Horses are prone to cuts and scrapes, but most heal uneventfully. But healing can be complicated by a process that’s uniquely equine.

Proud flesh refers to the pink, cauliflower-like tissue that can fill in a horse’s wound and prevent skin edges from meeting and knitting together. This process usually involves wounds on a horse’s lower legs. The severity, degree of contamination and mobility of a wound all increase the risk of proud flesh.

So, if your horse is wounded, follow a few tips to pave the way for healing. First, thoroughly rinse the wound of debris. Then use appropriate treatments, like antiseptic rinses. Apply bandaging and keep your horse quiet to protect and stabilize delicate healing tissues. Above all, contact your veterinarian right away if you see proud flesh starting to form.