# What is good for preventing/treating Girth galls ?



## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

Girth galls are the same as basic saddle rubs only at the girth area; normally just behind the elbow. If these are actually girth galls, just as you ar doing, you want to keep the area clean as well as any tack that touches the area. Clean your girth after every ride if regular leather or rinse if washable.

To treat, use an antibiotic ointment or other type wound ointment to help the wound heal. Use a fleece covered girth in the meantime if the horse doesn't seem to be reacting at all to the sore..some do, some don't. If however your horse is reacting with abnormal behavior, pinned ears, unwillingness to work, bucking or short stepping, you need to stop riding until the sores are completely healed.

As for cause, as you said, sweat is a big contributor, however, dirty tack, a too narrow girth, and even a poorly fitted saddle that allows movement of the girth (either forward and back or side to side) can also add to it.

Another issue is that this may not be girth galls but fungus. A gelding I had a ways back was prone to fungus. He got a case right in the girth area that was just about like you described, small lumps/balls on his coat and skin. Despite early treatment the fungus spread and I had to put the horse on steroids to get it to clear and I used a washable girth for a good month after, washing it in between every ride with a mixture of Betadine and fungus shampoo.


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## OliviaMyee (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks i usually wash the girth every time, but some times we don't so i will definitely make sure i do every time and i will do a wash on it with betadine after i ride and i will wash the girth in it to  I might just ride bare back today for a couple of minutes... but i have also noticed in some places small pieces of hair coming out of Slips coat there are only a couple places but underneath are whitish scabs where the hair is falling out do you know what this could be ? Slips previous lease owner noticed this and said it could be rain rot but Slip wears rugs when it rains.


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## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

Rain rot is a fungus and a horse can get it even when wearing a rain sheet..water drips, horse will still get damp and if the weather is warm, that is all fungus needs grow.

If what you are seeing doesn' t look like an actual wound and you have that flaking, best bet is to treat as a fungus.


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