spurs marking horse, need advice...

[nicolab5252]

I have got a young grey horse who goes very nicely in a pair of rounded spurs, problem I have is that they are marking his sides. I have tried riding him in non-marking rollar ball spurs but he hates them and bucks like mad! Has anybody got any advice on how I can harded the skin on his sides? I have been reccommended to put vasoline on his sides, but surely that will just soften the skin?

Any advice would be great

 

[sw123]

I have had horses that mark and ride them with a big long towel under their saddle so that it goes down their side and your leg touches that not the skin. Also Germoline do a product called 2nd skin that you paint on, can work well too. Vaseline makes you slide on them more so reduce the friction.

 

[JenniferB]

My boy is pretty sensitive and marks up easily, as dis my old horse when he competed. The best thing to use is either salt water or surgical spirit on it to toughen the skin up a bit, vaseline will just make it softer as you say. Sure someone else will have a better suggestion but the surgical spirit works a treat for my horses!

 

[connie1288]

we used to put cornicresine on, obviously not on a grey though!!
Other than that we used to ride with spur sheets which were just v thin fleece that i put under the saddle and girth but down far enough to cover where you rub!!

 

[_jetset_]

Germoline... it has been my god send

My chestnut mare marks if you even breathe on her, so you can imagine what she is like with spurs on

 

[marmalade76]

We used to use calomine and meths to harden the skin. Mix half and half and shake before putting on. Could use surgical spirit insted of meths. I have a tub of "Gold Label" skin hardening gel. Not sure whats in it but smells like meths.