When you clip horses why do you...

[Polos]

leave a patch where the saddle goes? I have seen horses with the patches in the shape of the saddle and some only have a small rectangle. Why do people leave a patch?

 

[[69117]]

It's traditionally done on hunters to give them a little more protection from the saddle rubbing them while they're being ridden all day.

I don't bother with saddle patches as in my opinion they look peculiar, are a pain in the arse to do, and don't provide enough protection to warrant the faff.

 

[Mongoose11]

I guess it suits some thin skinned horses as it will be less likely to get saddle sore or friction rubs from slight movement of the saddle or cloth?

 

[Honey08]

I would always do them, and am a traditional saddle shape fan rather than the lazy square. The one time I didn't do them on my old mare, she got rubbed by everything from the numnah to rugs. She was a fine skinned TB, but never again!

I kept the numnah for our old 12h pony, which is a perfect template to clip round on bigger horses!

 

[Kokopelli]

I do it on my TB as he is cold backed just to make sure his back has the extra bit of warmth.

 

[acw295]

I don't on mine - she is PITA to clip even sedated, we do all of body off, legs and head on - as means no wonky lines!! Would never get a good shaped patch and could do without the shedding

I do use wool lined numnahs though as she is a bit of a delicate flower (despite her breeding!) and then found no rubbing with it all off (inc hunting)

 

[[69117]]

I do have one livery that needs a saddle patch, as he's such a pansy that the slightest movement of the saddle results in sores and a lot of dramatic shivering and face-pulling.

I would always leave a saddle patch on a horse that needed it, but I've found that the majority don't...and I'm lazy. Clipping twelve a week will make you lazy...

 

[Eriskayowner]

I hunter clip Jazzy and Mousey and clip a square patch.

I do a square because the purpose is to provide protection and warmth to the back so the sides aren't needed and the saddle-shape never seems to be in the right place!

 

[Kallibear]

To prevent rubbing mostly. Some horses are thin skinned and need the extra protection. Pips is prob going to get a full clip this year and will have his saddle patch left on as, even as a cob, he rubs easily.

 

[katherine1975]

I leave a saddle shaped patch of hair on my mare as she is prone to folliculitis (had it twice) and I think it is caused by clipping. She had it once in the girth area and once on her shoulder where the rug goes, I think it was caused by ingrowing hairs where her clip grew back. She has had to have antibiotics both times, so I am very careful when clipping and think that leaving some hair on her back will prevent it from happening there.

 

[fallenangel123]

We used to at the yard I worked at mostly for the protection aspect.

Funny story. A friend and I were trying to get through clipping twenty or so riding school horses in short time so we were doing a side each. One particular mare only did dressage so I did a dressage saddle shape my side. She unfortunately didn't! She looked hilariously funny, but ended up with a sort of furry half pad!