Home!And a question, scabby back?

[Skhosu]

So I'm on my first weekend home and my boy is here. He is supposed to be going to the instructors yard as that was the original agreement. However, he has now had a month in the field, rugged. At necarne he came up in a very sore back the day after xc, huge lumps. he had had a bit of scurfiness before. We put it down to an allergic reaction to heat/sweat.
Now, I'm home and looking at his back it is like mud fever on his back? It doesn't hurt to touch although he objects if you pull it away. Any suggestions? I bathed it in ringworm ointment tonight to see if that helps, I am back to uni on sunday evening and he is going to instructors on sunday hopefully, I am going to see what he is like with tack etc. on, see if it's sore or not but has anyone experienced this? I don't think its rainscald.

 

[Tia]

Mud fever and rain scald are basically the same thing. I use MTG for this - works a treat.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Hibi Scrub.

 

[Maesfen]

It sounds just like rainscald to me or an associate illness and even if it isn't, there is no way you should ride if that part is where tack sits TBH. Not only are the scabs uncomfortable but it affects their immune system so they feel under par; you wouldn't like to have to work with a virus would you?! You could plaster it with a medical cream like Protocon or Sudafed, to soften the scabs, repeat daily and they should peel off easily after a few days. But if they are still stuck, don't pull them, they'll be too sore. Poor pony. It might have started as his back was sore and with the rug, no air could get to it so it's sort of incubated/festered - if those are the words I want, I know what I mean though! When you are able to ride him again you'll have to make sure that numnahs and tack are clean each time so that he doesn't get old sweat rubbed back into the soft sores to open it all up again.

 

[Skhosu]

hmm...can't be rainscald as surely he would have had to be exposed to the air for that? And he hasn't been in months. I see your point re:riding.
We weren't sure about putting sudocreme on as it can block the air, may just fester.
I know what you mean re: back sore/rug and festered, just not sure how exactly it originated!
Hmm..instructor shall be pleased with getting an injured horse.
He seems very happy with himself, not sore to the touch (it was awful when he wouldn't let us touch him) but obv. sore to pull them off.

 

[Cahill]

if it has been too warm inside his rug this could have caused it.

 

[Skhosu]

mm, I believe it could have been the sweating on the xc plus being naturally tired therefore immune system weaker that might have led to it? Not sure if there is bacteria or something under the scabs?

 

[kerilli]

it could be his sweat + the residue of whatever the numnah was washed in last time, irritating him. one of my horses was on loan and the guy hadn't rinsed the numnah properly... cue a saddlecloth-shaped bare sore patch across the whole of my poor horse's back.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Mine got a bit of rainscald on her back over the summer. I still rode her, but just in a nice thick wolly saddle cloth.

 

[SpottedCat]

Did this start as little lumps that looked like fly bites but were immensely painful to touch? If so it may be a bacterial infection known as Staphylococcal folliculitis. Advice is as follows for that: was once with hibiscrub and dry well, then do not allow to get wet again. As soon as it has healed (i.e. not sore to touch), clip all hair off the affected area. I have to say this is something I'd be having a quick chat with my vet about though....

 

[Skhosu]

nope, the first time it became an issue/was painful was the night after the xc, it was huge (as in long) swellings and couldn't touch them . He was seen by the vet then as we were worried, who thought a reaction of some sort, could it really be caused by the heat/sweat? We have taken the decision not to ride him until the scabby things are gone as it won't help it at all. Bathed it in warm disnfectant solution, and got a few clumps off and he's rugged so shouldn't be an issue. Could it be a similar thing to the bacterial infection with a slightly different presentation? All it was to begin with was scurfy baldy patch. Was wondering about clipping it, might leave that decision up to my instructor. Poor boy, it looks and feels horrible, but is definitely improving.