Another coat condition thread! Copper?

[4Hoofed]

So Casper has gone from having a glorious, shining, clipped winter coat, last clipped in December, picture of health to a really rough, wiry coat. With patches of what looks like rain scald! feel like bad mum. He gets groomed regularly but it came in very quick, dry flaky skin and hair loss (vet is coming to check it tomorrow as I am concerned that it is not rainscald, speed of it appearing and the fact it’s not scabby in case it’s something else/more sinister etc..)

Now we moved yards and therefore grazing and forage a few months ago and since have had an abscess as well so I suspect he is copper deficient so I’ve been looking at a ton of different balancers but looking to throw myself at the mercy of people who know more then me! I will be talking to the vet about wether it’s likely too, but I’m getting so boggled under with the needed level of copper and would really like a balancer, or powder or supplement that does it all I’m not asking for much right? But a good level of vits and mins to balance his life out, I accept I may need to use an additional supplement to start but what’s a good maintenance balancer!? It needs to not be extortionate as he’s 18 hands of Suffolk punch so a bit of a unit so will be needing a fair amount more then the average any advice? I throw myself to the mercy of those who know better than me!

((He’s already on Linseed, sugar beet, soaked oats and graze on as chaff. Refuses alfalfa))

 

[Barton Bounty]

Has he been wormed lately or on a programme?

 

[sbloom]

It's often ratios that are most important, if copper is the problem there may be something else that is being fed in excess. Is your grazing/forage consistent enough that it's worth getting it analysed?

 

[4Hoofed]

Has he been wormed lately or on a programme?

Early jan when we changed yards, the YO is consulting with the vet on same visit to get a yard program set up and he was wormed regularly before that.

It's often ratios that are most important, if copper is the problem there may be something else that is being fed in excess. Id your grazing/forage consistent enough that it's worth getting it analysed?

Probably not. He’s in his own paddock but tbh not much grass atm so mainly eating his round bale. Sometimes we have to vary the farmer depending on who can supply us! He was on haylage but no one seems to have any at the moment! Might ask the vet to do a blood work up and see if anything is screaming out or worm burden present? He’s very well in himself still, in good form and energy, but he’s just gone from looking like a show shine advert to a bit gloomy! Still appears to be developing a bit of Dappling (for a chesnut!)

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think this time of year when the coat is shedding all that thick hair it will have an impact on skin being flaky, it never grows back even or the same colour so I think they can all look a bit odd until the nice hair comes through properly.

It's not particularly warm either for April so that's had an impact, I just get the shedding blade on mine then wash little sections of them with warm water.

How old is he?

 

[4Hoofed]

I think this time of year when the coat is shedding all that thick hair it will have an impact on skin being flaky, it never grows back even or the same colour so I think they can all look a bit odd until the nice hair comes through properly.

It's not particularly warm either for April so that's had an impact, I just get the shedding blade on mine then wash little sections of them with warm water.

How old is he?

He’s 6 rising 7, at first I thought it was a bad malt/coat change but he’s literally bold over his offside loin! I would accept rain scald but I’m so careful he never gets hot or sweaty under his rug, and he’s not left naked in the rain! Who knows it may be one those things!!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I've got Arab's one of them goes a bit bald over the back and top of hind quarters after winter, I think its because of the rugs they have on over winter it's just some parts of the body suffer more than others.

 

[SEL]

When M was still with me I'd get odd patches of hair loss and I think it was due to warm weather when he still had his full winter coat. That warm, dry spell in Feb might have been your issue. Got very itchy and lumps of hair would come out down to the skin. It was some kind of sweat issue although improved a lot when I removed linseed.

Forage plus balancers are my go-to and they're helpful if you message them.

 

[Trouper]

Some years ago I spoke to the guys at Trinity Consultants ~(plus a vet visit) ~ when my mare came down with a skin condition. They explained that, in addition to change in diet, a change of location brings the challenges of different bacteria and other things in the new place that she was not used to. Vet advised bathing, Trinity advised their L94 liver supplement. Did both and things settled down - by the way this was deep Autumn not Spring .

 

[Red-1]

I second Trinity L94, smells delicious and stopped Rigs being footy when he was recovering from Lami, stopped abscesses in their tracks and gave him the most gorgeous coat. It is a 'treatment' that you just do the once, in most cases.

I prefer a Vit/Min supplement to a balancer. I use Pro Hoof Platinum atm, slightly below recommended levels as there is a heck of a lot in it!

 

[4Hoofed]

Thanks everyone!! I’ll have a look into what’s been mentioned here. Vets given me some masleb and the plan is to treat, and see what it looks like in may she’s happy it’s not scabby, it’s not red or sore, tbf he’s not bothered at all about it it’s just unsightly and I had planned on an outing to Staffordshire we will see how it’s looking next week.

It’s the strangest think maybe he is moulting funny with the weather or got a bit sticky on the hot spell! But I was grooming him one day and literally the hair just came out on the body brush!

 

[lynz88]

I've had what looked like wiry, frazzled fur for the last few years after moving mine from clay to chalk and not much grass. He never fully shedded out and was very coppery. I use the FP Hoof and Skin which helped a bit but didn't fully solve the issue. I removed sugar and starch and got a bit better but not where he should have been. I did the equibiome test and added oily herbs. It helped again but still hadn't fully solved the issue. 2 months ago I added rosehips and grapeseed extract and he is GLOWING.