AHEAD of the upcoming eventing, hunter trial and spring/summer show season many horses may be coming back into work, after a break, to get fit. Girth sores or girth galls can often be an issue the first time you ride your horse in the spring, because after a break your horse’s skin will be soft and more tender - the skin requires a chance to toughen up gradually.

A gall is a skin sore caused by on-going irritation. Galls typically appear as a result of friction between poorly-fitted tack, tack that is dirty or has become worn and abrasive, a recent change of tack or a new saddle that changes the position of the girth. Galls can also form due to conformation of the body of the horse that causes the girth to stay very close behind the elbows.