White hairs from ill fitting saddle

[Stenners]

I’ve had my mare 7 weeks and had a saddle fitted to her 6 weeks ago and today on my second clip (first one about 5 weeks ago) I noticed white hairs in both sides clearly where the saddle doesn’t fit at all and pressing down. I’m absolutely gutted. They weren’t as obvious until I clipped her so hadn’t really noticed before as her hair had grown back quite a lot but she had no white hairs when I last took a photo 3 weeks ago. I’m disgusted they didn’t fit my saddle correctly and absolutely mortified she she will now be left with permanent white hairs. She’s only 7. Any remedies to help the hair grow back?!

 

[ester]

I had this, couldn't see anything until clipped. It wasn't permanent once we had a different saddle. They might also be pre-new saddle for yours?

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Why does it make the hair go white?

 

[Regandal]

Why does it make the hair go white?

I assume that it’s tight enough to cut off the blood supply to the hair follicles whenever the saddle is worn. Or damages the follicles in some way.

 

[Cahill]

mine has some white hairs that dissapear in the summer coat.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

This happened with my Connie last year. First time I’d had him fully clipped and the white hair was very apparent. I got the saddle fitter out immediately who reflocked and added prolite risers. He’s due to be clipped in the next month so I will be interested to see whether they have gone. They never show up in his summer coat or his full winter yeti coat.

 

[nikicb]

Just thinking outside the box a little - is it possible that it's a rug causing the issue rather than a saddle?

 

[Stenners]

I had this, couldn't see anything until clipped. It wasn't permanent once we had a different saddle. They might also be pre-new saddle for yours?

They weren’t they when I clipped her 5 weeks ago?

 

[Stenners]

Just thinking outside the box a little - is it possible that it's a rug causing the issue rather than a saddle?

No as it’s has the lines from my numnah within the hairs and having put the saddle on it’s exactly where the tightest part of the saddle fits

 

[Stenners]

This happened with my Connie last year. First time I’d had him fully clipped and the white hair was very apparent. I got the saddle fitter out immediately who reflocked and added prolite risers. He’s due to be clipped in the next month so I will be interested to see whether they have gone. They never show up in his summer coat or his full winter yeti coat.

Oh wow this is interesting. She never had it when fully clipped 5 weeks ago and Definatley not obvious before I clipped her today.

 

[Stenners]

I had this, couldn't see anything until clipped. It wasn't permanent once we had a different saddle. They might also be pre-new saddle for yours?

I really hope they grow back normally but they are so white and quite a big patch

 

[ester]

This happened with my Connie last year. First time I’d had him fully clipped and the white hair was very apparent. I got the saddle fitter out immediately who reflocked and added prolite risers. He’s due to be clipped in the next month so I will be interested to see whether they have gone. They never show up in his summer coat or his full winter yeti coat.

yup I expect ours was there previously but he'd always had a blanket clip so it was only noticed when I full clipped him or for some reason the front line of the blanket moved further back.

fwiw OP we'd had that saddle for several years, albeit I think I might have made it worse by adding a prolite and it still went away once changed.

 

[Stenners]

yup I expect ours was there previously but he'd always had a blanket clip so it was only noticed when I full clipped him or for some reason the front line of the blanket moved further back.

fwiw OP we'd had that saddle for several years, albeit I think I might have made it worse by adding a prolite and it still went away once changed.

This is positive - thank you! I really hope hers go away too!

 

[Gloi]

It depends how badly the hair follicles have been damage whether it will be permanent or not. If you alter the saddle now hopefully they will go with the next coat change though there is a chance they will return in next winter's coat .

 

[olop]

My boy had this when he was younger, it was actually his rug that did it. He’s 22 now and he still has the white hair so they never fade unfortunately.

 

[vmac66]

My mare had white hairs ftom a badly fitting saddle. Changed the saddle and they went away when she changed her coat. Never came back

 

[Stenners]

My boy had this when he was younger, it was actually his rug that did it. He’s 22 now and he still has the white hair so they never fade unfortunately.

Was that white marks down the side of withers? My rug doesn’t really touch those points I don’t think so not sure how it could be my rug

 

[tallyho!]

Gullets on saddles are narrower than you think. Look for a wide - wider than your whole hand if possible as really for any horse that's the width of the spinous processes, the add the inches you need either side.

Unfortunately many saddle fitters (not all) fit a saddle to a horse in front of them (after all years ago horses were working things) rather than the horse that ought to be - so you work the horse into a saddle that will never grow with the musculature underneath. Some saddlers though will see the potential and find a saddle that will allow for the growth so the white hairs never occur.

