Is your horse developing areas of rubbed hair in the saddle area? If so, it may be time to have your saddle checked. Horses at this time of year (Winter) tend to be at their leanest, so your saddle may need a small alteration to minimise any movement. However, even the best fitting saddles naturally move as the horse does, and January/February is the time when these rubbed areas appear towards the back of the saddle area on both sides. This is because the winter coat is much coarser and more brittle, and the hairs break very easily under the natural movement of the saddle giving rise to patches that can appear bald. Suggestions include spraying the area with show sheen to allow the numnah to slide over the area without friction, or stitching silky material to the underside of your numnah. Come the Spring, when the coat changes, the rubbed areas will grow out and dissappear – until next Winter!
