238 
TREATMENT OF SADDLE-GALLS. 
practice it is really very difficult. The saddle must neither be 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 recommended, 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 gives 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 con¬ 
siderable period before serious saddle-galls are produced; they seldom 
result from short excursions. 
Treatment. To prevent the condition, general experience suggests 
leaving the saddle on for half to one hour after dismounting. Where an 
injury has taken place, the vessels are compressed and almost bloodless. 
If pressure be now suddenly and completely removed, blood is vigorously 
forced into the paralysed vessels, and may thus rupture their walls. On 
the other hand, if the saddle is allowed to remain some time in position, 
circulation is gradually restored without injury. The fact that the 
swelling first appears after removal of the saddle supports this explanation. 
In cutaneous swellings further extravasation is most surely checked 
by cold, which causes the vessels to contract; while reabsorption of 
extravasation which has already taken place, is most favoured by moist 
warmth. The use of cold is indicated in fresh cases—that is, in those 
seen immediately after the appearance of the swelling. In twelve to 
twenty-four hours, on the other hand, moist warmth deserves preference; 
and, where cold cannot be carefully and continuously applied, Preisnitz’s 
poultices should be employed. The use of cold may be associated with 
gradual slight pressure, or, even better, with massage. A cloth folded 
several times, or a bag filled with little pieces of ice, is very useful in 
