my chestnut pony mare has rub marks for the first time this winter. the are about the size of the palm of my hand at the very edge of the saddle seat. on both sides, although the right is worse. she has a semi-custom antares saddle, under is a thinline and basic baby pad. any ideas on how this rub is happening and what to do about it? thanks!
I think your saddle may be too narrow, all the weight is directed to the loins. Saddle is not sitting level and distributing pressure evenly under the panels. You could try removing the thin line and see if that helps, it may be just enough thickness in that pad to unbalance the saddle. Failing that you will have to go with a wider tree as you cannot correct a too narrow saddle.
Another issue that can arise, the tree may be the correct width but the panels at the back are more A shape when they need to be flatter. If your pony has an Arab type back, they are narrower at the withers but then broad across the loins (like a table top). Because Antares are foam panels they cannot be adjusted, if you have a wool panel, wool can be removed from the rear panels to flatten them out. Hope this helps, its difficult to explain but this is what I think is happening.
My horse lost his top line due to time off, and he now has rubs as his saddle is moving in the area at the back of his saddle. The fit is improving as his top line is building. Is it possible your pony has lost some muscling over the winter impacting fit?
Usually at this time of year I get frantic phone calls about this issue. Normally it is because the horse has lost a little bit if weight from the winter. The saddle drops down in front a hair causing the back to move a little more than normal. On top of that, the hair is “dying” getting ready for shedding out and the coat changed.
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Saddle rubs in the winter are very normal and totally okay if the rubs are even and not becoming sore for the horse. If one is worse (uneven marks), or soreness, then there is a saddle fit issue and the weight isn’t distributing evenly. It happened with my custom made dressage saddle last winter and it just needed new flocking. I’m assuming if you have an Antares it is foam, but absolutely worth having your fitter come out and remeasure to get the saddle fixed.
This happens to my horse every year at the same time (coat changing). I ride him with a sheepskin hand pad under the baby pad. Or use a sheepskin lined pad. The saddle has to be able to for a skeepskin pad under it. It could make the saddle fit too narrow. So there’s that.
I did finally pick up a Lemieux Sensitive pad this year and it has a soft fleece out edge (under the binding) and that has worked wonderfully.
I also spray my horse with moisturizing spray to help his coat from getting really dry or brittle during the coat change.
My saddle fitter comes out this time of year anyway as I get my saddle fit checked at regular intervals, so that also helps reassure me so I don’t drive myself nuts :winkgrin:
Happened to one of my horses, I ended up needing a smaller saddle seat. He was short backed and shaped like a banana. He didn’t have a winter coat though
My horses that get rub marks often get saddle rub marks if I wasn’t generous enough leaving my saddle patch of hair on the back (and occasionally rub through that even if I did). My saddles fit each horse respectively, it’s just the nature of the time of year. Good to keep an eye out to make sure your horse isn’t sore or truly being bothered by the saddle, but when I notice it in late winter it does not worry me absent other signs of the saddle not fitting.
THIS. My horse (also chestnut! 
) has also gotten them in the past and I noticed this is the first time she hasn’t had them for an extended period of time. I too have a Thinline pad (love it) with a non-custom Butet. We did put some fungus powder to help the hair grow when it did happen, but she is so much more fit now and it hasn’t been a problem!
Thanks everyone. I have the vet coming out to do some chiro/acupuncture. I have contacted the saddle rep as well. She doesn’t appear to be sore. In the meantime I will try some pad changes, and coat moisturizer. She works 5 days a week consistently so I don’t believe she has any muscle loss, in fact it may be the opposite. I am hoping it’s due to being over generous with her clip and not a saddle fit issue:sigh:
