Missing mane :(

Z

Zoelp

New User
Joined
19 July 2017
Messages
6
Visit site
Hi I was wondering if anyone could advise on and issue I'm facing with my mare. Last month we had problems with another mare latching onto her mane and mounting her, this resulted in her crest being swollen and flaky. We managed to get the swelling down and the dryness under control and any missing hair was growing back. However, we went on holiday for 11 days and returned the other day; while we were away we were informed a large patch of mane almost in the middle (as big as the length of my hand) had come out overnight and she now looks a bit odd as her mane is as long as her shoulders. Since we returned we have been told she has sweet itch as a result of the mare biting her crest and damaging her hair follicles (she's never had sweet itch before.) She is having kill itch applied twice a day and it is looking much better. Has anyone else experienced this? And is there anyway I can speed up the regrowth of her mane?

Thank you,
Zoe x
 
Last edited:
Sweet itch is a specific allergic reaction to midge saliva; you can't get it from damaged hair follicles.

However, if your mare is rubbing her mane, it may be that her crest is itchy where the hair has been damaged in the past.

The best thing to get the hair to grow back is massage. Unfortunately there is no wonder cure, but keeping the skin soft and supple (and itch free) will help with the hair growth.
 
Thank you, we'll keep on with the kill itch as it seems to be doing to job. My mum and I did wonder if we'd been correctly informed as we'd never heard of damaged hair follicles causing sweet itch
 
I think there is an over estimation of "sweet itch" as soon as anything starts rubbing their mane and/or tail, it is called sweet itch, but it isn't really.
 
We were just going by what the lady that looked after her said, everyone else we've spoken to since has agreed with you and said it most likely isn't sweet itch
 
Agree with the above, kill itch will be soothing the irritation but I doubt she has suddenly developed sweet itch.

I've had similar but with two stallions. They are shetlands with very long manes, I wasn't even aware there was a wound until the scab starting lifting taking a larger amount of mane with it.

Firstly carefully check all the way up the neck under the mane to see if there's any other wounds or scabs, really look and feel into the roots. It's important to keep the bald skin clean and supple, and stop sunburn if the skin is pink!

I use NAF skin salve to keep it soft and supple and then Megatek to encourage hair growth
 
There doesn't seem to be any wounds etc.... just dandruffy skin. I'll definitely look into buying those products to see if they help, thank you! :)
 
She's never had sweet itch before and it all seems to have gone downhill since the mare was grabbing her crest
 
If it is sweet itch the mane grabbing thing could well have been the excessive mutual grooming a horse with sweet itch will seek from the field companions.
 
I wouldn't necessarily call my mare and the other mare companions; the other mare would charge at her to latch on her mane and then mount her while my mare was so scared you could see all the whites of her eyes and would be trying to buck her off. She would also try to kick people with they tried to shoo her off and would charge at me whenever I turned my mare in or out. Thankfully, this mare is now no longer on the yard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top