Sores on back - pics...

Marnie

Marnie

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I am having real trouble with Marnie's back, after riding, she is getting sores on her back, I have checked her numnah (clean), made sure that she is clean and it is still happening. I think that it is a combination of her getting hot (she really sweats) and because she is so active, her saddle moving a bit. She is ridden in a treeless, but she had a similar problem last year, ridden in a GP. She hasn't had a problem all winter. I have started using a breastplate which has helped a bit, but it is still happening. The pics show her back after a week - we did a 15 mile ride last Sunday and she hasn't been ridden since.

Anyone any ideas on how to stop it happening and how to treat now - people have suggested various things such as witch hazel (blue tinge is 'blue ice' a cooling gel with witch hazel and arnica in it). The sores are dry.

Help! Thanks!

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Oh my goodness! No saddle should cause rubs like that
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Please have your saddle checked by a good saddler and be prepared to replace it - you can't go on using the one you have. It doesn't matter if your horse has a big movement - a correctly fitted saddle in a style that suits her shape will not move. I think you need to consider moving back to a treed saddle - perhaps something like the saddle company ones would suit her? Good luck.
 
These look really uncomfortable for your horse and i would serioulsy IMHO give her/his back plenty of time to heal fully before putting a saddle on it,,, and consider changing saddle to one can use all year round without causing your poor horse this skin condition, the position of the rash is where the pressure of saddle is at its most, so you IMO are right to put it down to the saddle, i would seriously have a chat with a vet and make sure no organisim has got into it and making it worse(they can take a skin scrape) she may have a sensitive skin which would predispose her to this problem aswell again your vet would be able to advise!! * healing vibes for your horse*
 
Hi, I agree with the comments above. Firstly, don't rider her until these have healed - they look really sore.

Secondly, get a good recommended saddler out to look at her saddle, as it's really unacceptable that it is causing this much damage. I'd show him the photos of the saddle sores so that he can see where the movement is at its worse.

It may be that she changes shape during the summer and that is why both the GP and Treeless rubbed at this time of year. Does she put on or lose condition in the summer? Is she in more or less work than in the winter?

If that is the case, you should have your saddle checked and adjusted at least every 6 months, to reflect her changing shape.

In the future you could also try riding with a real sheepskin numnah or saddle cloth - they a great at absorbing sweat and are very cushioning.
 
Hello! My mare has old saddle sores like this. This was from an old owner who had a ill-fitting saddle on her. She now has one that fits her to a T. The sores on your horse are exactly where my horse's are.

Although my mares back is fine now, touch wood, the only time the area will go to look pink is this time of the year. I think it's to do with warmth and sweat. I use a gel-eze pad and a thick padded sheepskin numanh. As soon as I get off her back has a hose down (during summer) and I use hibi-scrub to bath them with.

I had to turn her out to the field for six months while her back healed. When a scrab forms eventually I pick it off, thats what I've been advised. Get her saddle checked as soon as possible.

Healing vibes to her!
 
Years ago I bought a horse with a months trial. I used my saddle which wasnt a bad fit and I got similar patches under where I would sit (sorry cant remember saddle part) I mentioned this to the owner and they reluctantly leant me her saddle and the same thing happened. I did ride again about a week later but used a thick proper sheepskin numnah and she was much better. Turns out she hadnt been ridden for 12 mths through injury (found this out a year later) and she was in soft condition. Once she fittened up it didnt happen again although she always rubbed very easily eg my reins on her neck, wher my calves touched her etc.
I agree to get your saddle checked asap but just thought it may be worth mentioning this.
 
Thanks all, just to clarify a couple of things....

This happened once before at the same time last year when wearing a made to measure GP that had been fitted about a month previously. She had had no problems until we did a long ride on a particuarly hot day - same as this time. I think another thing contributing is that her coat was changing then, just as it is now. She is particularly sensitive skinned - very pink skinned and rubs easily - reins on her neck, your legs if wearing suede chaps etc. She had about three weeks off, and it didn't happen again until now.

The vet is coming out next week to check and make sure that there is no infection - they are very dry though, and one thing I wondered was whether I should be encouraging them to dry or keep them moist. Once healed, I will get my saddle checked again, but don't want to do it until they are healed. Thanks for the ideas re: numnahs - I did wonder about sheepskin, but was worried that she would get even hotter, I have got one, so once all healed, everything checked etc I will try it.

Thanks again.
 
well they look like calssic saddle sore spots to me- looks like the saddle is not distributing your weight evenly across it and hence rubbing at certain points, i would be very concerned that the saddle you have just doesn't suit her shape, imo its unfair to ride her with that sort of sore, dry or not, i'd get a different saddle fitter and reconsider the whole thing.
 
Sorry, think you must have misunderstood me - I am not riding her at the moment, and won't be until the sores are healed.
 
I was advised to let them dry and then pick the scrab off. My mare is extremely sensitive like yours by the sounds of things. She has a couple of rub marks where the reins rest and I won't use spurs on her because she marks so easily. Once they are better it might be worth getting a physio or someone similar to check her back as a whole.
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a sensitive horse, and I thought cobs were supposed to be tough! I am pretty sure that it is sweat scald, but am going to get everything checked as soon as she is healed.
 
