• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Help with swelling on withers

E

elwapo

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
817
Location
medicine hat
After a long day of roping at a branding my horse developed a ping pong ball swelling on the top right side of his withers. There was no surface abrasion at all. The swelling is soft to touch and seems painful. I have purchase a new gel saddle pad but the swelling comes back after riding or roping. I have also tried using different saddles without success. Any suggestions?
 
What does the swelling do? Does it just shrink and go away over a few days? Does it fester up and drain goo or scab over? Is this spot painful even when the swelling is gone? Is it hot to the touch?( I know most swelling is warm but I'm talking about holy cow that spot is hot!) How long has this been happening? Is this something new that has started this spring? Did the horse have the winter off? I need more info to give a really good ans.
But,
I'm going to assume that your saddle fits and that this is a new thing and has not been norm for this horse. With that in mind I would have to say this horse has something in that area that is causing the swelling. My 1st guess would be a sliver. He could have very easily picked one up on a good roll in the dirt. The entrance hole would not have been nothing to get upset about if you had seen it and if it happened over the winter with a long furry coat and not much being done with him(winter break/time off) You most likely would have never known about it. But now that he is being worked the problem is showing up. The entrance hole most likely closed up and "healed" the sliver under the skin/in the muscle. Now 95% of the time a small sliver is no big deal and the horses own body will attack it and slowly push it back out. But sometimes the body just can't push it out so it forms a capsule around the foreign object and thats, that. Until you come along and toss a saddle on it! Now because the body has healed itself like this there is no where for the sliver to go but deeper in every time the horse is saddled and worked. I would try an x-ray of the swelling if that shows nothing ultrasound it. A sliver of wood/stick might not always show on a normal x-ray where a sliver of some old wire will. This would explain how come it comes and goes(gets better after the sliver stops being moved around from the pressure of the saddle/rider), why it seems ouchy and why there would be no open sore. Just my two cents worth...lol i'll check back and see if you ans any of my ?'s and if more info changes my thinkin I'll let ya know.
 
The swelling originally happened a couple of srpings ago. There is never a scab or weeping. The selling goes down if the horse is rested for a few days but comes back with use. The spot is never hot. I have tried applying Bute with no affect.
 
I think this is a gall. Does your horse get ridden consistently? Is your horse too fat? Or does he not have a
very good wither? Often times, a horse that is out of shape will
experience a gall. If you keep riding him, the skin will break right
on top of the swelling you are seeing. That's not good.

We have had this happen once. We took a foam pad about
2" thick and cut holes in it the same size and place as the sore on
the horse and used that for a saddle pad with a navajo over the top. Years ago the calvery used vinegar water to toughen up a horses back.

How about your pads? Are they clean? Keep in mind, no pad will
fix a saddle that doesn't fit. For instance, a narrow-forked saddle
on a wide-backed or wide withered horse is bound to cause your
horse back trouble.
 
We had a thoroughbred mare that had something like that once,I caint remember what the vet called it,was a shame cause the mare could really run,but she had the symtoms you described but the swollen area would rupture and bleed,then get well for a month or so,then start again wheter she was rode or not,sorry just caint remember what the vet called it,mare got hauled to my brothers but I dont think there was a cure for the ailment,I will ask when I see him..................good luck
 
HAY MAKER said:
We had a thoroughbred mare that had something like that once,I caint remember what the vet called it,was a shame cause the mare could really run,but she had the symtoms you described but the swollen area would rupture and bleed,then get well for a month or so,then start again wheter she was rode or not,sorry just caint remember what the vet called it,mare got hauled to my brothers but I dont think there was a cure for the ailment,I will ask when I see him..................good luck
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of a fistula?

Elwapo, I had a saddle that was too narrow and caused lumps and bumps just like you are talking about. When your horse heals up again try one with a wider tree and see if that helps. I'm betting it will.
 
gcreekrch said:
HAY MAKER said:
We had a thoroughbred mare that had something like that once,I caint remember what the vet called it,was a shame cause the mare could really run,but she had the symtoms you described but the swollen area would rupture and bleed,then get well for a month or so,then start again wheter she was rode or not,sorry just caint remember what the vet called it,mare got hauled to my brothers but I dont think there was a cure for the ailment,I will ask when I see him..................good luck
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of a fistula?
Click to expand...
Elwapo, I had a saddle that was too narrow and caused lumps and bumps just like you are talking about. When your horse heals up again try one with a wider tree and see if that helps. I'm betting it will.
Click to expand...


Yes,I believe thats what she had.....................good luck
 

Latest posts

Back
Top