Page 867 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

weight or changes shape

• poor saddle maintenance
VetBooks.ir • unevenly flocked saddles with pressure points

•
dirty saddles, numnahs and girths
• over-tightening the girth

• an unbalanced rider sitting to one side

• inadequate grooming
• an itchy animal rubbing itself

• over-tight rollers used to keep rugs in place

• rugs that slip back and pull tight over the withers

• abrasion of skin nodules in the saddle area.

Clinical signs

These include the following.

PHYSICAL SIGNS

• patches of hair rubbed away on the horse’s back (Figure 18.23)

• abnormal heat in the region

• discomfort with light to moderate pressure applied with the fingertips
• raised thickened areas of skin that are sore when pressed (Figure 18.24)

• swellings that develop shortly after the saddle has been removed (Figure 18.25)

• raw patches

• new patches of white hair (Figure 18.26)

• atrophy (wasting) of the muscles on either side of the withers.