What do blanket rubs actually look like?

I've never had that problem with my horses and I've never seen them on any other horse... But I think my mare might be getting them.

I searched for pictures and couldn't find any.

So... what do they look like?

Dark spot, hair missing, sometimes the hair turns white. It would be at a pressure point not just randomly.

Usually dark, but if the horse doesn't have black skin, it wouldn't be dark. I've never seen it turn white? The hair would be mostly gone. It's not necessarily on a pressure point, my filly got one on what would be the equivalent to the thigh on her front leg.

You should get a picture up, it'll probably be easier than trying to describe it, lol.

It can turn white when the new hair grows back

Hmm. Never seen it. I imagine it's like getting saddle sores, it comes back white when the damage is repetitive?

Just thought I'd add: they do go away. A lycra shoulder guard (which I put on after those photos) helps reduce the friction. Here's a photo of him a few weeks later:

Honestly, I've never seen this happen. I've seen rubs along the wither grow back white (from ill fitting saddles and blankets) but I haven't seen shoulder rubs grow back white.
Here he is in the summer:

Okay, I'll get a picture tomorrow. Her skin is black and the spots don't appear to be any darker than the rest of her body.

Some of them are in the saddle area, but I seriously doubt they're rubs from the saddle because a) saddle rubs are usually nastier than just missing hair, b) I've been using the same pad on her for years and the same saddle for months, c) they appeared after she hadn't been ridden in a few days, d) they appeared when I had started blanketing after not doing so for a couple weeks, and e) I had just changed her blanket. The ones that aren't in the saddle area are on her hip bones.

Anyway, some of the spots still have hair, but it's seriously thinned out. The other spots have hair, but it looks like it was shaved. The hair is very short. None of the spots are hairless, nor do they look irritated at all.

Does that sound like blanket rubs? Are they usually on the shoulders? Because her shoulders look perfectly fine...


Thanks for the pictures!

My horse doesn't respond to lycra guards :( her blanket rubs are horrid