Mashing her tail up in trailer and making a real mess of it!

[Bugly]

I have had my mare for 3 years, in that time i've only taken her for short journey's in the trailer, say 15/30mins max.

I always bandage her tail (not tight I promise!) and a tail guard as she has a tendency to mash her tail up.

If we have been out for say 20 mins the trailer a few days after she always has flaky scabs at the top of her tail and sometimes she gets the same on the point of her buttock. I think she must sit on the ramp and the motion rubs the tail.

Last week I took her showjumping and the trip was an hour in the trailer. She was well protected as usual with tail bandage and a guard. On Wednesday last week I noticed a big scab, say 1 nch square at the top of her tail.....she wont let me touch it. On Sunday I got someone to hold her (she kicks like a bugger) and investigated, a huge chunk of skin has come loose, you can lift it up and see the start of the hair follicles underneath, under that there is raw pink skin that looks extremely sore.

I sprayed it with some of the gentle Swedish Forumla Wound Spray (would have used Alow Spray Veterinary Formula but it was frozen!).

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I'm really worried about it, I really hope the scab doesn't come off because she'll have a big open wound and a very sore/bald tail.

For the future I'm thinking I'll have to get her a
quater guard

For the short term any ideas on how I should treat this awful abrasion on her tail?

 

[Cahill]

my pony `sits` on her tail in a trailer.
i bought a neophrane tail guard and it works.
i would smear the wound with sudocream.

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

Oh that sounds nasty the poor girl.

Is it definatelt only in the trailer she is rubbing it? It seems that the wounds come up far to quickly for only 15 mins of rubbing. (Depending on how often you travel her that is)

It sounds like sweet itch of something alike. Im not an expert on this but im sure it is worse in the summer?! I stand to be corrected.

May be worth getting vet to take a look and maybe some swabs to rule out mite or a skin condition.

 

[Bugly]

No its definitely from travelling....it was an hour journey that has caused the current injury and she has never has any other kind of tail/skin issues. These rubs only happen when I travel her.

I have tried all types of tail guard- a Woof Wear one, a padded Premier Equine one- a Thermatex one...all do the same!

 

[mil1212]

I had a problem like this which started in our old lorry, I thought it was because it seemed to tilt to the off side, therefore the horses were sitting on their tail. I'd travel a 17.3 and a 15hh and they both got the same, sometimes under their tail too. Now I have a new lorry it still happens occasionally, like you I have tried different combinations of tail bandages and guards, but nothing has really helped, it definately is worse in hotter weather. I have also purchased a quarter guard, but pony has been off games for 6 months so we haven't road tested it! Sorry I haven't really helped, but I know those rub marks! Maybe a rug with a tail flap would help?

 

[Angua2]

My Mare does the same and my gelding was even worse. I use a neoprene tail wrap ( found it better than a bandage) and a N.E.W quarter guard http://www.newequinewear.co.uk/products/details/26/

best thing I ever bought

 

[Bugly]

I think I'll have to travel her in her summer sheet (a Kool Coat Combo which has a tail flap).....a Neoprene Guard and a quarter guard.

I'm pleased its not just me- I hope to god the injury heals up well though..otherwise she's going to look a right mess and be in alot of pain. thank goodness there are no flies about right now.

 

[Kallibear]

Pink did that to her tail

She travelled with the tail guard just fine but I managed to loose it for the way home.

She is a TERRIBLE traveller and sits on the bum bar the whole time. As she's quite a big horse she needs the bar on it's further back setting, so she cheesegrated her tail on the shiney new Ifor Williams ramp matting

When we got home (just 15mins) she'd rubbed a patch out about 2" wide and a good 6" long, totally red raw

I puffed a little wound powder into it but otherwise left it and pulled the tail off after a couple of day, once it was less sore. it heal up perfectly and everything grew back ok thankfully.

 

[CBFan]

I don't know how big she is but it might be worth setting the breech bar as far forward as possible so that she can't sit on the ramp - I know that IFORs have 3 settings...

 

[Kallibear]

For Pink? Problem solved by just not travelling her! She is truely appalingly awful with a partition. She's bent 3 breeching bars and after she nearly tipped the trailer she's been banned from travelling with a parition!! If she really needs to go somewhere she goes without a partition and she's perfect.