Sores behind elbows?

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Jericho

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I have had my new mare about 4 weeks now but am worried about some sores behind both elbows. They appeared after a lesson I had where she worked quite hard in a girth and saddle that she came with. Neither myself or instructor were particulary happy with saddle fit but agreed she was fine to do some work (all in walk trot) and have saddler coming next week to fit for a new one. She hasnt really been worked at all except the odd hack at the weekend and is TBx and IMO a little underweight. Anyway, the sores developed, I felt awful and havent obviously ridden since. I thought all was going well, the sores have calmed right down, scabbed over and looked just like a bit of hairless rub. However, today she was having a mad scoot around the field when her companion went out for a hack and got sweaty under her rug so I bought her in to give her some attention / cool her down and noticed the sores had come back so am confused whether from girth or the skin is just rubbing between elbow and barrel (if you see what I mean!) Anyone have any ideas as to how I can help solve this and help the poor old girl? Do you think its just a case of she got sore from the horrible girth and the mad gallop just rubbed the sore again but once healed (and new girth etc) will be fine? Anything I could apply to stop it rubbing eg vaseline?

Sorry for long rambling post!
 
That little bit behind the elbow can get very sweaty just from the horse's own movement and activity - may be worse at the mo coz of winter coats being shed. It can then be made worse by getting sweaty when being ridden and just the movement of the foreleg back and forth over sweaty skin can cause soreness. She might just be one of those sweaty horses! I'd treat it now as you would rainscald, ie gentle washing with hibiscrub and carefully drying. I wouldn't put anything greasy on it but I think for ever more you're gonna have to sponge that bit off after every ride and keep a careful eye on it. My old grey Highland x used to get the same thing in the same place and if you don't get it sorted it becomes a chronic skin condition and the danger then is that it can slowly turn into something much more nasty.
 
I have been applying just an oily based antibacterial cream, after washing with mild solution of hibiscrub. The top layer of skin very quickly peeled away to leave healed skin underneath, until she then went and got sweaty in the field again and thas when I noticed the skin had cracked despite. Hence I was keeping it clean, and then dried well (but not overly scrubbed (washed twice in 5 days), and then moisturing and protecting every day). I think it very much is the sweating elbow movement thing that box of frogs mentioned. I did mention it to her previous owner and she said she had never had the problem in 5 years she had her with same girth / saddle (so then I felt even more awful although I guess the owner may be light with truth......)
 
My mare suffers from this and she isn't even being ridden at the moment! I have found the most effective treatment is E45 cream, it seems to keep the skin soft without being too soft and for the first time in ages, my mare actually has hair growing back on the areas.
 
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