bald patches from legs. is that bad?

[opgr1234]

Hi, my poor horse is looking a bit odd at the moment as i have rubbed two bald patches either side of him with my legs. its quite noticable as he's not clipped. does anyone else have the same? is it something to worry about ie am i riding with too much leg/ legs moving too much? hes a tb so coat not thick anyway and i ride in suede chaps so dont suppose that helps. but are bald (not completely hairless but looks like hes been attacked with clippers) normal or do i need to do something about my legs? thanks

 

[neighnay]

ohh i thoguht i had replied but it didnt show weird... anywho i have seen this on a few horses and personally i dont think it is anything to do with your leg, i have seen it on clipped and non clipped horses, personally i believe the reason for this is the horse has more hair then in the summer and so more hair and your chap causes more friction causing the hair loss. I am sure his skin is totally un affected though? if the skin was affected then i would suggest there was something else wrong but unless that happens i think you will have to accept it a 'winter' thing. I bet it doesnt happen in the summer??

 

[KatB]

My clipped mare is the same. My last horse got bald spots too in the winter. Unfortunately some horses seem more prone to it than others!

 

[opgr1234]

oh good, just wasnt sure if i was causing the problem because of bad riding! i only bought him in august so they didnt have much of a chance to show in his summer coat. also he is a baby so maybe he's still a bit delicate in that sense. thanks

 

[Tickles]

Could you try changing to say soft rubber/leather boots? Making sure they are always super-clean so no bits of mud are rubbing?

You can get them pretty cheaply (think 20-30quid) so might be worth just trying?

Also, could you get an instructor to look at your leg position and how much you're moving to give aides?

You could easily be doing nothing wrong in terms of clothing or riding but might be safest to check with someone who can see so you're confident you're doing the right thing for you baby