Clipping question

[PC Steele]

Friend and I were clipping yesterday, I was doing one side and she was doing the other. I was going to leave a saddle patch but she clipped too high on the other side (bit of a miscommunication) so I had to clip it all off. Anybody else not leave a saddle patch? I am now worried about her back ?

 

[Starzaan]

I never leave a saddle patch on mine. I hate them. My horses have everything off, including legs, and I’ve never had a problem. Most of my liveries have no saddle patch either and they’re all fine.

 

[Hackback]

No saddle patches here! I don't really understand them tbh - nowadays when we have such good numnahs, are they really needed?

 

[PC Steele]

I never leave a saddle patch on mine. I hate them. My horses have everything off, including legs, and I’ve never had a problem. Most of my liveries have no saddle patch either and they’re all fine.

Thank you ?

 

[Polos Mum]

If you have a well fitting saddle and clean numnah I'm not sure a few mil of hair would make any difference.

I'd guess its a throw back to times before modern materials for numnahs

 

[Abacus]

I still tend to leave one even though I use nice wool pads. I suppose my thinking is that is keeps the back a bit warmer in between rugs coming off and tack going on, especially on very cold days. But I don't really know if it makes much difference. I am sure your horse will be fine especially as it's not that cold yet, and still time to regrow the patch if you want to leave it unclipped next time.

 

[Shoei]

I never leave one!

 

[ecb89]

I don’t leave one.

 

[Honey08]

I disagree. I think they do give that little extra protection. Someone clipping my mare when I was young accidentally clipped her saddle patch off abs her rug rubbed her withers. No problem previously. And when I took my last mare’s off I found her a little more irritated to be tacked up.

 

[Leandy]

I leave a patch (although not necessarily saddle shaped, a sort of oval under the seat of the saddle is easier and doesn't show around the saddle). I leave it mainly for warmth purposes so they don't get tense as the saddle goes on in cold weather but also to prevent sores from ingrowing hairs/infected pores where they get sweaty under the saddle.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I use to always leave one, but don’t anymore. I can’t see it will make any difference, none of mine are ever more sensitive with it clipped off.

If anything leaving a patch of thick hair under the saddle just gets sweaty.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I don’t clip often myself but I tend to see far more horses clipped without a saddle patch than I do with!

 

[AdorableAlice]

The very question I asked my saddle fitter recently, who also rides and competes at grade A. His advice was to leave a saddle patch when clipping, not to protect the back but to prevent problems when a clipped back starts to grow back and gets irritated by the hair growth under the saddle. He has seen poor performance from clipped out backs growing back and horses being sensitive.

I could see his point, especially hunters carrying saddles for many hours at a time.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I do all of the racehorses and they are half head, legs on and a small strip along the spine and wither but no saddle patch.

 

[silv]

I don't ever worry if one side is clipped to a slightly different height to the other, don't forget that you can only see one side at a time! so long as the front and back view match up then its no big deal. I don't normally leave a saddle patch either.

 

[scats]

I don't ever worry if one side is clipped to a slightly different height to the other, don't forget that you can only see one side at a time! so long as the front and back view match up then its no big deal. I don't normally leave a saddle patch either.

I did a high blanket last year and it was terribly wonky. I thought it was hilarious! The clip itself was neat and the lines were straight, but one side was about 4 inches higher. In my defence, I did clip in the evening under dodgy lighting. It made me chuckle til it grew out.
Think I’ll whizz it all off this year ?