Newsdate: May 11, 2025 - 11:30 am
Location: GILROY, California

Wind galls, also known as wind puffs, are soft synovial swellings that develop slightly above and behind the fetlock joint, due to an over-secretion of joint fluid, caused by irritation to the joint surfaces or joint capsule. Wind galls may also occur in other joints and tendons.

Rider on horse making jump on obstacle course.

If the wind gall on your horses leg is painful, causing lameness, or if there's a concern, a veterinarian should be consulted.
© 2012 by Mark Kent New window.

Although commonly occurring on the front legs, wind galls may occur on the hind legs of horses involved in jumping activities.  Although wind galls may be accompanied by heat or lameness, they also can occur without lameness, and they tend to increase in size with work.

While often harmless and more of a cosmetic issue, some wind galls can be associated with lameness or indicate a more serious underlying problem

Causes of wind galls

Wind galls are caused by irritation to the joint surfaces or joint capsule. Occasionally, they are also due to excess tendon fluid in the tendon sheaths, behind the fetlock joint. Symmetrical swellings may appear on both legs simultaneously. Over-work in young, heavy horses, especially on hard surfaces, poor conformation (usually with long, straight pasterns), incorrect trimming of the hoof, tearing of ligaments, tendons, or joint capsules, and injuries to articular cartilage in the joint contribute to the development of wind galls.

By addressing the causes of wind galls, most of these swellings can be prevented. Making sure that horses, especially young, heavy horses, are not over-worked on hard surfaces, that proper shoeing takes the horse's conformation into consideration, and treating injuries to tendons, ligaments, and joint capsules promptly will decrease the number of wind galls.

Treatment of windgalls

Modification of training and work programs will lead to reduction of the irritation and inflammation that causes wind galls. In some cases, the swellings may be drained by a veterinarian and injected with a corticosteroid, although this is mainly for cosmetic reasons. Once a horse develops wind galls, they tend to recur when activity is increased.

• Rest: A period of rest can allow the swelling to subside.
• Bandaging: Bandaging the leg can help reduce swelling and provide support.
• Cold Therapy: Applying cold packs or using cold water soaks can help reduce inflammation.
• Gradual Return to Exercise: Once the swelling is reduced, a gradual return to exercise is recommended.
• Veterinary Consultation: If the wind gall is painful, causing lameness, or if there's concern, a veterinarian should be consulted.

The prognosis for wind galls in horses is generally favorable. These benign, fluid-filled swellings are often cosmetic concerns and usually do not indicate a severe underlying issue. Treatments often depend upon a horse’s symptoms, athletic career, and the underlying cause of fluid accumulation.

However, chronic wind galls are challenging to completely eliminate. Therapeutic treatments, including draining the fluid and administering steroids, hyaluronic acid, or various regenerative medications, may temporarily reduce fluid accumulation. But the swelling often returns over time.