Help!

[SueCoo2]

My friend requested that I post this question to the forums. She has a lovely OTTB gelding that is on limited turn out right now. She is allowed to to turn him out in a small paddock and she went and bought $200 worth of sand because he loves to roll. Well he won’t roll in the sand he chooses any place that allows him to mark himself up, in particular he is getting these dreadful rubs on his hip. :no: See here:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/suecoo/media/LizzyBigBoy_zpsd64d7a0e.jpg.html

What she would appreciate knowing is if any of you have encountered a similar situation, and if so what you did to try to try to alleviate it happening. Thanks in advance!

[Calvincrowe]

Is she sure he’s getting the rub in his turnout, rather than in his stall? Does he lay down a lot? It seems odd that he’d have a rub on his hip from rolling…does he roll repeatedly? What is the footing in the paddock?

Additional information can help us nail down reasons and solutions.

Perhaps a flysheet in turnout could provide a barrier–like one of those textiline ones, kind of heavier than the thin net ones.

[HealingHeart]

Is the paddock big enough to roll & then jump up and throw a buck. If not big enough, he may not feel/see the need to lay down…

[SueCoo2]

He is definitely getting the sores from rolling in the paddock, (although he will get them a little in his stall if there isn’t deep enough bedding).

The paddock is small and the ground is dry and hard, although he still get sores when he rolls in lush grass too!! He is simply thin skinned and boney in that area.:no:

Moving paddocks isn’t an option as it is the only paddock that he can have turn out in due to the fact he isn’t on full turn out yet after a SDFT injury.

He has a tendency to tear rugs so a fly sheet would be ripped up in no time and since this is in Texas the heavier types would be uncomfortably hot :sadsmile:

Right now he goes out with a large waterproof band aid on his hips covered by duct tape to keep them in place. This is time consuming and if a day is missed his hips suffer.

just wondering if there is anything that will help harden up his skin to stop this from repeatedly happening…help!!

[Laurierace]

Gorilla tape is likely the best you can do to protect it. You don’t need anything under it unless the wound itself needs medication. Once it is healed, just slap a piece of gorilla tape over the point of the hip and go on with your lives. It should stay on several days.

[HicksteadFan]

[QUOTE=SueCoo2;7591638]

just wondering if there is anything that will help harden up his skin to stop this from repeatedly happening…help!![/QUOTE]

I have heard of putting witch hazel on the girth area of girth sensitive horses. Apparently it toughens the skin. You could give it a try or do some research on it.

[toodles]

I have the same problem with my (thin-skinned) TB. The gorilla tape sounds like a great idea. I wonder if I could somehow get some to stick on the side of the hock…

[Laurierace]

[QUOTE=toodles;7591730]
I have the same problem with my (thin-skinned) TB. The gorilla tape sounds like a great idea. I wonder if I could somehow get some to stick on the side of the hock…:D[/QUOTE]

That is where I use it on my horse.

[independentlyawesome]

That is one nice horse to let her pull off duct tape from his fur!

No good suggestions, unfortunately, as I’ve never heard of a horse getting those from a grassy paddock.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=HicksteadFan;7591726]
I have heard of putting witch hazel on the girth area of girth sensitive horses. Apparently it toughens the skin. You could give it a try or do some research on it.[/QUOTE]

This would be my first angle–try to toughen up the skin so this is not an issue. I don’t know what the answer is, but maybe witch hazel would work, or Alushield?

I’d worry that constantly keeping it covered would make the skin more fragile, which would just be a pain in the butt cycle to have to deal with.

How bad are the wounds? Maybe it’s even worth looking at his diet–perhaps he’s deficient in something that’s causing his skin to be unusually thin and friable? Upping his fatty acids might help, and sure won’t hurt!