Sweat Marks and White Hairs Under Saddles

SWEAT MARKS AND WHITE HAIRS UNDER SADDLES.

Sweat marks for air and flocking work in the totally opposite manner in terms of moisture retained.

Flair Air System

Because air moves with the horse's back muscles it creates a very close contact that actually pushes the sweat out and away from the underside of the saddle - like water between two panes of glass.

The contact of the front 2/3rds of any saddle will always have a dryer sweat marks than the rear 1/3rd of the saddle. This is because the girthing never pulls down on that portion of the saddle as hard and therefore the contact area will not be as fluidly consistent as the front 2/3rd portion of the saddle.

This lack of pull is not sufficient to make the saddle rise up and down, merely that it does not provide as constant and even pressure against the horses skin so the sweat is not pushed outwards to the same extent leaving a wetter area than at the front.

Also the horses back articulates - the lumbar spine curls and the muscles lift so again this contributes to not having such an even "closeness" as you achieve at the front.

But on removing the saddle one should find that the hair might appear damp but not wet on the front 2/3rds with unruffled hair smooth and flat with a gradual reductions in this appearance to a wetter appearance right at the back of the saddle. This is normal and correct.

Flocking

Because the panel of a flocked saddle does not give a constantly conforming surface, touching the horse under the panel evenly, the places where the saddle does not touch for any instant in time gives room for the sweat to push in to it. A constantly moving horse is continually moving the sweat around under the saddle but not excluding it totally. Therefore on removal of the saddle one would find (if the saddle fits well) an evenly distributed sweaty area and dry patches where the saddle does not fit and pinches.

White Hairs or Bloom

The white hair bloom can appear even when a horse has even pressure on its back. Usually this happens at the first coat change to light bays and chestnuts. It is embarrassing but usually disappears on the next coat change. Sometimes it takes the whole panel outline at the front of the saddle when it has been converted to Flair and when it fits beautifully. It is very, very unusual and normally only on horses doing long distances or hunting and usually as they are changing fitness levels to go up to a longer distance.

It is almost like the skin purges something that shuts down pigmentation of the hairs. This should never be a solid block of hairs merely a bloom across the saddle contact area.

Sheepskin Pads

Sheepskin works very well for dispersal of sheer forces on a thin skinned horses especially when they are new due to the nature of the fibre but as they compress the effect is not as good. Note - The sheepskin may change the spinal profile of the horse and its fitting.