Sore on back - pics

Marnie

Marnie

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My mare has had a sore on her back which started off as a bite, and then spread into a sore. She has just had 3 weeks off and the sore seemed to have healed, so I took her for a short hack yesterday. The sore came up again, and the area around is swollen - see pics

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The bottom one is a bit dark, but you can see the swollen area around the sore. I have checked her saddle and there is nothing there that could cause a problem. She has a Nuumed half wool numnah, and there is no sign of any problem on the other side of her back. I had the vet to look at her when the problem initially started, and she had bute, antibiotics and I had to wash in hibiscrub, since yesterday I have been cold hosing. The vet did mention that if it didn't heal they may need to swab - I am not so sure about that, although red, it is not weeping so I don't think it is infected.

Anyone any ideas?
 
Abcess or contact dermatitis. Could you have got any chemicals on the sheepskin or have you washed it? One of ours had sores like that when we washed his stuff in Ariel
 
Sounds too obvious for words but have you pressed along the underside of the sadlle to make sure there are no protruding nails or anything sharp? Just a thought.... x
 
No. 1 I certainly wouldn't be riding any horse with a problem like this. And No.2 I think in your position I'd be inclined to ask the vet to come and look at it.

It looks terribly sore.
 
Hi there, just to clarify, I haven't ridden her since this has come back up, it had appeared to have healed when i rode her on Saturday after 3 weeks off - obviously it hadn't though.
 
These things take ages on their back - so think you may be in for the long haul, and can probably write the summer off
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Hiya, Its wierd how its gone bald in places, looks like it could possibly be a rub??? Just a thought. Has your horse recently come back into work? I once bought a horse and this happened to her although a little further back and it turned out she hadnt been ridden for 12 mths. Her hair was rubbed and the area weeped, I felt awful. Gave her some time off and used a sheepskin half pad under her saddle for a while and she was fine then. She was really sensative and got rubbed from reins, my calves, everything especially at coat change time.
Hope shes ok soon.
 
I think that it is friction, she is very, very active in her movement, and I think that what started out as a bite became rubbed due to friction. She is very sensitive skinned as you mentioned. I did think about getting a dense foam riser pad and cutting a hole out to keep anything off the area (once it has healed) for a while. It is just frustrating that I think it has healed and then it flares up again! I have spoken to my vet and e mailed some pics to him today, so he is going to get back to me tomorrow to discuss more.

Thanks for the ideas!
 
I had something similar when I changed my delicate flower of a TB's numnah. The new one was cotton, with a nylon binding. As she sashayed her way along the road, the nylon binding sawed back and forward, generating heat and causing a friction burn.
I gave it away and got an all cotton one - no problems.
S :-)
 
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