Toughening skin

[Irishcobs]

Does anyone do this?
I know some people use surgical spirit to toughening the girth area. It's not something I have done, prefering to use girth sleeves etc on sensitive horses.
I have also heard that some hunters will use surgical spirit to toughen up the skin on their horse's bellies if they were going to hunt over particually thorny/goursey going. They say it works, making it harder for thorns to get in and the surgical spirit helps to clean any scratches.

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[the watcher]

I have known saline or surgical spirit to be used for this purpose - have luckily never needed to consider it myself

 

[Louby]

I tried it once on my old mare and it burnt her

She was sensitive though.

 

[jenbleep]

yep the riding school i used to go to used surgical spirit on their backs and girth areas