Does Riding Cause a Fuzzy Back?

[rodriguezpoultry]

Another is if the saddle is not resting consistently on the back as the rider rides, and rubs back and forth or up and down as the rider rides. I can't see your video well enough to tell for sure, but I think that might be it. You can minimize it by setting the saddle and blanket further forward and pulling them back together into position like one does for that 'scrubby' look when the hair stops growing.

I bet you that's part of it right there! We had to get a breastplate for him and we thought it was a bit tight, winds up we were putting saddle too far back. I've been forgetting to move the saddle back towards his rear instead of forwards towards his shoulders because I'm not used to using the breastplate and getting it in position to attach to the saddle!

I hadn't even thought of it, or maybe I had in the way back of my mind and just needed it shoved under my nose! Thanks for the idea! I'll be remembering this each time "just in case" that's what's causing it.

 

[patandchickens]

Another is if the saddle is not resting consistently on the back as the rider rides, and rubs back and forth or up and down as the rider rides.

Note that this indicates a saddle-fit problem. For instance a saddle that is too tight on the withers area, and/or not curved the same as the horse's back, and/or the cinch ring is in the wrong position to hold the saddle *uniformly* against the horse, will tend to stay snug against the horse along its front half, and lift off the horse's back and rub all around a whole lot on the back half of the saddle (and pad).

Some saddle fit problems are merely a problem of the saddle being positioned incorrectly on the horse, but unless vigorously held by straps, saddles generally quickly find their own way of sitting on the horse's back no matter how exactly they were originally set on -- so a genuine STRUCTURAL saddle-fit problem is much more common as a cause.

Pat

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Here are some photos from today. Couldn't get the camera to focus well on his back in the sun:

Wouldn't stop following me around...

 

[w c]

I must be old or something, LOL, I can't really tell anything from the pictures.

I have one saddle that tends to move up and down on one horse - it isn't wide enough in front for him, and a wider saddle doesn't do that on him.

wc