Big back problems

[Denise Pfalmer <dpfalmer@rmi.net>]

I'll try to make this short. When my mare started getting a sore back a 
white spots on her sides I immediately took her to be refitted for a new 
saddle last March. Periodically this season she had had soreness in the 
middle of her back. In October I rode my last 100 miler with a Saddle 
Rite pad. The vet felt that it really helped her. I laid off of her and 
within three weeks, she developed white spots over her withers and then 
to my horror, lost her hair! When I started riding her again, I noticed 
dry spots and decided that yet another saddle was necessary. I used an 
english saddle that seemed to fit fairly well and could be fitted to 
her. I rode three times last weekend, never over 8 miles. On Thursday, 
her hair started falling out. Her back was never sore, but she now has 
white hair everywhere! This has never happened even when her back was 
noticeably sore. My vet has no answers, and I'm taking her to Colorado 
State University. My Question: Has anybody ever had this happen? I'm 
tending to believe that she is allergic to this pad, possible? Please 
give me some feedback or at least some sympathy. I'm stuck at home and 
all my friends are at Cow Tanks!