I am officially the world's worst owner :(

chickeninabun

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4 July 2007
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Yorkshire
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I took my mare's rug off today and her off hind is almost hairless!! How the hell has this happened and I haven't frigging noticed!! :mad::( I feel like the most useless person in the whole world. She has big clumps of hair coming off her inner thigh area and some off her outer thigh. It's sore in places but also dry and flaky.

She has suffered with feather mites before and the other week i diid her with pig oil and sulphur as she had been stamping again. She is back on straw this year, where as last year she was on shavings all winter, so I think this is why it's become so bad, as it's never been this bad before, unless it's something more than mites. I did think about mud fever, but it's on her inner thigh mainly, not lower down. Surely mud fever would start further down before it reached so high??:confused:

I'm getting the vet out but in the mean time i plan to clip her legs (she's a heavy feathered gypsy cob) so i can see what I am dealing with. I have covered it in sudocrem tonight, as I am not sure what else to put on and thought it might soothe it and stop the itching a bit.

Please don't slate me too much, I know I am a terrible owner and can't believe I've let this happen :(:( Any advice will be gratefully received. Thank you
 
Sounds like she's got a bit damp possibly and got something similar to rain scald? Happened to my lad who's out 24/7, even though he's checked and changed, just popped up over this last week....guessing that amount of rain we had was bound to affect them somehow! :(
 
you are not a terrible owner do not beat yourself up over this

It is clear that you care about the welfare of your horse and are beside yourself

plus side: sudocream works wonders im sure it will clear up in no time

doesnt sound like mudfever

I have known horses to get sores in the past where they have become too hot, this could be the case as it has been quite mild lately despite the relentless rain!
 
Can you change back to shavings? Straw quite often comes with free visitors.

Not sure what to suggest to put on her legs. Injections intended for cattle were the only thing that resolved my lad's mites. I did clip his legs and use frontline first, but I wish I hadn't bothered and asked straight for injections, he would have looked a lot less silly for a long while and it didn't work! :o
 
When did you last take her rug off, that will allow people to know how quickly it has developed and therefore more able to advise...
 
Pig oil and sulphur itself can cause hair loss on the legs - my friends horse lost of the hair on the inside of her legs using it. Also my boy lost hair on the inside of his legs when he had mud fever about 4 years ago but hes fine with pig oil and sulphur as I have been using it for years and hes never had mud fever since
 
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