My cobs legs

RubysGold

RubysGold

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Brushing my boy tonight, I found he has flaky skin on the back of the knees in his feather.

Obviously through feather I cant really tell but I think his actual skin is ok, its just like thick scabs of dead skin (dandruff?) It obviously doesn't hurt as he didn't move at all while I was prodding and poking it.

I have heard in the past that cobs are prone to getting scabs behind the knee, but Im just unsure what to do.

I don't think he has mites or anything like that as he's had them before and he stamped and stuff, but hes not at all bothered by this


Should I hibiscrub them? Brush through with baby oil? Clip the feathers? (shudders at that thought!) Ive heard of pig oil and sulphur, should I buy that?
 
The conditon is called 'sallanders' or 'mallanders' - not sure which but is akin to mud fever and very common with cobs, especially if hairy legged!

My coloured cob used to get these behind his knees - I did not treat them as found they got very sore if I tried to pick the scabs off. They never caused him an issue but others may suggest different.
 
I generally use sudocrem or olive oil to prevent the skin cracking. Oil softens the scabs enough for the scabs to slide out easily with gentle combing. My gelding gets very sore if I don't keep on top of it. Fortunately, its usually enough just to oil it and massage it with my fingers to keep the skin supple.
 
My boy gets this too on the front legs behind his knees. I clip his feather though as he only has a small amount , and I just make sure the bits behind his knees are well clipped out so I can apply cream every now and again. This seems to keep the area moisturised and less scabby. If you're boy has feather it doesn't sound like you trim anything, so not sure what you could do other than combining the dry skin out.
 
Mallenders. Sallanders is on the back legs. My boy came with this really bad. I rub the cheapest, thickest moisturising cream I can buy into it for a few days, nice and thick. Then I wash with a sponge and the scabs come away nicely. I then keep moisturising. If I miss a few days, they do come back. It's a pain in the bum, but he could have a lot worse wrong with him than scabby legs.
 
I thought that I had done something wrong, poor management of him
But it seems not, so that at least is a relief :)

I don't remember seeing it in summer. Though I do think he had a small amount maybe last winter.
Is it something Ill have to deal with all 4 seasons forever?
 
I use teatree mist. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and oily, so seems to be clearing both mallenders and sallenders up. Unfortunately she now has a few bare patches where the mud has splashed higher up the inside of her back legs, so now I'm spraying there too. Good job she's well-mannered!
 
I checked the back of his hocks and there were no scabs/dry skin stuff there :)

Is it caused by mud? We don't really have any mud, just a little by the gate way but it only ever goes up to top of hoof if they stand at gate to wait for me
 
The hairy cobby mare I look after is very prone to this. The only effective way of looking after it I've found is to clip the hair away, wash in warm diluted hibiscrub, let air dry, and if turning out to muddy fields apply sudocrem. I would do this every three days as the sudocrem stays so well put, and after being told "Oh she has always had that, you won't get rid of it, it's just the way she is" it cleared up within a fortnight.
 
RubysGold said:
I checked the back of his hocks and there were no scabs/dry skin stuff there :)

Is it caused by mud? We don't really have any mud, just a little by the gate way but it only ever goes up to top of hoof if they stand at gate to wait for me
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No it is simply a build up of dead skin. In the old days, before TV, computers etc, good horsemen used to spend hours brushing the feather to keep them clean and healthy, even then the horses got mallenders and sallenders sometimes. I find though, that those horses which are prone to it also easily get other skin problems. Mine gets sore skin just from sweating under her feather in summer.
 
RubysGold said:
Oh thank you, Ive not heard the name before.
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Find an old horse health encyclopadia called "Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners" written by one Capt Horace Hayes, and you'll find the condition in there :)

Probably this weighty old tome is well out of print now: a pity as I've always found it invaluable :)
 
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