Ok, these bumps are not going away

Tootsie4U

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Aug 19, 2002
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Thought they were bug bites, they feel like bug bites. :confused:

They showed up about three or four weeks ago, along his spine- EXACTLY where the saddle would lay, almost the whole length too. They're bumps, under the skin, beneath the hair (hair in tact, nothing like rain rot or fungus either.) slightly smaller than pea sized. He's not itchy and they only seemed to bother him the first week (his skin would flinch when I touched them). Lately, his skin in the area is getting flaky, like dandruff, only when I brush him... still no hair falling out or fungus.

He is his normal self under saddle so I guess he's not in pain (although if he is, he usually doesnt show it until its VERY bad).

Any idea what it could be? His saddle may be too big now that he's changed shape... that wouldnt do it though would it?
 
I am not very goos at these things the only thing that comes to mind as lums is hives - allergic reaction - any of his clthing been washed recently or does he get bothered by flies?

If hasn't got this I'm sorry that is all I can think of.
 
grease lumps? are they actually under where the saddle touches, or where the gullet goes?
i picked a bunch off copper the other week, where the edge of the riser pad he wore over winter went. they were lumps of the grease in his coat that had mushed together under the edge of the riser and gone scabby - the hair came out with them so he had some lovely bald spots.
where the coat changes they roll more, and get dirtier, so any sdirt left on the skin can ball up and make these lumps.

protein lumps alternately? has his hard feed changed recently?
 
Still appreciated Shandy :D

I had thought of that but nothing changed. The only possibility along the lines of allergic reaction would be that I put some linament on his back about a month ago, just one time. Would the reaction be this lasting, four weeks later?
 
Es,

Nope, they're right where the padding would lie, right beside the spinal column. Both sides.

I can't pick them off, they're under the skin. Just his skin gets flaky (dandruff) and that comes off.

They are hard. Could be protein lumps I guess. His feed hasnt changed for 8 months but he is getting a new supplement, for the last three months or so... would it show up this late?
 
nope. he isnt a sweaty horse so I can go quite awhile without washing...no blankets.

Bronco Bug Spray??? But he's sprayed all over, not just his back :confused: (and thats the cheap stuff, almost water :D)

If his saddle is too big, do you think these could be a result of it rubbing? Long shot.
 
i'd expect to see white marks and rubbed hair if it were a saddle fit problem, rather than lumps.

re - protein - the protein levls might have been building up and only recently been enough to make the lumps? (although i am not sure if that;s how it works, so that's a big fat guess)
 
These sound very much like the bumps Foxy had when I bought her. The vet said they were caused by the saddle she came with (she was only 3 and still growing). As a quick fix, until I was able to buy a new saddle, I used a medical (thick sheepskin) numnah and they just disappeared. Could Bon have changed shape a bit as he is getting fitter and working more correctly?

Best wishes

Sally
 
He has DEFINATELY changed shape, pretty significantly. Still, I dont quite get how saddle fit would cause bumps that far back (they start right behind the stirrup bars). Did the vet say how the saddle caused these tiny bumps, Sally?

Es, is the horses' back where protein bumps tend to show up? They dont go away by themselves do they :(
 
Just to add...

Are you not using a saddle cloth on Bon? Foxy's previous owner wasn't either.

The vet definitely said it was the saddle and, if I remember, he described them as pressure bumps. They were under most of the saddle area. It was he who suggested the sheepskin numnah. Could the saddle be sitting more heavily towards the back as his withers muscle up? I'm no expert on saddle fitting, I'm afraid.

Also, she did have a protein/feed issue a couple of years later, but the bumps were on her neck. They went away when the feed was changed back.

I hope this helps

Sally
 
It helps alot, Sally. Always use a pad, always.

Thanks so much everyone.

I have been postponing having the saddler out again (will be 3 times in 2 years) as he's only going to continue to change now that we're working as we should. But, hey... whatcha gonna do...

Will call the saddler tonight. Thanks so much Sally. I'll also continue to look into the protein idea. Been around for too long to be bug bites. Plus, he's indoors now for quarantine so the likelihood of new/more bug bites has decreased. Argh. :(
 
He was as cool as a cucumber. Sorta.

He was very nervous and hesitant for about 15 seconds but he followed me on. He must have poo'd five times while we closed him in. :D

It was a very nice two horse Sundowner trailer so he traveled in style :D It was a cool day, so I put a thin sheet on him anyway and wrapped his legs with the quilts and standing wraps. Go figure I had two shipping boots and didnt even know it... only two though, strange.

50 minutes later we arrived at the new place and when we opened up the doors a pillar of steam came out - he had himself worked up a bit :D But, he was ok, no kicking, nothing. Good boy.

He isnt liking this stall confinement though. I dont blame him.

Thanks for askin :)
 
There's a thread on another forum at the moment on the same subject - someone with a mare with lumps that souns identical. There's a reply from an equine vet who reckons the most likely cause is blocked sweat glands - she felt that to have so many lumps caused by poor saddle fit would be less likely.

Does Bon sweat a lot? As he's changing shape, is he sweating under the saddle more in the area where the lumps are? Vet recommended washing down any sweaty areas after working to help.

Maybe a combination of both? I don't know to be honest - just saw the thread on the other forum and thought you might be interested.
 
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