Two bald patches appearing on horses back !

[Gingerwitch]

Amazing I have ridden my youngster loads more than normal, but have been using a different saddle cloth for the last 2 nights and he has two patches of rubbed off hair (he was fully clipped) just like you get if you ride with a little bit of a fixed leg aid !

He is not sore at all, the saddle was made to measure and re-checked only last week - and all was well - just shows you what difference can be made by a saddle cloth !

 

[Orangehorse]

Better change your saddlecloth quickly, or he will be sore. How about a real sheepskin pad?

 

[Gingerwitch]

Yes he is having the next couple of days off - well i will lunge or free school him, and will get him a new sheepskin one tomorrow - must admit the one i brought as a full size is dissapointingly small and i had already used it before i noticed that the edge of the saddle was just sitting on the edge of the cloth a bit too close for my liking - that was a waste of 80 quid - but have learnt my lesson now with checking everything fully before i loose the receipt or allow it to get dirty

 

[cptrayes]

It's very common at this time of year when the coat gets brittle before it changes. It hardly ever causes a problem and may be nothing at all to do with anything except the time of year. Some horses do it and some don't, irrespective of their saddle fit. It would be just as well to stop using the cloth, but don't be too worried if the patches get bigger until his new coat comes through.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I totally agree with cptrayes, at this time of the year their coats are very brittle & this is why you get what appear to be rub marks. You will find that if you press on then area it causes no discomfort so there is little to wory about. The area will grow out when their new coats come through.

 

[Natalie_H]

Also agree with the above. My horse gets them Jan-March, then they disappear when the summer coat comes through & re-appear the following year again. My saddler says that she gets more calls about this than anything else, but in most cases it is due to coat change.

 

[ngrace]

Mine is getting rubs from his rugs all of a sudden - I'm sure its the change of coat!

 

[NicoleS_007]

My horse is lyk this 2 in winter!!! weird lol
we fully clipped him last year and this happened and made him sore but we dun a hunter clip this year and its worked great

.. still 2 rub marks but the hairy saddle patch has somehow stoped it being sore!! lol

 

[Gingerwitch]

Thanks for all the replies - having never had this issue in the past and being a bit of a drama queen- where my pride and joys are concerned- it has been a great help. Will still be chaning the saddle cloth though !

 

[criso]

Mine got it recently with a sheepskin but was fine with another cloth. But he is a very sensitive little soul and had similar marks in the past from my sharers boots.
Doesn't seem to bother him though in either case.

 

[teddyt]

Whilst the bald patches can be due to a change in coat, if they are localised rather than all over this shows there is more saddle movement and/or pressure in that area. As the fit and type of the numnah can easily affect the fit of the saddle it is important to make sure the numnah isnt causing the problem. In the case of the op it obviously is!

Think about it this way- if you had a snug pair of shoes fitted over normal socks then you wear a pair of walking socks, the shoes wont fit the same. Ditto vice versa.