Losing hair on face

[hobbit]

Hello...

My horse doesn't have sweet itch, he was ok last year, but this year the flies seem to really be bugging him...

he's constantly scratching his mane and tail when bring him in to groom/tack up...he lives out...

and recently he's started losing hair above his right eye, on his forehead, and by his left ear...

I thought perhaps his loss of hair by ear was from his fly mask, but the loss of hair above his eye started when he was kept in for over a week when he went lame...so wasn't wearing a fly mask...

any ideas what's causing it...how to make him less itcchy...?

the skins looking scabby which makes me think flies.

will post pics tomorrow.

 

[L&M]

I would suspect lice - we had a horse on livery here that went home for a couple of weeks and returned looking like a leper! He had scraped large chunks of his hair of his face, and other areas of his body. He was covered in lice, which are very tiny so hard to see with the naked eye.

There are topical powders that you can buy over the counter, but if a severe infestation, you may need a vet to administer dectomax injections.

Also be very careful to keep the horse and its equipment away from others as lice are hugely contagious.

Good luck!