So fed up - Girth galls again

[JANANI]

We were supposed to be competing tomorrow. I decided to give the ginger one a lazy day today so we went for a hack. Anyhow he was in great form and was a complete eejit. Spooking and jumping at everything which resulted in me laughing at him. I took him into the school to practice medium walks and free walks on a loose rein (which he did perfectly on the hack). He did it pretty well and I decided to call it a day and brought him back in the yard to start plaiting him up for tomorrow. Starting untacking him and I noticed he had a girth gall in his usual place. He has a special shaped girth, lambs wool cover and groomed to perfection before he went out and he wasn't overly sweaty .

I am so fed up loosing out in the summer season due to bl***y girth galls. He missed the summer when he was 5 due to girth galls, last year I had a broken arm and this year girth galls again. It is always his RHS and in front of the girth.

I feel lost as I don't know how to prevent them. Touch wood we do not seem to have this issue during the winter as due to his fine TB coat he doesn't need clipped. Any ideas of anything else I can do to prevent them.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Ditch the dead sheep and try a string girth instead.

 

[hayinamanger]

Really frustrating for you. If you use a leather atherstone girth and keep him scrupluously clean, then I'm at a loss, too. Putting witch hazel on the galls is good and when they have started to heal, apply surgical spirit a few times a day, rub it in on some cotton wool, this will help harden the skin. Some people find the Stubben string girths very good and also you can get gel girths, but I have no experience of either.

 

[Topaz Tiger]

I had exactly the same problem with my horse, same place etc.
I got a shaped sheepskin girth cover and it sorted the problem, it was a Lemieux one.

 

[china]

My only experience of girth galls was from a badly fitting saddle which made the girth sit two far forward. New saddle was fitted and the girth was then a good inch or so back from where it originally sat. No more girth gall. Like I say, that was my only experience. I'm sure there are many causes. Perhaps you just have a very sensitive neddy.

 

[Honey08]

I was always taught to bathe the area with saltwater to harden the skin there. I think modern girths have a lot of plastic that makes them sweat.

 

[hayinamanger]

I meant to add, stretch each front leg forwards after girthing up, it smoothes the skin out.

 

[ester]

He's ginger its not his fault seriously though they do seem to be more prone (my ginger welsh is.. welsh so should be tough and I think it is a case of finding what suits each horse.

Mine can't get on with a string girth because he has a forwards girth groove and they rub his elbows, his nice atherstone leather one was a bit too narrow and would rub behind the elbows.. a ergonomic shaped one made him bleed on first use..

I find he is better in a sleeve if I don't need it but during particularly sensitive times (coat changing) I use one. The best girth for him is an aerborn atherstone waffle.. which has elastic both ends.. I think the latter bit is important for him does yours have this?

Interestingly he is better in winter when he is clipped because there is no hair for the girth to grip on and rub.

conversely our other mare gets on really well with an ergonomic girth (also has a bit belly and forwards groove) with sheepskin on the top.

 

[g16]

my mare got them one summer and now is prone to getting them unless i harden up the skin. try rubbing surgical spirits on the area for a couple of days. really worked for mine. oh and always pull the leg forward after tightening the girth.

 

[suzysparkle]

Get one of these :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRIST-HO...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item519ab70ec7
Much much better than a sleeve.

 

[JANANI]

I stretch his legs every time I tack him up, fly rug (in case it was a fly bite) and I have used meths to harden the area up. Hence my frustration as I feel like I have tried everything.

I had thought of my saddle but I still have the same issue with my jumping saddle with a cut away girth .

Piebaldsparkle. The string girth. Can you get this for a dressage saddle and could you send me a link on where to get it.

JANA

 

[ester]

how short does it need to be?

the stubben ones are super soft and go down to 28"
http://www.4dobbin.com/p-Trevira-Cord-Girth-Stubben.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gmc

 

[emma.is]

Could it be dirt on the girth? A friend has to have a few different girth sleves and wash after EVERY use

 

[JANANI]

Esther

I love my gingers I have two lol. It probably doesn't help that he has a forward girth groove. His aerbourne girth seems to be to forward and will give him a girth gall so I stopped using it. It was as if it was too bulky.

I was just thinking he has bit of a belly at the minute which he wouldn't have in the winter or the spring. I wonder would this effect it. Given that he is a TB I like to put a bit of weight on him in the summer for the winter.

 

[Karran]

This is probably quite a numpty thing to say/ask. But I remember being told back in the day, that string girths caused galls as bits of skin got pinched in between the pieces.

Clearly this information was wrong?

 

[JANANI]

''Could it be dirt on the girth? A friend has to have a few different girth sleves and wash after EVERY use ''

My hubby would love that and my washing machine would be wrecked. lol. The girth sleeve was clean and was only washed a couple of days ago. Hence, my hubbys work clothes have a few horse hairs on them.

Looking at the string girth. Could you use that with a dressage saddle?

 

[prettypony95]

my old pony suffered with girth galls and we always used this:

http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/...essories&subcatname=Girth+Sleeves&itemid=1181

and had no problems but eventually found that it always slipped which was a pain then eventually we bought one of these:

http://www.wintec.net.au/products/mounts/chafelessGirth.html

hope this helps

 

[Maesfen]

I hate elastic ended girths with a vengeance, appalling pieces of tack but that's by the by.

Make sure all of your girths and sleeves are pristine clean as well as the horse. Bathe the area with surgical spirits (but not if the skin is broken; if it's broken then do use salt and warm water until it's healed well then start with surgical spirit which will harden the skin. Also always pull the legs forward to avoid wrinkles, make sure you keep number of holes either side evenly and if elastic one side only remember to change sides regularly too. Elastic ends encourage the saddle to move much more which is when you get the friction and if you use a girth sleeve this can also ruck up as the saddle moves, all potential causes of girth galls. Girth sleeves need to be washed after every use to avoid GG too.

 

[ester]

karan strings are pretty good these days I think as they can allow the air to circulate more and are wide so they spread the pressure. The trouble I had was that it bunched up behind his elbows.

I actually prefer a non-elasticated and think many people over tighten them otherwise.. unfortunately frank doesn't!

have only very rarely had a problem where the skin is broken, mostly just hair loss being a problem hence surgical spirit has never really helped.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Piebaldsparkle. The string girth. Can you get this for a dressage saddle and could you send me a link on where to get it.

JANA

Dam no never seen them for a dressage saddle (although they go short enough for some, the buckles are unguarded ).

Their neoprene dressage girths are really soft and great for sensitive horses, dunno if they would be any good for galls though.

http://stubbenuk.co.uk/dressagepagelgg1.htm

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I had a similar problem. I ended up using a stud girth with a sheepskin lining that velcros on. I have to keep it the sheepskin really clean. I wouldn't dare use a string girth on my mare - I can't even ride in certain boots because they rub her.