194 Journal of Agriculture. [8 April, 1908. 



Sore Shoulders. 



This is an abrasion of the skin covering that part of the shoulders 

 in contact with the collar. Young horses, when first used in harness, and 

 horses with delicate skins are especially subject to sore shoulders. Neglect 

 of grooming and failure to remove the sweat and scurf from the skin after 

 work may predispose to its occurrence ; but the condition is usually brought 

 about by the use of ill-fitting or badlv stuffed collars. In the latter case 

 the necessity for the intervention of the saddler is obvious. The regular 

 use of astringent applications calculated to harden the skin is advantageous 

 in young animals with tender skins. One of the most effective of such 

 applications is a decoction of wattle bark made by boiling half a pound of 

 wattle bark in a gallon of water. Tan liquor and brine are also useful 

 applications which can usually be easily procured. Art effective lotion for 

 the purpose can be made by dissolving two drams each of alum and 

 sulphuric acid in a quart of water. If the parts which are liable to chafe 

 be freely sponged over with one of these solutions two or three times a 

 week, they will soon become so hardened or toughened as to give little 

 further trouble. 



Treatment. — Recovery is aided by throwing the horse out of work 

 for a time. If in mild cases this is inconvenient the part of the collar 

 coming in contact with the abrasion .should be " chambered " or it should 

 be so padded as to prevent contact with the abraded surface. As a healing 

 application nothing is better than the White Lotion prescril>ed on page 

 159, which should be sopped on many times during the day. If the 

 abraded surface is very moist or " running " powdered zinc oxide or 

 calamine should be dusted on. The keeping of the parts thoroughly clean 

 throughout all stages of treatment is, of course, essential. 



Saddle ar]d Girth Galls. 



These may take the form of an abrasion or brliise or blister caused 

 bv a pinching of the saddle cloth or girth or by the unevenly distributed 

 pressure of a badly-fitting saddle. They are especially common on horses 

 ridden by ladies on account of the straining of the side-saddle to one 

 side. Sore backs are frequently caused through allowing the harness to 

 remain on during the intervals between work, and also through failure to 

 properly groom or cleanse the skin in contact with the saddle. 



The Treatment should be similar to that recommended for sore 

 shoulders. The saddle or harness should be so adjusted as to be kept 

 clear of the sore and a saddle cloth of felt or Turkish towelling should 

 be worn. The stuffing of the saddle should be attended to and care 

 should be taken to remove all accumulations of dried sweat from the 

 Innings which must be kept scrupulously clean. 



Sitfasts. 



Sitfasts may occur on the shoulder or on the back near the withers 

 but they are most frequently met with in the latter situation, where they 

 rire really aggravated saddle or harness galls. 



A sitfast is an OT)en sore in the centre of which is a hard mass con- 

 sisting of dead tissue, skin, hair, and coagulated discharges firmly 

 adherent 10 the subjacent living tissues. The margin of the sore is usually 

 also hard and leathery, very angry looking and sore. They are caused 

 by the continuous pressure of the saddle or harness on a galled spot 



