Clipping - saddle patch left on... yay or nay??

[Maia]

Clipping my lot in the next week and wondered what everyone else does regarding saddle patches....

Personally I've always taken whole lot off and used a sheepskin on horses backs as atleast if sweaty after work (which is usually the case!) a quick hot ragging followed by 10 mins under a thermatex and I have a dry warm neddy ready for a groom and t/o or put to bed.

I loathe rugging sweaty horses for the day/night.

However, several people have told me doing it this way is asking for sore backs/chaffing/bacterial rash etc. (none of which had I had problems with in the past).

So what does everyone else do??

Am I alone in taking it all of (baring the legs)??

 

[KatB]

I leave a "rugby ball" under my horses saddle

That way it leaves some protection for my horses back, without lots of bits to get sweaty!!

 

[beckyboo1991]

I take both my ponies saddle patches off and they are fine with it and have had no problems

 

[jessicahulme]

I take the saddle patch off - quicker and never had any probs

 

[SpottedCat]

I take my horse's saddle patch off ever since he had Staphylococcal foliculitis one autumn - he was always thoroughly washed off etc, but he grows quite a thick coat, and the vet said that the skin was remaining damp and not drying out, hence the bacterial infection, apparently he'd seen a lot of it at racehorse stables that year. I use a sheepskin next to the skin which is washed every week or so, and I never, ever leave a saddle patch any more.

 

[MandyMoo]

my horses have everything off except legs (protect from mud fever a bit)...


but they have never had any problems with sore backs

they are always fine with clipped backs

xxx

 

[Cliqmo]

I leave a half saddle patch on (ie where the seat of the saddle sits but not the flaps) as it looks tidier but mitigates against rubbing in my experience

Please find my VERY poor picture by way of an explanation (the blue is a normal hunter clip and the red is what I do!)

 

[star]

same as ali_m

i did take it all off last yr but his saddlecloth rubbed him. i replaced it with sheepskin and he didn't get rubbed after that but this year to be on the safe side I left a small patch. he doesn't seem to sweat up that much there anyway and mostly sweats on his neck.

 

[Booboos]

I leave it on but only because both of mine tend to get rubs very easily.

 

[Cyberchick]

Nay - whip it off, less sweaty bits and cleaner I think. I have never had any problems and neither has any one I know.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I take mine off. Interesting just read an article from a vet in the local paper who advocates them alway coming off as they offer very little protection but can cover up early signs of pinchs or saddle problems.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Link to article referred to above http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Lam...il/article.html

 

[KatB]

Very interesting SJ

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Nay, all off means all off.

 

[lucemoose]

all off when possible- even when clipping others I cant stand those sweaty saddle patches!

 

[daisycrazy]

All off.

 

[rocketdog69]

Nay from me. Clip mine out totally. Its never been a problem.

 

[OskyWoskyPonio]

I leave a small saddle patch on but only because Oscar is very senitive over his back

 

[Seahorse]

all off, that's the bit that gets sweaty just under the saddle so why leave it on?

 

[squirrelc17]

i've seen more problems with scabby scaley skin from having the saddle patch left on. i take it all off and use sheepskin.

 

[Liesel]

Another for 'all off' here. Done today but legs left on.

Never had a problem with it.

 

[jumptoit]

I leave it all off and stick with just a normal thin numnah, I can never get the patch in quite the right place!

 

[only_me]

same as Ali-M, leave the seat patch, rather have some protection there than none at all

 

[Seahorse]

but surely it's not that much thinner hair than a normal summer coat?

 

[millitiger]

everything off- no point leaving a patch of hair on the most sweaty part of the horse!

 

[MagicMelon]

I always leave a patch, although not the usual "numnah" shape. I just leave a rounded bit so the main bit of the saddle would sit on it.

 

[saskia295]

I always leave a little patch, like a half numnah type bit if you know what I mean?!

 

[Chloe_GHE]

all off except legs and half a head. clipped out last night and actually asked my clipper about this he said they only really leave a little bit for when the coats change back for horses who are sensitive, and might get rubbed, but he clips all his out 100% too

 

[flyingfeet]

Leaving a saddle patch when clipping is a hang over from when numnahs and saddle cloths were not used and therefore leaving the hair on provided some protection

Reasons to clip the entire back:
1. You can see what's going on, all the lumps and bumps
2. Modern numnahs offer greater protection than fur
3. Very few people ride without a saddle cloth or numnah
4. Most people use washing machines to wash numnahs and shedding winter fur is not good for them
5. Clipping an art and often the saddle patch looks a bit weird
6. Time is precious, much quicker to clip it all off!

 

[wench]

I left one on last year, it will be coming off this year. Horse has a yak coat, and it did was get sweaty and scabby, with loads of scurf coming out of it.