494 CAUSES OF SADDLE-GALLS. 



or short withers, flatness of the ribs, keel-shaped breast and short 

 sternum, and distension of the abdomen, causing the girth to slip 

 easily forwards. Old horses sometimes have the muscles in the 

 saddle-bed atrophied, and are therefore more liable to contract 

 saddle-galls. Vicious, irritable, and restless horses which cannot 

 be carefully saddled often suffer, as also do those which have irregular 

 action. Lame horses frequently have saddle-galls, especially on 

 the withers, on account of the unequal incidence of the body- weight 

 shifting the saddle towards the side of the sound foot. Saddle-galls 

 are often caused by horses sweating profusely, or by the skin being 

 soaked in rainy weather. The mechanical causes may be divided 

 nto three groups — 



(1) Faulty construction of the saddle. The best preventer of 

 saddle-galls is a skilful and careful saddler. Though it appears easy 

 in principle to distribute the pressure equally over the largest possible 

 surface, in practice it is really very difficult. The saddle must be 

 neither too narrow nor too wide, and provision must be made for 

 changes in the condition of the animal. A saddle, when too wide, 

 endangers the withers ; when too narrow, it bruises the bodies of 

 the ribs with the outer edges of the bearers. The front portion must 

 conform to the height of the withers, which are injured if it be too 

 low. Fractures or bends in the bearers or branches of the saddle- 

 tree, badly-stuffed panels, or repeated soaking of them, easily lead 

 to saddle-galls. Parts of the saddle or collar, which do not fit closely 

 to the body of the animal, sometimes produce skin excoriations. 



(2) Faults in saddling or in putting on the collar. Folds or 

 foreign bodies in the padding, however small, often produce bruises. 

 The padding, if it shifts upwards, may injure the withers. The 

 practice of applying the saddle-blanket so that it shall be pushed 

 slightly backwards when the saddle is placed in position is recom- 

 mended, because the hair of the saddle-bed will thus be smoothed 

 in its proper direction. The saddle, if too far forward, may directly 

 bruise the withers ; if too far back, it works forward, the girth 

 becoming loose and easily causing bruises. Loose girths, and irregular 

 tightening of the component parts of the girth in the German saddle, 

 also give rise to saddle-galls. 



(3) Errors in riding. An awkward position in the saddle, 

 sleeping on horseback, and continual shifting forward, displacement 

 of the saddle in mounting, and injudicious riding, are frequent causes 

 of injury. These injurious influences must, however, be in operation 

 some considerable period before serious saddle-galls are produced ; 

 they seldom result from short excursions. 



