Has anyone had experience with hard lumps under the saddle?

[dalesnfellfan]

Connie has had a cluster of about 15 small hard lumps under her saddle for a couple of weeks now, they are about half the size of a pea and don't appear to have a head on them, at first I thought they may be bites but they are just not going.


They appeared after we did the last pleasure ride, she got really sweaty, her numnah was absolutely soaked through and maybe I didn't wash her down well enough, my vet had a look at them when she went for her scan and said they were probably caused by blocked pores and maybe bacteria getting into the pores after sweating and said they were better left alone if they weren't bothering her and recommended washing with hibiscrub. He also said to put some dobs of sudocrem on each spot and carefully place the saddle on her back to see where they touch the saddle in case there were any lumps in the panel that were the cause, they are actually fairly close to her spine and aren't in contact with the panel.


They don't seem to bother her even if I put quite a bit of pressure on them so I have been continuing to ride her, but I do worry as I don't want her to be uncomfortable, I'm taking her to have her new saddle checked on Tuesday after 6 weeks use so I'll see what the saddler thinks but I don't think the saddle is pressing on the lumps though of course the  numnah will be in contact.


Has anyone had anything similar and what if anything did you do about it and how long did they take to go?

[Fi]

When I first got my old Sam, he had a load of similar lumps under the saddle area. With my slightly more stringent routine of actually washing and changing his numnah (I think he went months in the same one before I got him.....), they eventually disappeared. I can't remember the timescale, I just recall noticing they'd gone one day and realising what the problem had been.

So, yes, I think sweat caused them but they never bothered him and never came back. I never put anything on them either.

I'm not suggesting that you don't change Connie's! Just that she's probably more sensitive than he is. :-)

[harveydales]

Yes, I agree with Fi. Dolly had similar when she first came to us and I'm sure it was sweat/dirt related (nor her previous owner I hasten to add). It is so long ago that I can't remember how long it took for them to go but we were very rigorous with cleanliness and I don't think it took long. They never bothered her either.

Harvey has one bigger hard lump on his back and I know this is scar tissue from where old Winnie was a bit overvigerous with mutual grooming. It doesn't appear to bother him and I don't think it will ever go now.

[dalesnfellfan]

Thanks for this, Fi I do suspect that in retrospect although I washed her down back at the horsebox I didn't do it well enough to remove the dirt/sweat, I just used plain water to cool her and scraped off with a sweat scraper, then put a fly rug on her as the horse flies were vicious, I don't usually cover them straight up.

I do change her numnah regularly at least once a week, I have 4 to rotate and never usually wash in powder just in machine with plain water in case of sensitivity. Maybe I should put some antiseptic in the rinse water?

In future I will take antiseptic wash with me to add to wash water after a ride and rinse very well. She is very fine coated and generally sweats very little so to be so soaked in sweat is very unusual for her.

I guess I'll just continue washing the lumps with hibiscrub and keeping her back as clean as possible and hope they eventually disappear.

[harveydales]

I'm sure the lumps will go. These days I bring a couple of flasks of very hot water along to events so I can make a warm mix to get the really sweaty bits clean and I use a mild no rinse wash like the Barrier one. It is not easy with our woolly ponies to get all the sweat off.

[zeldalithgow]

Re washing Copnnie's numnahs, I would wash with soap flakes or a detergent for babies or sensitive skin as plain water won't get rid of all the grease or bacteria espcially if you use a cool wash

[dalesnfellfan]

Good idea Zelda, I'll get some when I go shopping this week.

I took Connie to have her new saddle checked this morning and the saddle fitter also thought they were sweat lumps and suggested I use a sheepskin or lambs wool numnah for longer faster rides as it absorbs 30 - 40% of its weight in sweat so will keep her drier, I've got one I used to use on Spud as he sweated a lot so I'll dig it out for our next PR on Sunday.

Hot water's a good idea Pam, I had previously only been thinking in terms of cooling off after rides not deep cleaning, but that will obviously have to be my focus now.

[harveydales]

I do use cold water for the cooling effect but the warm water for the sweaty bits.

I also looked into numnhas and tried the woollen ones for the drying effect. They are good but I find it hard to keep them in good condition for long. I now mainly use the Le mieux cotton waffle high wicking pads.

[dalesnfellfan]

It's the Le Mieux cotton waffle ones I'm using at the moment and have found them fine except for that one ride, she doesn't usually sweat that much but it was a very hot and humid day and she was very excited so maybe a bit of a one off, I'll see how much she sweats at Sundays ride, it was hard to tell whether she sweated or not at her first ride as she was soaked from the heavy rain.

[mikea]

I've got Le Mieux "full monty" lambskin numnah for Bertie - hellishly expensive - but amazing for the sweat absorption, with the added bonus of actually increasing the comfort of the saddle.

[dalesnfellfan]

I've just had a look at these Mike, yes they are expensive but they do look lovely, I do like Le Muiex products, my lambs wool is Numed and is looking a bit tired so may well look at these at Your horse live in November.

Have to stretch the budget a bit, I'm already waiting for my saddler to get me in a Fairfax girth to try, and they are seriously expensive but can't find one to fit her properly that's she's comfortable in.

Her wardrobe is already far exceeding her purchase price, she is worth it though.

[Debbie]

When you find a pony like Connie, they are worth their weight in gold! I hear you with the need to stretch the budget, though. On the upside, if you splurge for one of the sheepskin numnahs, they should also last a long time.

I was going to mention the only time I'd seen a horse with similar lumps, it was a reaction to the soap his owner had used on his saddlepad. It wasn't a bad brand, it was just that he tended to be sensitive anyways and he had a reaction to the new soap.

She immediately switched back, but I think it took about 6 weeks for his lumps to go entirely.

[nedales]

Lad has had a few of these calcified lumps this summer first time ever and my acupuncturist felt they were not saddle related nor were they fly bites. He needled them and most reduced but new ones have popped up. I use a sheepskin numnah, rinse them every day and rinse pony as well. It has been a very warm summer and most days the ponies come in quite sweaty from the field. The bumps don't seem to bother pony but they definitely bother me! I worry all the time about sarcoids but these seem to be benign. Might you have a photo?

[dalesnfellfan]

They are getting a bit smaller now Meg and wouldn't show up on a photo I don't think as you now can't really see them, just feel them under the skin.

I tried my old wool numnah on this morning and it is a tad small under her saddle so I would worry about pressure points where the back of the saddle is on the edge of the numnah, so I'm afraid it will have to be a new one. I have got a sheepskin half pad somewhere if I can find it, I'll try that tomorrow.

[dalesnfellfan]

Update on Connie's lumps - They are now nearly gone, just very small now, I've been using a herbal mix for the last month made up for me by a local herbalist, washing her back even if just a bit sweaty and using a sheepskin half pad.

She is sweating a lot now she has her winter coat so am going to convert her chaser clip into a full clip (except legs and head) tomorrow.

I was going to buy her a Le Muiex full Monty merino numnah at YHL but have just been looking on Horse Health site and they currently have them half price at £58, so I have ordered 2 for her, 1 to wear and 1 to wash.

I have also bought her a Fairfax girth with a Le Muiex merino cover, which she seems to really like and goes beautifully in, lengthening her already long stride. I've also changed her bit to Kimerwick which she also seems to like, giving me better brakes as well.

Along with her new padded comfort bridle she really should be comfortable now.