Wind Galls - what are they?

[Serephin]

I think my boy has a wind gall, quite a large one it seems, about the size of a golf ball - He isn't lame and doesn't mind me prodding and poking it. What are they? Should i be worried?

Any info very appreciated, thanks!

 

[xRobyn]

This shows you where they tend to pop up http://chestofbooks.com/animals/hor...d-Galls-A-Tendon-of-the-Flexor-Perforatus.jpg

Phil has windgalls. They were caused by constant pacing on hard ground and rear their head every summer They cause him no problems, he's never been lame or sore etc. I just tend to take it easy when the ground is rock solid, and cold hose to reduce them. It's a sac that fills with excess synovial fluid (which I think lubricates the joint). You can have the sacs cleared by vets, however the sac remains and so just re-fills over time. I think joint supplements can help, but most of the time, so long as the horse isn't bothered they should be fine

 

[Kenzo]

Depends where they are and the type of windgall and what could be causing them, ideally you should find out the type and what could be causing it, but basically it’s a build up of excess synovial fluid in the tendon sheaths.

(my little loan mare has them, hence why I looked all this up so the snippets of info may be usefual to you)
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Most of them don’t cause any problems (lameness) and you don’t have anything to worry about, more cosmetic than anything else, although in hindsight it’s better find the route of what’s causing it.

Cold hosing and bandaging can help reduce the swelling as well as magnetic therapy (magnetic boots)

Exercise can also improve them (if there filling due to stiffness)

Being overworked on hard ground can cause them, therefore a rest period of few weeks at grass can clear them up.

Change in temperature will also bring them out, on a hot day or through summer they will flare up.
Apparently if you feed clivers (it’s a herb) its very good for horses that suffer from windgalls, acts as diuretic, tonic.
Also feeding human glucosamine tablets may help but that’s really for joint problems.

 

[Serephin]

thank you loads - that is very helpful, thanks!