 

[Ellietotz]

And don't do the girth up too tight this can also cause it. When you do the girth up stretch the front legs out in front to stop any wrinkles in the skin under the girth

Thank you. Yes, I do this. What I can't figure out is what has made her sore as it was in the lines where her skin crinkles that were looking red when I noticed it and I'm sure where the lines were don't even touch the girth. I'm not sure if it might have been sweat or something that has aggravated it. I'm hoping the lambswool girth sleeve will wick away the sweat so there isn't as much friction but I don't know how it all works well enough.

 

[wingedhorse]

Thank you. Yes, I do this. What I can't figure out is what has made her sore as it was in the lines where her skin crinkles that were looking red when I noticed it and I'm sure where the lines were don't even touch the girth. I'm not sure if it might have been sweat or something that has aggravated it. I'm hoping the lambswool girth sleeve will wick away the sweat so there isn't as much friction but I don't know how it all works well enough.

Funnily enough I had same issue yesterday. One of my horses came in with a girth gall type swelling in arm pit.

I think mixture of an insect bite and the hot, wet, humid weather and wearing a fly rug.

Isnt under girth, but is close to it. I use a Lemieux sheepskin girth cover over a hy - comfort dressage girth which is even softer than the Kieffer prolite one.

I have bathed in hibiscrub and put vet’s mud fever cream on it, and a line of yellow fly strike cream surrounding it.

I am going to keep an eye on it, and use the lavender no rinse wash to sponge elbows and were tack goes after riding.

 

[Ellietotz]

Funnily enough I had same issue yesterday. One of my horses came in with a girth gall type swelling in arm pit.

I think mixture of an insect bite and the hot, wet, humid weather and wearing a fly rug.

Isnt under girth, but is close to it. I use a Lemieux sheepskin girth cover over a hy - comfort dressage girth which is even softer than the Kieffer prolite one.

I have bathed in hibiscrub and put vet’s mud fever cream on it, and a line of yellow fly strike cream surrounding it.

I am going to keep an eye on it, and use the lavender no rinse wash to sponge elbows and were tack goes after riding.

Ah sounds similar to what mine is then. I'm just going to keep it cleaned and treated until it has healed then keep an eye on it. Hopefully the girth sleeve will stop it happening again.

 

[Mouse166]

Mine had this, I didn't ride until it has cleared up, personally I didn't use anything on it as didn't want to irritate it, I always use a fluffy girth sleeve and before I ride I always stretch her front legs to stretch out the skin from under the girth (if that makes sense) ?!? and always sponge off the girth area after riding, so far (fingers crossed) never had a problem again.

 

[DabDab]

Hope it clears soon, she sounds like a sensitive soul. One thing I would say is to be a bit careful of constantly cleaning the area, because that will itself make the skin more sensitive to sweat, grease and dirt. Getting the sheepskin girth cover will help a lot, and then you can just brush or hot cloth any sweat residue off and wash properly every so often.

 

[Ellietotz]

Hope it clears soon, she sounds like a sensitive soul. One thing I would say is to be a bit careful of constantly cleaning the area, because that will itself make the skin more sensitive to sweat, grease and dirt. Getting the sheepskin girth cover will help a lot, and then you can just brush or hot cloth any sweat residue off and wash properly every so often.

Thank you, she is, bless her. Good point, I should have thought of that I won't touch it for the next couple of days to let it run it's course a bit and dry out. Unless antibacterial wound powder would help? I've dabbed a bit of Flamazine I have left from her last vet visit on it. I've practically run out and scraping it from the edges but it's just so good, I've put just tiny bits on cuts and it's brilliant. I noticed after further (obsessive) inspection today that there is another 1cm sized round patch behind the other shoulder too where the skin isn't pink. I'm stupid and kicking myself that I didn't notice before and can now understand it was probably the secondhand girth I used a few times which had split in quite a few places on the edges. I'm so annoyed with myself. Luckily none of them were open wounds, it's all just bare patches now but still a little lumpy. Is there anything I can do at this stage if it's underneath the skin now?

 

[Ellietotz]

Luckily none of them were open wounds, it's all just bare patches now but still a little lumpy. Is there anything I can do at this stage if it's underneath the skin now?

Anyone know what I can do now? Thank you

 

[fabbydo]

I would say don't ride until you have a good girth and sheepskin cover.

 

[Ellietotz]

I would say don't ride until you have a good girth and sheepskin cover.

Thank you. And it'll be okay now that they are just hairless patches?

 

[fabbydo]

Once you stop the rubbing, I'm sure they will clear up quickly. If they don't, ask a vet to have a look in case there is an infection (but I doubt it's this).