significance of white hairs

["Kimberly M. Price" <PLOUGH1@ix.netcom.com>]

This is a toughie question to ask correctly.

 

Please keep in mind I've been on the right saddle hunt for a year now.  I've had Mystery's back checked out, adjusted, realize his lopsidedness, learned to correctly check his back, etc.,etc.,etc.

 

Briefly, I get a fairly good fit until we start doing 25+ miles then soreness appears to the extent I can't consider doing more.  I'm still on the hunt.

 

Fall is exposing to many of us in my neck of the woods, who are also on the saddle saga hunt, that white spots on the withers seem to be pretty common on many distance horses, yet the  soreness is not in the withers.

 

Could there be spots appearing equavalent to callouses in say, a distance runners feet, which are hair damage losts only but not necessarily a good reason to throw the saddle away?

 

And could there be a corelation between the higher distances and these white areas?

 

I mean, how many of your horses, say 50 milers and up, commonly have these areas from saddles that don't seem to sore your horse otherwise. (not the current case in Mystery, but in others I've seen..and his white spots are in a different area than his soreness right now..).

 

Thanks, Kimberly