Can a horse be allergic to dirt/mud?

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htobago

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My horse (3yo Arab stallion) occasionally comes up in little bumps - looks like an allergic reaction - and the stud people have noticed that this seems to be when he has rolled in dirt or mud.

They are not at all sure, but the SM suggested this as a possible cause, although she has never heard of such a thing as a 'dirt allergy' - and I just wondered if anyone here had experience/knowledge of dirt/mud allergies?
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(Yes, I know: only a poncey Arab show horse would be allergic to dirt!
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I would assume so as isnt mud fever caused by a bacteria in the soil? Could be the same type of thing? If hes chestnut and an Arab then he probably has quite sensitive skin anyway.
 
I would say it sounds like he may have a slight allergy - Ellie used to have the same sort of reaction to the sand in an arena we used to school in. It would make her tummy all bobbly and lumpy where it had come into contact! Usually went down by the next day - how long does your boy's take to disappear?

BTW - Arab blood again! darn it!
 
A lot of different things live in mud and dirt including mud fever and rain scald bacteria so in theory its perfectly possible. is the soil quite gritty as it may be that your arabs skin is getting irritated by sandy particles in the dirt.

It does occur to me though that he is being irritated by something else and is rolling as a way of calming down the discomfort.
 
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(Yes, I know: only a poncey Arab show horse would be allergic to dirt!
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[/ QUOTE ]

Correction, only a poncey chestnut Arab would be allergic to dirt!!! **snigger**
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Seriously though my coloured mare gets bald patches if mud splashes anywhere on her neck.
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Thanks everyone! Some really helpful thoughts here - much appreciated.

Yes, he does have very sensitive skin, so I suppose it could be almost anything.

I don't think he's rolling to get relief from some other irritation, as he just does one quick territory-marking roll - but that's a good point.

He gets thoroughly groomed every day, and is only out for a maximum of 3 hours, so it's not as though any dirt stays on him for very long. I think I'll ask them just to continue keeping a careful watch so we can be sure there is a connection with rolling.

*Sigh* I think he's just not frightfully good at being a horse. This is the same horse who had to be taught to graze (he thinks grass is for galloping on), who does meerkat impersonations, and who tries to climb onto the roof of the field shelter...
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Try putting him on NAF mud gaurd. its a supplement thats supposed to help prevent mud fever and associated problems by supporting the nutritional requirements of the skin. My chesnut arab mare used to get what looked like mild rain scald on her hocks and felocks - the hair just came off in little patches and a fair bit of scurf, similarly the gelding got patches of greasy skin on his cannons with the hair coming out, and as well as clearing this up so far they haven't shown any signs of mud fever in the past 2 years.
 
'It does occur to me though that he is being irritated by something else and is rolling as a way of calming down the discomfort. '

I totally agree with the above observation, especially since you have been trying to build condition on him recently. These bumps are also typical of a reaction to excess of protein in the diet (used to know them as 'barley lumps' back in the dark ages) and the rolling is coincidental or for relief
 
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