Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

Is it because it's a "burn?" I've seen girth galls that look horrible, but they would grow the normal coat color back.

Just something I was wondering about. Seen it on a horse today.

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

you are right...well kind of.saddle sores are kind of like a blister under the skin creating pockets of serum between the layers or even deeper into the connective fascia that holds the pigment of the skin.when this happens the skins pigment will flow out of the the affected area creating a white patch of skin and therefore making the hairs also white when they grow in.girth galls or cinch galls usually don't affect the deep tissue that holds the pigments so they will grow back the same color that was there before....does that explain it?

edit:hey i was just reading one of my old vet books and it is also called a "sitfast"wound.but it didn't give a definition it just referred me to galls.

i usually cant sleep but it helps.my vet books from the 1600s give me nightmares

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

It could be due to scarring. I've seen alot of horses with tack the did not fit them right. So it basically left them with a permitent mark

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

Because it damages the hair follicles and when the hair comes back in, it has no color.

EDIT****You were just referring to saddle sores, right?

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

Its the pressure of the saddle.

Its put on a small area for extended periods of time. The cinch galls, are galls, not really pressure points.

My mule has them, it stinks, felt I was doing the right thing by cutting holes in his pad around his lipomas and only created white marks and still made him sore. Sometimes they do go away in the shedding of the coat, but the big ones are there to stay when you see them.

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

I'm think it's probably similar to humans (not age, but scarring)... What happens as a human, and the reason that you are slightly more prone to scarring when you're younger is because the skin repairs itself before the correct coloring sets in...though in horses, it's prbably both scarring/damage to the skin, as well as the hair follicles withing.

Why do saddle sores...grow white hair?

With scares that they just grow back white. Even on a grey horse, its looks kinda funny. A horse I showed last year had white spots on his withers just because he's been ridden so many years its just saddle rub. There are ways to help prevent it, have a good pad. I use a big felt pad, its almost like the IMPACT pad. This is a good layer that prevents the saddle from rubbing. Also saves the horses back when riding for a long time.

For the girth get a one of those rubber ones. They won't cause burn. the synthetic ones are terrible, they can't stay tight, burns the horse.