Ideas please :)

[amystevee]

Basically, I've had this new horse for 2 weeks and have noticed slight rubbing on his sides where my riding boots/leg lies whilst I'm riding him. I never had this before with my other horse but was wondering if it was something I could do/change or should I just continue how I was before? Any ideas would be much appreciated

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Is your new horse fine-skinned?

My mare is an anglo-arab and she has very thin skin and fine fur. I will post a photo for you to look at. I had ridden her in my new Ariat boots for one short ride and they rubbed her. I don't ride in those boots any more, but I use short boots and half-chaps that don't rub her as they don't have any seams against her skin. I also have to use a sheepskin cover on her girth or she gets girth galls.

Please ignore the horrible fence in the background, it was changed after this photo was taken.

ETA. Don't ignore the rubs, you could end up making her/his sides very sore. I put an exercise rug on my mare to cover and protect the rubbed areas when I rode, until the fur grew back.