Rubs/Friction Sores on TB Ribcage - Advice Needed

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NaughtyMagpie

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My TB gelding has developed bare patches on his ribcage where either my boots or numnah have rubbed during my last days hunting. He is blanket clipped so the rubs are on the clipped bit, it hasn't happened before as his previous clip was maybe an inch lower so the area was better protected with hair. I have put Sudocrem on the rubs but is there anything else I can put on it to encourage healing & hair growth?
Google hasn't helped much, it keeps coming up with girth gall treatment which has mentioned surgical spirit - I think he would climb the walls if I put something so harsh on!
The skin isn't broken, it just looks a bit sore, hairless and slightly pink. The horse isn't one to complain, loves his hunting and I had no idea throughout the incredibly wet & muddy day that such an injury had occurred till we had finished for the day.
He lives out & is now finished for the season & is having 4-6 weeks off so there is plenty of air getting to the sore bits but they are staying clean & dry.
 
I think the surgical spirit would be for after it's healed when you know that area needs toughened up. My new WB has bald patches from my boots and the saddle cloth. They aren't sore but unsightly. I think I'm going to have to invest in one of these belly band things if it happens next year but I'm hoping he will be more used to me by then.
 
The racehorses often get these in various places. We usually put savlon on for a day or two then nothing. Not a lot you can do. It will look less angry in a day or two. Then the top layer of skin will peel off after 5-7days. Hair regrowth will depend on the horse. You could put Megatek on if you really wanted but as his summer coat will be coming in it will fill in quick enough itself.
 
I have Arabs and they get rug rubs and especially this time of year when the coat is changing the numnah can rub and so can reins on their neck, I tend to spray them everyday with mane and tail spray it helps everything not to rub, if I get bald spots I use gold label wonder gel it soothes the skin and helps hair regrowth and neither of mine are allergic to it, just be careful with some of the hair growth products some horses can be sensitive to them.
 
Crikey, of all the horses I've had (thin coated breeds mostly) I don't think I've ever got rubs that sound like that (or any for that matter) - how are you riding up where your saddlecloth is?
 
tallyho! said:
Crikey, of all the horses I've had (thin coated breeds mostly) I don't think I've ever got rubs that sound like that (or any for that matter) - how are you riding up where your saddlecloth is?
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The binding on saddlecloth's rubs quite easily on a freshly clipped horse under the girth. Especially if the horse gets sweaty and is wearing it for a long period of time - ie out hunting.
 
EKW said:
The binding on saddlecloth's rubs quite easily on a freshly clipped horse under the girth. Especially if the horse gets sweaty and is wearing it for a long period of time - ie out hunting.
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Nope. Not even on a mild day have I seen that. Also I've ridden in hot countries and never had this. We were always told not to over-tighten and we always rode "from the knees" leaving out legs fairly loose unless needed. I worked at a polo yard (somewhere in asia) and I was responsible for tack changes with a few other girls as one my first ever "jobs" and none of the ponies ever suffered with rubs like described. Maybe it's the way they rode - off the saddle and on the knee and I was always told not to do up too tight so the player can shift. People think the saddles are done up too tight but on the contrary, they have to be able to shift it all time in case of slips - they have to ride and play from the hips/waist not legs.

I've seen some terrible polo-playing since - I guess nothing is ever the same :(

p.s. yes I have seen rubs on other horses but I have no idea why our trainers were all fine. also this was back in the 80's and I ahve changed my riding several times since and actually - recently I've come back to this approach.
 
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Some horses get prone to bald patches when the coat changes - if it's not bothering hin, it's quite possibly just the hair.
 
tallyho! said:
Nope. Not even on a mild day have I seen that. Also I've ridden in hot countries and never had this. We were always told not to over-tighten and we always rode "from the knees" leaving out legs fairly loose unless needed. I worked at a polo yard (somewhere in asia) and I was responsible for tack changes with a few other girls as one my first ever "jobs" and none of the ponies ever suffered with rubs like described. Maybe it's the way they rode - off the saddle and on the knee and I was always told not to do up too tight so the player can shift. People think the saddles are done up too tight but on the contrary, they have to be able to shift it all time in case of slips - they have to ride and play from the hips/waist not legs.

I've seen some terrible polo-playing since - I guess nothing is ever the same :(

p.s. yes I have seen rubs on other horses but I have no idea why our trainers were all fine. also this was back in the 80's and I ahve changed my riding several times since and actually - recently I've come back to this approach.
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I think it has more to do with the time of year as my horses only get rub marks in spring when the last clip is growing out, nothing rubs them at any other time of the year it may be that the skin is more sensitive due to coat change, I don't think it has anything to do with how you ride.
 
Mine has had this in the last few weeks - unsightly rubs each side. They haven't been sore at all. I think it is where the coat is changing and it got all sort of short and wiry as it never happens at other times of the year. It is growing out now. He did get 2 small bald patches under his girth too which also didn't get sore. I put some Gold Label skin hardener on those so I felt like I was doing something. He didn't object at all. I don't know if it helped or not but the hair is growing back there too.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I think it has more to do with the time of year as my horses only get rub marks in spring when the last clip is growing out, nothing rubs them at any other time of the year it may be that the skin is more sensitive due to coat change, I don't think it has anything to do with how you ride.
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Mine too.Exactly the same.I used to think it was the way my horse moved but its only apparent at this time of year as her coat changes then it disappears.
 
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After my horse's allergic reaction, long story, I used sheepskin/lambswool after and never had a problem, I eventually went back to my prolite all in one saddle pad, but still used the lambswool girth cover
 
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