Rubs in armpit wrinkles?!

[tatty_v]

My Connie is 21 this year, he’s not overweight but he’s always been a bit wrinkly in various places as if he once was before I owned him.

He’s always had sensitive skin and at this time of year gets rubs in all sorts of places as his coat changes.

This year what can only be described as his armpit wrinkles (!) seem to have rubbed more than usual. It’s not his girth as it’s too far forward and he has a sheepskin sleeve on it anyway. So now in the creases of the armpitwrinkles the hair has rubbed away and I’m worried that if the rubbing continues it could break the skin.

Any suggestions for what to put on it to help? OH is a vet so I’ve asked him to take a look but I’m not sure he’s going to say a lot. I’ve got some Tiff pomade which worked well for bit rubs but I was thinking sudocreme? Antiseptic spray? Anti fungal shampoo? All suggestions welcome!

 

[Carrottom]

Vaseline would probably be good if you're not worried about it being a bit greasy/messy, or gold label wonder gel is good for minor skin problems.

 

[ester]

don't underestimate with movement how high up a girth can rub. Is it a full all the way round the girth sheepskin?

Owner of a welshie with wrinkly enough armpits that the last saddler who saw him (for a girth) exclaimed about them ? Always particularly susceptible at coat change time, better if clipped.

 

[brighteyes]

My Sec B is 21 and he gets dandruffy/crusty elbow-tips but only since his PPID-ness of the coat became evident.

 

[tatty_v]

don't underestimate with movement how high up a girth can rub. Is it a full all the way round the girth sheepskin?

Owner of a welshie with wrinkly enough armpits that the last saddler who saw him (for a girth) exclaimed about them ? Always particularly susceptible at coat change time, better if clipped.

Yep, full sheepskin sleeve all the way up to the saddle. I definitely notice it more at cost change time, he’s covered in random rubs at the moment! ?

 

[tatty_v]

Vaseline would probably be good if you're not worried about it being a bit greasy/messy, or gold label wonder gel is good for minor skin problems.

thank you, I’ve just bought the gold label gel. Sounds exactly what I’m after ?

 

[tatty_v]

My Sec B is 21 and he gets dandruffy/crusty elbow-tips but only since his PPID-ness of the coat became evident.

He has been tested for Cushings and is on prascend, although his coat didn’t seem to have changed much (it was the winding down from complete loon to more lethargic that triggered me checking!)

 

[Tash88]

My horse had this a couple of months ago, it became his favourite itchy spot, although I didn't like to itch it for him as I didn't want to make it sore. I used Filtabac and I'd do the same at this time of year as it's a great protective barrier, stays on in the field and will stop the flies getting to it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Does he get sweaty? If so just be sure to wash the area well and dry it with a towel, we had a super sensitive horse at work and he got almost bald in his armpits. Really emphasising the drying has helped no end.

 

[sbloom]

Some girth covers are so bulky that they actually make rubbing in the elbow worse as they stop the skin and flesh being able to move so easily, and make it all scrunched up. One of the key factors is how close the elbows sit to the ribcage, if they're close then a bulky girth could be an issue..

 

[Sprout]

One of mine has a similar sounding problem.
As it's an area where he can get sweaty, I keep him clipped there, gently wash with diluted Hibiscrub and dry, and for him, that had solved the problem.

 

[rabatsa]

I have had one that was tied in at the elbows and would rub at nothing. He had a motorbike inner tube over his girth and it worked. Far better than a sheepskin girth sleeve.

This was for carriage driving so no rider balance problems and a solid leather girth.

 

[tatty_v]

Thanks all, some really helpful suggestions.

OH took a look this morning and thinks it’s partly due to him not having great coat quality this year (my fault for not clocking that as he got older, soaked hay and a bit of happy hoof probably wasn’t enough, especially as we’ve been short of grazing this year) and partly just due to his wrinkly skin causing friction in his armpits.

He was happy there was no infection/skin thickening etc so has recommended just keeping the area lubricated until his summer coat comes through (when we usually don’t have a problem). We’ve added in a balancer recently and popped him on haemo tonic so hopefully we’ll start to see some improvements.

I am intrigued as to whether his girth cover is too chunky though and am going to have a think about that. I’ve noticed this year that as he gets older, things that I’ve used/done for the past 6 years suddenly don’t seem as effective/right so there’s probably some tweaking to be done.

In terms of sweat, he does get sweaty as he’s generally quite a warm boy, but I do always clip that area out and am diligent about sponging off. I hadn’t thought about drying so that’s on my list now too!

 

[Squeak]

One of mine has really wrinkly armpits, I initially had sheepskin on a leather girth but then swapped to a Fairfax and shape of it and the way it sits without too much pressure at the front allows the wrinkles to move and he's not had a rub from it.

 

[Goldenstar]

Fatty used to get sore skin there , he can’t sweat and one of the issues that causes if dry skin because he can’t cast cells normally.
baby oil works well .

 

[teddypops]

The same happens to my 30yo who has very wrinkly armpits! Everything rubs her except for the stubben cord girth’s. Her girth is behind the wrinkly area, but if I use a different girth then it makes the rubbed bits worse, so it must be because the skin is loose and moving maybe? I also put a bit of sudocrem on the dry skin.

 

[Birker2020]

You want something silky on it, how about Keratex powder, or just plain talc?

 

[HollyWoozle]

This is really good on people and I believe some do use it on horses? https://udderlysmooth.co.uk/product/chamois-anti-chaffing-cream-shea-butter/