I have a very sensitive skinned TB who gets very twitchy in the saddle area particularly when his coat changes. He also gets very hot and sweaty
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We used to ride out for hours on end (up to around 5 hours) and I needed something that would stop him getting too hot and sweaty and be 'forgiving' on any saddle movement at all
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So about 5 years ago I invested in a Mattes Platinum range Numnah where the sheepskin does not run along the spine. This £86 plus that it cost then, has been the best investment ever, and as long as you brush the dried sweat off and wash it reguarly it does the trick .... I know he is not a Cob but he is a sweaty betty
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See Mattes Numnah Spine Free

They do a less expensive range, but I am showing you this one as all these years later, mine is going strong, even though it is now blue instead of black
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You can get horses that have Hypermobility through the spine causing the saddle to rub regardless of how well it fits the horse. I have an Anglo with exactly the same problem, he has a huge walk and his spine almost moves in a capital S if left to his own devices! I have had my husband (Vet) look at him, my trainer whom is an Equine Osteopathist and was given a clean bill of health. I have now prevented this happening for the last 2 years by the following; firstly I waited until the sores totally healled up then I applied a small amount of methylated spirits (twice a week for a month) over the areas where it rubbed, this actually hardens the skin over time so less likely to rub away easily, Meths is used by a lot of top eventers, dressage trainers & driving people where harnesses, tack & even bit rings sit. Don't use it until the sores are totally non sensitive or it is quite painful (a bit like vinegar in a cut) then I always use a REAL sheepskin numnah as this wicks away the sweat and prevents them getting hot under the saddle too. Incidentally, Treeless saddles are renound for rubbing certain horses so you might find the sores are less severe with a Tree'd saddle, it doesn't help the fact that your horse is predominently white were the saddle sits as the skin is usually pink so it is more sensitive. Hope this helps you.
 
Thanks for this - she really is the most mobile horse that I have ever sat on - I know that she looks like a fat cob, but she is incredibly flexible, can turn on a sixpence and once managed to kick me with a hind leg when I was standing in front of her shoulder - I was trying to clip her at the time, and she was sedated, I wouldn't have believed it if a friend hadn't witnessed it!!

When i am riding, people have told me that she shifts the saddle as strides - the movement is less with the treeless than with treed saddles, but the only time it has caused this sort of problem is when her coat is changing. I use the proper physio pad for my barefoot saddle, and put a numnah under it - she gets so sweaty that this saves the physio pad from getting soaked - I have a numed wool numnah, would that be the same as 'sheepskin'? I'll give that a try once all healed.

Thanks again - your horse's problem sounds very like Marnies.
 
The Nu-med isnt the same as real sheepskin, I too tried the Nu-med first but they cost almost the same as the real sheepskin!! Mates is a slightly more expensive one but you can pick them up on ebay quite cheap and they come up beautifully everytime you wash them.
 
Having spent entire working days in my old job at a tack shop this winter with my hands stuffed up a sheepskin numnah to try and keep them warm, I can confirm that NuuMed are not proper sheepskin!
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Expensive as they are you need a Mattes Platinum or a LeMieux.
A friend of mine has a horse with large lumps on his saddle patch which have caused a lot of grief in the past. We are almost certain that the lumps were caused by a rubbing saddle, I imagine they first looked like the sores in the pic and then they developed. Sadly this horse was not treated and carried on being ridden (he was a good SJer in his day) and eventually due to the saddling issues he started bucking violently and was sold on as no good for jumping. Lucky for him his current owner panders to his every whim and has tried a million and one saddles on him to find the right one that doesn't irritate the lumps.
Re: wound healing, as far as I know the current thought is still that moist healing is far better than dry. I would rather die than let someone douse my horse's wounds in that awful wound powder, or even worse purple spray!!
 
Thanks - that is really interesting re: the sheepskin - guess it is shopping for me then!!

Re: wound healing - having had some experience, that is my reaction, to keep most wounds moist, but wasn't sure with these due to their position.
 
Just thought i'd mention that ebay have some very reasonably priced REAL sheepskin numnahs on at the moment for £41.99 usually £60. I use the Mattes and Stephens equally as good as each other especially to wash too.
 
I have a Mattes platinum sheepskin saddle cloth - it is fantastic and spooks is def more comfy in it - the saddlefix system is well worth it as well. The one thing i would say is that I have a white horse and bought a black quilt pad with red sheepskin - looked fantastic!......until the red colour ran and dyed his back bright red!! I must also say that I spoke to Mattes and they were incredibly helpful and have sent me a dye remover for spooks coat and a replacement saddlepad with natural colour fleece. Their tech department said that in rare cases a horses sweat can have high ammonia levels and that can lead to the colour running - just unfortunate that this just happened on a pure white horse!!

I dont want to put you off a mattes pad at all - they are fantastic, just due to your horses colour - pick your pad colour wisely!!
 
Hello all, thanks for all of the advice, it has been really helpful, looks like I need to go shopping once everything has been checked!
 
Clearly saddle sores. i would keep the wound moist to encourage the hair growth. If the skin is broke, apply salt water to the wound to heal it then afterwards Mega Tek hair restorer. You may need to cover with sunscreen as well if turned out without a rug (even a flyrug).

The saddle shouldnt move and if you have a big striding horse the saddle should fit such that it accomodates the movement. I would seriously get a good saddler out and try a variety of different saddles to see which suits you best.

also, a real sheepskin numnah would be beneficial, but please ensure that the saddle is fitted correctly. I found the mattes ones, Le mieux, bartl and stephens ones to be good, although bear in mind that they do sometimes vary in terms of softness. I would not use a nuumed sheepskin although I love their everyday numnahs.

I am not sure it is advisable to use a sheepskin with a treeless, as depending on the model of saddle you currently have I would think that the specially designed pads are required.
 
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