Lori, The white you are
describing comes from irritation of the skin. The fact that your pad
walks out from underneath your saddle indicates that your saddle is not
fitting properly. If you cinch it down on your horse, you will most
likely find that there is a lot more pressure at the front of the saddle
than at the back. This causes the saddle to swish side to side walking
the pad out and causing friction burn to her back. The white where
your cinch fits, is also caused from friction . Neoprene girths
can cause burns big time! Your saddle may need a built-up or roper
style pad. Thicker in the front of the pad and thinner at the
back. This will raise the front of the saddle in an attempt to
distribute the pressure more evenly across her back. Or, You may try a
couple of mouse pads glued together and place them underneath the forks of
your saddle on each side. Take care not to have the pads so far up
that they are next to the spine. This will cause problems of a
different sort. Never crowd the spine area. The hairs
around the girth area can be caused by a cinch that is too loose, too far
forward, too hot. Too far forward will not allow freedom of movement
at the area between the elbow and rib cage. As the foreleg moves back and
forth the skin drags past the girth. I have seen horses burn and
blister from having fly repellent and or soap residue on their skin before
being saddled and wind up with a chemical burn. 2 cents worth
.
gesa n clovis
Hi there all. I sure could use some
help on a problem I am starting to have. My chestnut mare is starting to
get white hairs where my English saddle sits. She has never had dry
spots, or any soring, yet the hairs are definitely there. They are about
half the size of the bars on my saddle. And on both sides on her
backbone. I will say that she has a problem with pigmentation, since she
is a solid colored paint. She even has an area between her hips where
the sweat would form from the hot Bakersfield days that has lost it's
color and is now large whites spots. And she has roaning at the girth
area, though she has never been sored up. Those same white hairs on her
back first showed up after spending a week at a clinic when I used a
western saddle on her. And again, there wasn't any soring or dry spots.
The hairs went away but are now back again. Anyone have any idea as to
what could be going on? My saddle is a Whitman with a spring tree, and
my pad is a coolmax that refuses to stay in place. Weather permitting, I
always wash her off after a ride.
Thanks for any
help.
Lori