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What's the best cure for saddle sores?

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There are differences in felt pads and since I don't want to be responsible for ruining yours: :wink:

how about just trying the garden hose?

On this subject, I think the very best way to wash navajos and other blandkets (not pads) is in an old wringer washer. Has anyone tried that? We used to do wash them that way, but no longer have the old wringer washer.

I think our blankets are dirty because they are sliding around pretty bad now. Last fall we heard how good the Professional Choice Air Ride pads are so we bought one to try. They do stay in place really well and are easy to clean. That is all you need, just that pad.

I read in Western Horseman where too many pads are as bad or worse than not enough. I think the article was in reference to team roping horses, as too many pads cause the saddle to roll and sore the horse.
 
I heard that Preparation-H works wonders on saddle sores. I've been told it will help grow the hair faster than anything? :wink:
 
Those white marks on the back or withers you all are talking about, are caused by a former saddle sores. That is what I am talking about. Those white marks are where the hair tends to come off and a new sore will develope. When I said saddle sores, I was talking about the hair coming off and a scab forming in its place. I was not talking about sore muscles, stiff, or stoked up. It is not possible to pre-condition all of the horses before the roundups ( there are too many). We ride everyday, 365 days a year, rain or shine. A short day in the saddle is no less than 8 hours. Maybe the guy that recomended Preparation-H meant to use it on the cowboys not the horses, now I'm not sure. The other day I checked out the new Professional Choice Air-ride foam pads. They apear to have a lot of cushion but they don't look like they would breath and cool very well. They might work ok for 3-4 hours for a rodeo horse, but I don't think they would work well for 8-12 hours dailey ranch work. But I don't have any experience with these. The local saddle maker said he sells a lot of egg crate foam pads to the ranches to use on horses with chronic saddle sores.
 
Ranchero said:
Those white marks on the back or withers you all are talking about, are caused by a former saddle sores. That is what I am talking about. Those white marks are where the hair tends to come off and a new sore will develope. When I said saddle sores, I was talking about the hair coming off and a scab forming in its place. I was not talking about sore muscles, stiff, or stoked up. It is not possible to pre-condition all of the horses before the roundups ( there are too many). We ride everyday, 365 days a year, rain or shine. A short day in the saddle is no less than 8 hours. Maybe the guy that recomended Preparation-H meant to use it on the cowboys not the horses, now I'm not sure. The other day I checked out the new Professional Choice Air-ride foam pads. They apear to have a lot of cushion but they don't look like they would breath and cool very well. They might work ok for 3-4 hours for a rodeo horse, but I don't think they would work well for 8-12 hours dailey ranch work. But I don't have any experience with these. The local saddle maker said he sells a lot of egg crate foam pads to the ranches to use on horses with chronic saddle sores.
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I guess if your using them that hard and are ridng 365, then you must just need to change horses more often. I'm sure it's more of a problem with sore backs in the hot weather. And as metioned earlier on this thread, clean saddle pads probably would help.

Do your saddles fit the horses backs?

No pad in the world will fix an ill fitting saddle.

The white marks on my horses withers don't ever lose the hair or form a scab. If I had a horse with a scab or open sore on his withers, I wouldn't ride him until he was all healed up. Unless it was an emergancy and then I would cut a hole in the pad so there was no pressure on the sore.

If you have too many horses to get into condition, why don't you have enough to change to different horses during the day, or is it just too unhandy to take them along for the days work?

I visited with a feller who worked on a ranch in New Mexico, that was long and narrow. He said it was 25 miles to the back side and they didn't have any way to get there except to ride. This was in rough country, not flat. They would each take 3 horses and change and leave one about half way and then change to the third horse when they got to the far end. When they were done with their work, they would ride the rested horse back to where they left the first horse and then ride him on home. Or whatever worked so that all the horses were getting the same amount of use. I think then the next day those 3 horses got a rest and they would take 3 other horse and maybe even had 3 more for the next day, so that a horse was only used every 3 days. Said he sure got his butt into shape and hardened in, while working there! :)
 
Remember I'm an old timer and in 67 years I've never personally had this problem (Lucky or good management) (??)

But I have helped others -

I've used Witch Hazel to clean the area then used an old SKIN BLISTER TREATMENT Formula

1 tablespoon salt
2 black tea bags
3 cups water

Instructions
Bring 2 cups water to boil and remove from heat. Steep tea bags for 30 minutes, then remove tea bags and let cool. Add salt and 1 cup water. Soak a cloth in the mixture and lay the cloth flat onto the blistered area and let sit for twenty or more minutes. Repeat as needed

I've talked here about cooking a bar of Glysicern Saddle Soap (very slick and draws moister) down into a paste

I coated the area with Glysicern Paste and chamber the saddle-pad around the saddle-sore = (Blister)
Chamber = (cut a hole the saddle-pad)

Worked for me!

-----------------------------------

I've thought of trying this but have not

SKIN LUBE® LUBRICATING OINTMENT STICK

Skin Lube provides high level protection against blisters, chaffing and wind burn in an easy to apply deodorant stick application.

http://www.cramersportsmed.com/products_catalog.jsp?catID=82&prodID=380&path=AT

--------------------------------

I experment a lot - - Good Luck

I saw an olded old timer that cut a burlap sack - took tail horse hair/ two or 3 at a time and let them float down on to the burlap - when that got about 1/2 thick he painted it with something and used another Burlap sack (I've used spray rubber glue) sewed around the edge. Then he cut it to fit around a workcollor and chambered it to fit the Blister

I've made saddle pads this way - not good ones but they work!
 
Faster Horse's: I couldn't agree with you more. Bacon grease works the best on saddle sores. An old cowboy in Okla. introduce me to use bacon grease a long time ago. If we do sore one that is all we use on them. And depending were the sore is. If its on top of the wither Ive seen folks cut a hole in the top of the pad to relive the pressure off the sore. I use 2 pads on my horses one of them wool-felt crosses and a navajo. To keep from soreing up our horses. If we are riding all day we'll change out at noon and ride a different horse for the afternoon.
 
Thanks. Bacon grease is kind of a well-kept secret. I couldn't understand for a long time how it kept flies away. It seems like it should draw flies. But I guess the salt in the bacon grease repels them.

I appreciate the way you pad and change horses.

We had one mare that would gald easily, so we took a one-inch
foam pad and cut holes out over the gald spots, put a navajo over
that and kept riding her. She always healed up fine, but she
sure would gald at first.
 
Something else I think that isn't done enough anymore- when riding one horse all day, just jerk the saddle off and let his back cool down and get a little air whenever you get a chance...I always pack a set of hobbles on the saddle--Used to always take a little siesta for a couple hours during the heat of the day (cows don't work good then anyway)...
 
I agree OT. Letting that back cool off is so important.

We had a lot of pinkeye several years ago (along with everything else) and had to rope the calves to treat them as they were a long ways from home and no corrals. Sure helped to cool the backs off the horses then. And they really appreciate it too. Just makes your horse a partner instead of a slave.
 
I think letting the back cool off is important too. Alot of times if I don't have time to unsaddle my horse. I'll just stop when were riding and lift the back of my saddle an pads pull them up and down to get air to the horses back then cinch and go. I try to keep my pads clean to. But after a while I just get a new one. Guess the dog needs something to lay on.
 
Jinglebob said:
I agreee about washing the blankets. I use a power washer on my navajo's but I am wondering what to use on my felt pads? :???:

I haven't used thefelt pads that long and haven't tried washing any yet. Any good ideas?
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I'd check "Good Will" - I boughten "Tumble Washers" there for the Barn - - good for rags and all blankets, pads & etc.
 

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