I guess I have been lucky with my youngsters having saddle fitters that had the foresight to allow this growth. It looks like you did not but the hair colour is only a permanent sign of pinching you can only correct from now on. I can only speak from experience but if the fitter brings shims and pads and speaks of growth in musculature, you are on to a good thing.

 

[olop]

Was that white marks down the side of withers? My rug doesn’t really touch those points I don’t think so not sure how it could be my rug

No his is at the top of the withers just a spot and I was paranoid it was the saddle but I had it checked and double checked and saddler told me it would have been the rug. He suffered from sweet itch back then and had quite a tight fitting rug on 24/7.

 

[Red-1]

I have found that, if you catch it while it is still salt and pepper style white hairs, that only appear after clipping, it will grow back the normal coat colour. If it is a pure white patch, it does not.

Obviously, I would get the saddle attended to.

 

[Stenners]

I have found that, if you catch it while it is still salt and pepper style white hairs, that only appear after clipping, it will grow back the normal coat colour. If it is a pure white patch, it does not.

Obviously, I would get the saddle attended to.

Nope it’s full on white hairs ? even 3 weeks ago they weren’t there. She’s only done 30 mins of walking 3 times a week so not even ridden for long but it even had the numnah squares. I think it may be the stirrup bar

 

[sbloom]

They weren’t they when I clipped her 5 weeks ago?

It still could be from before the current saddle. Go back to the person who fitted it in the first instance.

Gullets on saddles are narrower than you think. Look for a wide - wider than your whole hand if possible as really for any horse that's the width of the spinous processes, the add the inches you need either side.

Actually they vary, and not all are that wide. Going too wide can lead to instability, lack of panel area and other problems. I would say 6cm is the minimum, 7-9cm for larger spines, wider than that is very unusual and would only be part of a non-standard approach to saddle fitting and should be approached with caution.

 

[Stenners]

It still could be from before the current saddle. Go back to the person who fitted it in the first instance.



Actually they vary, and not all are that wide. Going too wide can lead to instability, lack of panel area and other problems. I would say 6cm is the minimum, 7-9cm for larger spines, wider than that is very unusual and would only be part of a non-standard approach to saddle fitting and should be approached with caution.

I have gone back to the saddler that came out 6 weeks ago. I have used them for years but this time she didn't even get me to ride in it - just girthed it up and said it's fine - no adjustments at all...

She said she may be able to get out to me in a few weeks..... I feel I can't ride her until I have a saddle sorted.

 

[sbloom]

I have gone back to the saddler that came out 6 weeks ago. I have used them for years but this time she didn't even get me to ride in it - just girthed it up and said it's fine - no adjustments at all...

She said she may be able to get out to me in a few weeks..... I feel I can't ride her until I have a saddle sorted.

Hmm, with a customer that has issues as you have here, that's too long to make you wait. I would ask a little more strongly for a sooner visit, especially if she's reasonably local. If she's not local and it's too difficult then she should try and help remotely IMO but not all fitters are prepared to do that. And no, I'd not ride in the saddle until it's checked.

Almost all saddle fitting bodies/qualifications recommend to always have a ridden check where lameness etc doesn't preclude it and it is part of the code of conduct for those fitters. I would say that if it's a new saddle then it is absolutely imperative that it is seen ridden in. Very minor adjustments can sometimes be okay, but I will always tell the customer what to look out for in terms of coat movement or how they'll feel in the saddle if it's wrong.

 

[Carlosmum]

My gelding has a few white hairs under his saddle, but I don't believe it is pressure, he also has a few that have come through in other places in his coat. He is now 14, his dam was grey, i think it has more to do with his genetics

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I have gone back to the saddler that came out 6 weeks ago. I have used them for years but this time she didn't even get me to ride in it - just girthed it up and said it's fine - no adjustments at all...

She said she may be able to get out to me in a few weeks..... I feel I can't ride her until I have a saddle sorted.

Did the saddle come with her or did you get one when you bought her?

Just to add I think I only saw 1 picture of your horse and she looked to be quite wide, do you know the width of the saddle your using it could be too narrow, they can change shape so quickly it could have been ok but now it's not if you know what I mean.

 

[Stenners]

So my saddle I got fitted was my saddle I had on my old mare who was a Cob X and also pretty wide! It's very sentimental so I askd her to check the fit just to see if it would be any good and she said "you won't find a more perfect fitting saddle" girthed it up and away she went.

However as my mare was sat in a field for 8 months and then brought in for 6 weeks to sell, the people selling her just put any saddle on here they had lying around in the tackroom (it's an old riding school) and it's quite a narrow saddle so i now wonder if the damage was done then?

Saying that - she definitely hasn't felt right the last couple of weeks but she had physio last week and did have a twisted back and pelvis from jumping out her paddock a couple of weeks ago so thats possibly why or a combination of both.