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Regular
Posts: 94
| I noticed this big (fist size) roan patch on one side of my gelding's withers. (he's 10) I know, your thinking its ill saddle fit right? That's what I assumed but, I had a couple friends look and we found a couple smaller same roan spots on the side of his rib cage and some solid white specs on his back. I google'd it and found it could be a couple different things but I still don't know what to do!
-genetic background
or
- nutrition deficiency
I don't want any more spots on him. I've tried so hard to keep him separated from the "bully" horse so he wouldn't get any knicks or anything. He was spotless until now. Ugh. Its probably just cosmetic but it really bugs me. Still hoping the big patch by his withers will go away or at least not turn all the way white. The picture shows most of it. What should I do?!
Edited by barrelracing? 2014-10-13 8:37 PM
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
  
Location: Texas | The patch of white at the wither appears to be from an ill fitting saddle. Not sure about the others. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| Yes, I agree with the above post. The one on the wither appears to be from saddle fit. Not sure about the others. My gelding had one appear on his wither in January, but after he shed out, it was gone. |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| Burn n' Turn - 2014-10-13 10:40 PM
Yes, I agree with the above post. The one on the wither appears to be from saddle fit. Not sure about the others. My gelding had one appear on his wither in January, but after he shed out, it was gone.
I have a biofit saddle pad that should be here tomorrow! Hopefully that will help as my saddle is just a bit too snug in the shoulder area. I sure do hope this one goes away too! |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I also would say saddle and those other spots could also be hot spots from your saddle. My gelding has one from a winter blanket. Unfortunately in my experience, they dont go away :( |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | This is no lie. I got my show horse who is a dark dark brown back from the trainer and I'm not sure if it was my saddle or his, but he bucked either way (I know mine was a bad fit), but about a month later he started to get white hairs growing in. It started to be just 2 or 3 and then 8-10. So I put ThiamOxide on both sides every day for about a week or 10 days. It is for deep muscle soreness, and the white hairs are usually from damage done to the hair follicle from deep tissue bruising. Anyways, white hairs on a showmanship horse are the devil. They are so faint now that I hope when he sheds his winter coat, they will be totally gone. If I didn't tell you to look for the few left, I don't think anyone would notice them. They are so faint and few, to not even be there. I did message Bob at THE to tell him of his miracle in a bottle. I used it on my back when I got bucked off and you can really feel it working. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 432
Location: Tennessee | What's his registered name? Research his pedigree, does it go back to a horse named Birdcatcher (1833)? If so, you have your answer, they're "Birdcatcher spots" and purely cosmetic. If that's what they are, they'll come and go. Hopefully that's what it is, and not an ill fitting saddle :-) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1033
Location: Iowa | They are all pressure points from your saddle from what I can tell from the pic. Make some major changes and they will go away! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
| Those are called Birdcatcher spots. Lots of horses have them. Not sure if they are genetic or not. Nothing you can do about them.
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 Banjo and Baby
Posts: 7259
Location: South of Canada and North of Mexico | Yep birdcatcher spots and from an ill fitting saddle. A biofit pad will NOT work, it will create MORE pressure. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Those look like pressure points from your saddle, if he had the spots all over his body that would be a different story but to be right where they are I say your saddle is making these. Time to change things up. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | barrelracing? - 2014-10-14 9:46 PM Burn n' Turn - 2014-10-13 10:40 PM Yes, I agree with the above post. The one on the wither appears to be from saddle fit. Not sure about the others. My gelding had one appear on his wither in January, but after he shed out, it was gone. I have a biofit saddle pad that should be here tomorrow! Hopefully that will help as my saddle is just a bit too snug in the shoulder area. I sure do hope this one goes away too!
NO PAD WILL HELP A TO SMALL SADDLE........put on wool socks and then go try on a pair of shoes a size to small...that is what you are doing...........
m |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| Ok so if the spot by the withers is from the saddle then why would he get the same roan patch on his side at the same time? The side one couldn't be from the saddle I wouldn't think... Plus he's been working just perfectly lately, hard to imagine he isn't comfortable with the saddle, but it could be I guess:(
And another thing I should have mentioned- the reason I am getting a bio-fit pad is because he has somewhat of an atrophy and my trainer said the biofit would lift the saddle up & help him regain the muscle there, this was discussed and ordered BEFORE the patches came.
Edited by barrelracing? 2014-10-14 2:06 PM
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | some horses are very forgiving.....
m |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | mruggles - 2014-10-14 2:19 PM
some horses are very forgiving.....
m
Yep - they are. |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | MS2011 - 2014-10-14 2:22 PM mruggles - 2014-10-14 2:19 PM some horses are very forgiving.....
m Yep - they are.
And I don't mean to be a smartie but the trainer is a saddle fitting expert? I am not saying this to be ugly just asking. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | I have a yearling at my house with a roan hair patch on her shoulder. Definiately not from an ill fitting saddle. |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-14 2:28 PM
MS2011 - 2014-10-14 2:22 PM mruggles - 2014-10-14 2:19 PM some horses are very forgiving.....
m Yep - they are.
I don't know that my trainer considers herself a "saddle fit expert" but she's certainly experienced. She can work wonders on literally any horse. Not saying that has anything to do with saddle fit but she knows what she's doing, that's for sure. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | wont comment on patch but if there is atrophy there on wither it can be caused from ill fitting saddle. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| You said that the patches showed up after ordering the pad? How long ago did you order the pad then? |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Ouch. Saddle fit.
Are there any white spots that aren't covered when you have the horse saddled? |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| Burn n' Turn - 2014-10-14 3:32 PM
You said that the patches showed up after ordering the pad? How long ago did you order the pad then?
Ordered the pad a week ago. Haven't got it in the mail quite yet. Spots showed up 2-4 days ago |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| I was just talking with my mom and she mentioned this: IF it is ill saddle fit, how long does it take for white hair to come? Because I switched saddles a month ago. Could my old saddle be causing the problem? |
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Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | barrelracing? - 2014-10-14 3:02 PM sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-14 2:28 PM MS2011 - 2014-10-14 2:22 PM mruggles - 2014-10-14 2:19 PM some horses are very forgiving.....
m Yep - they are. I don't know that my trainer considers herself a "saddle fit expert" but she's certainly experienced. She can work wonders on literally any horse. Not saying that has anything to do with saddle fit but she knows what she's doing, that's for sure.
Well that's good enough for me. Sounds like she should know. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Do you have a picture of the whole horse, I would like to see where the other white spots are. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Some horses are more sensitive too. My gelding is appendix and I think the TB in him makes him ultra sensitive. He has a roan spot on his butt thats always been there. But he also has white scarring on a back leg after running in a really wet arena. |
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Regular
Posts: 94
| IMG_2521.jpeg these are the specs on his back.. When I bought his 6 months ago he had one or two specs but not this many |
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