heat/sweat lumps under saddle area

[rabbit]

In the last few weeks I have noticed small lumps on my horse's back where the saddle sits The lumps are either side of the spine, and don't seem to be itchy or sore.

Some people have said they are heat lumps, another suggestion was an insect bite, but the lumps are confined to the top section of the horses back only and don't appear anywhere else.

Anyone have any ideas as to what the lumps may be?

How can I treat and prevent these lumps from occurring?

 

[Kira657]

My horse had exactly the same and I had the vet look at it.She said they were harmless little heat bumps and nothing to worry about, though she did have some cream I could put on them if i was really worried about them, so i wouldn't panic too much! They were actually worse when I had her in her old saddle which was synthetic, i now have a leather one and they've gone down.My saddler reckoned that some horses react to the friction the synthetic created on her back and that's why the bumps could have been coming up. (thats not the reason i changed my saddle though, it wasn't fitting her very well), what type of saddle do you use?

 

[rabbit]

Hi,

I am using a Wintec 500 dressage (synthetic) but always use a saddle blanket underneath. The saddle doesnt fit 100% so maybe it is causing the problem.

I ordered a new saddle 2 months ago, but it takes 3 months to make as its a custom fit saddle (damn wide clydie X's!!!) I'll see what happens when I get the new saddle.

 

[MissFliss]

Merlyn has had a reaction to ant bites on his back where the saddle was. We had them biopsied and they were simple granulomas. They took about 4 months to go away though. The theory goes that he rolled near an ant heap and they bit him on the back. Fortunately this was a few years ago and they haven't happened again.

 

[Jessey]

My friends mare had some bumps and scurfy skin under her saddle, it only came up when she got hot and sweaty, at first the vet said it was just a heat rash then when it didn't go away they looked again and they said it was a type of rain rot/scald but rather than being caused by rain it was the sweat that was making the skin soggy allowing bacteria access.

J x