White patches on back

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Steeleydan

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Jack gets roughed off for the summer because he hunts. He is out and hasnt been ridden now since hunting finished second week in march. He had a hunter clip, we left a full saddle patch on, as he is now growing his summer coat, he is raipdly moulting on the saddle patch but at either side of his whithers in the hollows white patches of hair are appearing about the size of my palm, he didnt have these 4 weeks ago and hasnt been ridden for about 6 weeks, why have these suddenly appeared odd he didnt have a mark on his back all hunting season. Any ideas?
 
The white hairs normally result from some sort of damage to the hair follicule so something like a rub, pressure sore or bad bruising can result in discoloured hair. It won't show up immediately so it seems this is growing through with the new hairs in the change of coat.
You should check the tack is fitting properly.
 
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The white hairs normally result from some sort of damage to the hair follicule so something like a rub, pressure sore or bad bruising can result in discoloured hair. It won't show up immediately so it seems this is growing through with the new hairs in the change of coat.
You should check the tack is fitting properly.

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This is spot on. Basically your saddle doesnt fit. The pressure means blood and hence oxygen and nutrients cant get to the muscle/skin very well. White hairs are a sign of very high pressure from the saddle. It is a serious problem and i'm amazed your horse hant shown any behaviour changes! Get your saddle refitted when your horse comes back into work and then regularly checked throughout the hunting season. Unfortunately there may be permanent damage to your horses back.
 
Cos he is a TB with high whithers and hollows at either side of his whithers my sister always rides him in a pro lite pad and Griffin Nu Med half sheepskin numnah, when we had saddle fitted saddler said best to have a medium fit as a narrow fit would squeeze him too tight in the hollows.
 
When I had my Jack the back woman came out and saw him. He had white patches on his back. She said it was becasue he was hunting and being on their back for a prolonged amount of time meant that the blood supply was really in the areas where there was the most pressure on his back so that is what caused the white patches. If that makes sense? On the other hand I have heard that they are due to an ill fitting saddle.
 
Did the saddle fitter fit the saddle for use with a prolite pad and half sheepskin numnah?
How long ago was the saddle fitted?
 
He may be a medium fit and not narrow, many TBs are. But if he has a big wither and hollows you need a deeper panel on the saddle to clear the spine. Sheepkins are great and so are prolites but together they may be too much and they should not be used in place of a well fitting saddle. You need the correct width tree AND the right type of panel. I would speak to your saddle fitter and also take pictures of your horse so you have a record of the marks if they change.
 
I had this with my TB last year. I bought a saddle I was assured fitted him and it was to be used with a prolite until the hollows in his withers filled out.

I noticed after about 3 months that there were some white hairs growing under his normal bay hair. I immediatly changed the saddle and had much heartache about it all. They grew enormous - almost the size of my fist and I was very doom and gloom about it. It takes 3 months for the hair to come through.

Anyway as he has lost his saddle patch so have nearly all of the white hairs. Its amazing. So def. make sure you get a saddle that fits him properly when he's brought back in. I have a Symonds saddle which is brilliant for high withered TB types.
 
I agree it's probably the saddle not fitting properly, and the extra pads may be making it too tight. If it fits him then they shouldn't be necessary unless specifically recommended by the saddler. Also the flocking on saddles can compact and mean that the saddle fits differently, which is why you have to have saddles checked a few weeks after buying them, and then again every six months. Could also be that your horse put muscle on over the hunting season, again making the saddle too tight (I had that with my polo pony... she went from a narrow to a medium width just from putting muscle on, and as I saw her every day I didn't notice a change). White hair can take a few months to come through, so was likely caused during the winter's hunting.
 
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