Re: hair loss

[flemmerl@rcbhsc.wvu.edu (Flemmer, Linda)]

J. Fisher wrote:

> I've been riding my Morgan gelding on acouple 50's and a 35 LD rides
> this season, and am using a Marciante saddle with a Skito pad.  Just
> recently he is getting bald patch on the right side of his withers
> about the length of my hand, but narrower.  The saddle seems to fit
> well, as when I take off the saddle, there is no dry spots.  Any
> ideas? What should I put on the bare spot?  Thanks for your help!

  Well, the bald patch is most likely trauma from the
saddle/pad/pressure if you ruled out skin infections.  It can happen one
of several ways, to my mind.  You are either rubbing the area & breaking
off or plucking out the hair, or you are creating pressure there and
cutting off circulation to the hair follicles.  Is he sore there?  Does
it ever swell?  Are the hairs missing or broken off?  If hair grows back
in, is it white?  (If he is a gray, does the skin come in pink instead
of black?  yes, I know - I've never seen a gray Morgan...)

The Marciante has stuffed panels underneath it, like an english saddle.
Look to see if the panels are the symmetrical on both sides near the
gullet.  The padding may have shifted some.

You may be pulling the saddle more to the left, causing the panel to
press hard on the right side.  Ask somebody to watch you ride to assure
that you aren't weighting the saddle to the left.  Very few people
naturally sit perfectly evenly.  If there isn't a good person to
critique you, ask somebody to lounge you & the horse.  Sit on your hands
and feel if there is more weight on one side than the other.  (It may
take 10-15 minutes to see which hand goes numb first.)

Look to where you hang equipment off of the saddle - is that putting to
much weight on one side?

Is the pad synthetic or natural fiber?  Natural fiber (esp. wool) is
easier on the horse's coat.

Good luck.  I hope that you are't faced with the "Great Saddle Hunt"!

Linda Flemmer