Saddle rubbing... question.

[All4Grace]

I have never had this issue before but the last two trail rides on Fizz, I have noticed she is losing hair under the saddle area. I thought, must be my A/P saddle, It appears to fit her well, but since she lost hair at the seat area, I figured I was wrong. The next day my sister rode her in the western with the padded fleece pad, she still got rubs in that one area.

Now I'm confused. Of the saddles that came with her, the dressage fits her horridly so I don't use it on her, and the wintec fits her well, so I will try that on Sat.
I brush her thoroughly before and after each ride and she get's a hose down if need be, she has no fungus there, it's just rubbing her fur off and I can't figure it out.

I also thought, it might be my saddle pad as it wasn't the cleanest when I used it on her. So I tried a freshly cleaned pad the other day and I noticed more rubbing. She hasn't shown any signs of pain or discomfort in her back while riding, she moves along happily.

We have a sheep skin memory foam western pad that we are going to try on her. I have sent her previous owner a message asking her if Fizz has had an issue with this before, we're good friends with her so I hope to hear back soon.
In the mean time, any ideas? The pads that came with her all all standard quilted English pads and the fleece western pad.

If it's a saddle fit issue we will find a new saddle for her, no questions, because she has become one of our primary trail horses, so her comfort is important. However, prior to last weekend, I hadn't seen any rubbings on after our rides and I was using the same saddle as this weekend.

[3equines]

Pictures, please! Of the rubs, and the saddles without a pad under them!

I bet she has lost weight and put on muscle. And I bet with the right pad you might get things working well, chances are she will put the weight back on this winter and the saddles you use now will fit again.

I have gotten around the block quite a bit with saddle fit, pads, shims, etc and I know several other Forum members have, too.

Refresh my mind - Fizz is a Saddlebred? If so, I can see where saddle fit can drive you nuts at times.

[Kara]

yep agreed pictures!

[Palogal]

Is she just shedding? Or does she have an allergy?

[Peggy Sue]

could the pads be dirty and the one pad started the problem and the second one just making it worse?? Kinda like you were one pair of shoes they cause a blister and then another pair keeps popping it or making it worse..

[All4Grace]

I think your all right!
She is a standardbred, had 2yrs off, now back into trail riding work. No fungus, not really shedding too much, I think the dirty pad caused the initial rubbing and the fleece western just made it worst. I will take pictures shortly.

Palo- she has no allergies that we know of or that were disclosed to us by her previous owner. We have known Fizz for almost 8yrs, and she became ours in March. I never recall her having an issue with saddle rubbing before and her previous owner it a very meticulous person, buys nothing but the best for her ponies.

Fizz is a very smooth mover, not jarring at all so pretty much everything you put on her is comfy.
I'll be back with photos, if she's stand still long enough for me to take them. She likes to try and climb into your pocket. She's getting better about her pushiness, she has learned climbing on people is not allowed at our barn.

[All4Grace]

Upon further inspection today, I noticed, it must have been my trail pad, its an extra long English pad as the saddle doesn't even sit where the worst of the rubs are and she has a fresh one on her spine, nope, my saddle doesn't sit there. She is losing lot's of hair there now, so I am treating it like fungus, even though there is no scabbing. I feel like a goof now, haha, asking y'all this when it appears now to be a fungus.

But here are photo's anyway, and a photo with my trail saddle on her.
She is not turned out with anyone as she is a bit of a WENCH like Gracie, so those are not bite marks as the other mares don't mess with Fizz.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h309/jumpinjavatb/Stock%20photos/fizzrubs001.jpg
From the side, hard to see, but this is where it started last weekend.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h309/jumpinjavatb/Stock%20photos/fizzrubs002.jpg
With my saddle loosely sitting on her.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h309/jumpinjavatb/Stock%20photos/fizzrubs005.jpg
as you can see it's not sitting on the rubs, but my extra long trail pad does. I think it's a combo of things.

[3equines]

Saddle fit looks fine. I think you had some kind of microbial infection there.... and I bet that the hair will start to grow back within a week or two. Looks like the same kind of hair loss pattern that comes with fungal infections. Using an antimicrobial blanket wash like MicroTek shampoo should help, and a little bit of teatree oil on the skin before and after rides should help, too.

Hair may continue to come out until the full range of the infection is revealed, but these usually heal quickly once treated and hair comes back without any discoloration.