Soft Lump by spine

[smaggi]

Last week I noticed that Cisco has a soft lump beside his spine. It is circular and about 1 inch in diameter. He does not appear to be sensitive to touch it or push on it.

I don't think it's a saddle fit issue. It has been very muddy here, so he has only been ridden about 5 or 6 times the past month and nothing too strenuous. A friend of mine teaches saddle fit at a local college and says his western saddle fits perfectly. When I take off his saddle his sweat marks are a perfect impression of the saddle and completely even. There is no sweat along the spine because it is not touching there. I also use an Air Ride pad.

Could this be a cyst or something? Is it something I should have a vet look at?

[No_Angel]

my cob had something similar, i got really worried about it, but it went away after a few days. dont know what it was.

[smaggi]

I sure hope this goes away. It's been about a week since I first noticed it.

[smaggi]

OK, Now I'm worried because it has not gone away and now it is a hard lump. I rode him today in our round pen because it was to muddy for anywhere else. He did not seem to want to bend to the right. I think I'm going to have a vet look at him. There is one vet in our area that also does acupuncture, so I am going to try to see him.

[Mama Bear]

Could be an infected horse fly bite, Mear got bit by a horse fly once and it got infected, it raised a rather large bump, first it was squishy, then it was hard, then I put an herbal remedy and it disapeared just like that!

[smaggi]

We have a vet coming out this Friday. He had me check my saddle for any nails sticking out and also check my pad for thorns. They were both OK. He said that because it was soft first it was probably a thorn or splinter that did not come out. It can harden and develop scar tissue. I am going to shave the bump tomorrow and take a good look at it. On Friday he is going to put in a syringe and see what comes out. Wish us luck.

Mam Bear, what kind of herbal remedy did you use?

[Mama Bear]

I put comfrey, rosemary, sage and lemon balm in olive oil, let it sit for several hours, then put it on the area. If you don't have comfrey or lemon balm, use the sage and rosemary. Sage will pull any liquids out, if it can get down to it, and rosemary is used as an antiseptic. (Don't use sage on a pregnant or nursing mare, though, it will stop milk flow.) You might also try a drawing agent. Mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and put it on the area, and see if it pulls anything out.