FREE EQUINE
VETERINARY ADVICE
Over the past five years, vet Stephen Ashdown has written many
articles, spoken on equine matters and contributed widely to horse
magazines.
Here he reproduces
in the form of questions and answers about 100 topics, all of
them common problems which afflict horses.
To access
Topics click on Vet Advice Menu.
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A Galling
Problem
Q For a while now my 16hh 1DxTB mare has had a bit of a girth rub
just behind each elbow. I use a leather girth.

I have
been putting Green Oils healing gel on every day but, although it
has helped, the areas are still bare.Recently
a horsefly bit my mare right on top of one of these bare patches,
causing a large selling. I stopped riding her for a week to allow
the lump to go down but when I brought her back into work the skin
came off, leaving a red, sore lump. How can I help this lump to
heal? .
A.Such
large bites can cause real problems, especially on the girth area,
but natural creams are available that help heal and soothe sore
spots. The main properties of these creams are that they provide
some antiseptic action to stop any infection, along with a calming
action that aids the natural healing process.
The most simple
of plants in such creams is calendula (marigold) which combines
well with nettle and St. John's wort. I like to use a more complicated
and powerful formula which contains eucalyptus
and cedar. You will have to stop riding your horse until
the swelling completely goes down and, in future, whenever you get
such a bite try putting some calendula tincture on it straight away,
and the swelling should go down much more quickly.
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