Ruffled hair under saddle?

[CurlyWurlyRach]

Not good right?

Ive only noticed it recently.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/lord_w_rox/sd007.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/lord_w_rox/sd005.jpg


Oh heck - last thing i need now is a new saddle (got my vets bill yesterday and almost had to be recusitated by dad :rolleyes: )

[jowyles]

hmm to me that dont look good! saddle looks like its putting pressure on the front there, I'd be inclined to geta few more opinions and put a rider pad on if you cant afford a new saddle

[carthorse]

Get it checked but before you start panicking too much remember that coats ruffle & mark much more easily when they're shedding because the old hair is dead & loose so it takes very little to break & dislodge it.

[CurlyWurlyRach]

the saddler that i trust is away for 2 weeks :( darn horsey people shouldnt be allowed holidays :p

[CurlyWurlyRach]

Im off to the tack shop tomorrow (HURRAH!) so i can easily pick up a riser pad - it wont narrow the saddle will it?

I'll get the saddler out when shes back - its due to be checked in October anyway.

[CurlyWurlyRach]

*smacks head on wall*

I hate saddles.

[BeachRiding]

*smacks head on wall*

I hate saddles.
I'm with you there!

[CurlyWurlyRach]

bump

Will a riser make the saddle too narrow? Going shopping today so need to know!

[Alex T]

hey, yes it will narrow the saddle!! no dea why the coat would be ruffled like that. my little mares saddle does the same (after seeing this thread i thought id check) today when i rode her she sweated everywhere apart from the same little ruffled bit on curly!!

[RachelBraz]

It looks to me (although I'm no saddle fitter) that your saddle may be just slightly too far forward (the mark from the front of the saddle looks a bit too far forward over the scapula to me). Put the saddle on and girth it up normally, and check you can run your fingers down behind the shoulder without having your fingers crushed by your saddle. If it's too far forward, slide it back until you can do this. Hopefully this should solve your pressure point problem, if not then get a qualified saddler out to have a look. :)

[Mehitabel]

it can just mean the saddle moved a bit that one time - sure the girth was tight enough? was horse a bit fatter/thinner than usual? we found the same marks on a pony recently - saddle & pony normally fine, but on this occasion pony bronced (quite impressivley - not sure ruffled hair is really an adequate excuse!!) in canter, and on taking saddle off to check that was found. it's not happened before or since, either the bucking or the ruffles, so must have just been saddle not put on in quite the right place, girth not quite tight enough, etc.

look at it again before panicking!

[western-saddler]

That looks to me that the saddle is causing friction where the hair is ruffled. Obviously it is difficult to give a professional opinion without seeing the horse properly - but I would be getting a proper professional opinion. Or hire a Port Lewis Impression Pad and that will show you whether the saddle fits well or not.

Good luck.