What a gall is
A gall is a skin lesion caused by repeated rubbing or continuous pressure from a piece of tack on the horse's skin. It does not come from a single trauma but from accumulation: hours of work, sweat, movement, always in the same spot.
That is why galls almost always appear where the tack sits: behind the elbow in the girth area, either side of the withers and along the back under the saddle, on the cheeks and nose where the bridle runs, on the pasterns where over-reach and protective boots work.
How to recognise it: the four stages
A gall does not appear out of nowhere: it goes through clearly recognisable stages, and the sooner it is caught the less time it takes to put right.
- Redness and heat: the skin is irritated but intact. This is the best moment to act.
- Hair loss: the classic bald patch appears, the hair breaks or slips out.
- Thickened skin: the skin hardens and becomes callused, often darker.
- Open lesion: the skin breaks, it may weep or form scabs. Here you need the vet.
Why they form: the real causes
In almost every case the gall is not the fault of the horse's skin but of something outside it. There are five recurring causes:
- Tack that does not fit: a saddle that is too narrow or too wide, a girth that is too short or too stiff concentrates pressure on a few square centimetres.
- Dirty tack: dried sweat salt, mud and dust on leather act like sandpaper against the skin.
- A dirty or wet horse under the saddle: mud or sand in the coat under the saddle pad multiplies friction.
- Sweat left on the skin: salt dehydrates the skin and makes it more fragile to rubbing.
- Workload increased too quickly: skin, like tendons, needs time to adapt.
A gall is treated on the skin but solved in the tack room: as long as the cause remains, the lesion comes back in the same spot.
What to do once it has appeared
Treating an uncomplicated gall follows four steps, in this order:
- 1. Remove the cause: stop using the offending piece of tack or change the set-up. Continuing to work the same area undoes everything else.
- 2. Clean gently: lukewarm water and a non-aggressive cleanser, without scrubbing the irritated area. A gentle clay-based shampoo designed for sensitive skin cleans without stripping skin that is already under stress.
- 3. Dry thoroughly: residual moisture is irritation's first ally. Pat, do not rub, and let it dry completely.
- 4. Protect the area: a breathable barrier keeps the skin clean and dry while it rebuilds, without sealing it under an occlusive film.
Why clay and activated charcoal
On rub areas the logic is not to cover but to keep clean and dry. This is where clay works well: it absorbs excess moisture, stays breathable and does not smother the skin the way a greasy ointment would.
Miraclay's Fiaccatura is made exactly for this: a soothing clay preparation with Nocera Umbra clay and activated vegetable charcoal, formulated for rubs, irritation, superficial abrasions and insect bites. The activated charcoal supports the clay's absorbent action; the barrier that forms is breathable and non-occlusive — it protects without macerating.
Like all Miraclay products it is ready to use and non-doping, compatible with FEI and FISE protocols.
How to really prevent them
- Have the saddle checked at least once a year by a saddle fitter: the horse changes shape with age, muscling and season.
- Clean girth and saddle pad the way you clean the horse: they are in direct contact with the skin for hours.
- Brush thoroughly before saddling: never saddle over a dirty, wet or sandy coat.
- Rinse off sweat after work and dry the contact areas, especially in summer.
- Look at the skin every day: thirty seconds during grooming is enough to catch redness before it becomes a bald patch.
Frequently asked questions about galls
- How long does a gall take to heal?
- Simple redness resolves in a few days once the cause is removed. A patch with hair loss takes weeks, and the hair is the last thing to return. Skin that has already thickened may stay visible long after healing.
- Can I keep riding?
- It depends where it is. If the area stays under the saddle or girth, work must be stopped or reorganised until the skin is intact: continuing to rub the same area prevents any healing. If in doubt, ask your vet.
- Why does the hair not grow back where the gall was?
- With repeated galls the skin thickens and the hair follicles stay damaged: the hair may come back lighter, thinner or not at all. That is why it pays to act at the first sign of irritation, not the third.
- Are galls and pressure sores the same thing?
- No. A gall comes from rubbing in movement; a pressure sore from prolonged pressure at rest, typical of a horse that stays lying down or immobilised for long periods. The causes differ and pressure sores are always a veterinary matter.
- Can Fiaccatura also be used on insect bites?
- Yes: the clay and activated charcoal formula is also designed for skin irritation and bites, where a soothing, absorbent action on the affected area is what is needed.
In short: a gall is a mechanical problem before it is a dermatological one. Remove the rubbing, keep the skin clean and dry, protect it with a breathable barrier — and above all check the contact areas every day. Thirty seconds of attention are worth weeks off work.