Horse fly bites in saddle area only???

OrangeAndLemon

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Yesterday little Ernie was turned out first thing with only his mask on because it was a very warm and windy day with no horseflies seen around, and his rug doesn't fit brilliantly (it is the best available for a horse like him) so any playtime without it is better.

When he came in he had about 20 small lumps looking exactly like horse fly bites, all in the saddle area only, and one large swelling on his hip but with no obvious bite mark in it. His field mate Kenny has come in with the same swollen lump only much bigger and he has no fly bite marks.

We've cold hosed, medicated and cleaned the itchy lumps but could they be something other than horseflies. Ernie is already on antihistamines for reactions to horse fly bites, Kenny isn't.

When he gets bitten it's generally on vein type areas such as neck and inside thigh while these bites are all saddle area only. He hadn't worn a saddle for a few days and the last time he did he had a bath after because he was a little sweaty.
 

Shay

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Could it be blocked sweat glands rather than bites? Small raised sebaceous lumps often with a whitish inner core? In this heat they can develop even if your use an absolutely clean numnah each time you ride.
 

OrangeAndLemon

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He's had nothing but fresh air on his back for a couple of days and only a fly rug before that.

I'll switch out that numnah anyway, we'd ridden in it twice, getting a bit sweaty both times, he had a shower, it was left to dry (i take them off the saddle and let them dry in fresh air but don't wash every time)

I haven't seen sweat rash before but I assumed the lumps would be smaller than fly bite lumps. He is a big horse so will have big pores and big spots.

If it is a heat / sweat rash it should clear up a little quicker shouldn't it?
 
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