Old cob with very very itchy dry skin

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MillionDollar

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I have a HW cob who is now 29 and in full work, she's like a 4yo and will jog the whole way on a 2 hour hack ;) However, this winter she has really itchy dry skin. She has patches that are incredibly itchy, and these are flaky and she's desperate to scratch. I've changed her feed 3 times over the last 6 months to see if it makes a difference, the final combination has definitely been the best. So far she's been on...

Alfa-A Oil, Topspec All-In-One, Topspec Performance Cubes and Sugarbeet.

Spillers Slow Response Cubes (just on ther own).

Shes now on Graze On, Micronized Linseed, Seaweed and Sugarbeet.

She's not a good doer, she needs feed to keep the condition. She's fully clipped (from head to toe) but isn't over rugged, she's currently in a 300g rug and also fed ad lib hay.

Any suggestions?? All my other horses are on Graze On, Topspec All-In-One and Sugarbeet and look incredible and are not at all itchy.
 
One of my old timers seemed more likely to get bacterial skin infections - I think it was his immune system not working quite as it should. Once he started on the linseed there was a def improvement. The other one was really really itchy for no reason that I could see and a blood test showed a liver problem (again due to old age). I used to swear by kossolian (blood salts supplement) as a general tonic. Not sure I've been much help but it is good to hear of a 29 year old in such fine spirits.
 
My old mare gets a lot of skin problems too - She has been blood tested and showed no liver problems so vet thinks it's probably her immune system not working quite as well as it should any more. We have had really good results from using a good daily pro/prebiotic with her and i'm currently using GoldLabel Itchgon lotion on her tail - anything with Neem oil in it can be really useful for itchiness and dry skin x
 
Has your horse been tested for Cushings I only ask as some older horses with it have skin problems , may be worth checking, I would also use the linseed its great for skin health and hooves.
 
flaky skin was one of the cushings symptoms for my horse and difficulty keeping weight on is also a cushings sign so agree with shergar would be a good idea to test...
 
I have an itchy cob who used to also be very scurfy, I have tried many many things over the years but initially I cured the scruffiness by using feedmark equidermis for past year. He also has dectomax (sp?) jabs which seem to work instantly in early spring n this year autumn with itching. I also bath him in a strong anti dandruff shampoo (vet recommended) nizoral - can buy over counter in boots or I have seen it in wilkinsons for 1/2 the price - this def helps with pulling the scurf out.

I also had him tested for cushings (he is 19) but that was negative.

However after doing all the above his coat went very dry n 'dead' again this winter and every time I changed rugs he was diving to itch himself on his shoulders and flanks so over past few weeks I have ...

Given him hot oil baths
Brush him thoroughly n deeply every day but the biggest difference is that I have just taken him off top chop lite as it contains alfalfa and thanks to my best friend goggle I discovered that alfalfa can make horses itch so he now just has just a small scoop of wet sloppy fast fibre mixed with additional linseed n his 2 tbs of turmeric and I will add Brewers yeast next week - he no longer itches himself when rugs are changed so fingers crossed I may have taken one step to cure his itching.

I not sure what graze on contains but sugar is also a cause of itching so may be stop sugar beet ? and give your horse a hot oil bath - I just use v hot water n flannel to wipe over to lift dirt n any scurf - I use the Avon skin so soft oil - fingers crossed you can sort x
 
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Alfalfa can definitely cause itchiness so prob worth stopping that. I'd be adding linseed as well, its good for weight and brilliant for skin and hooves etc. Brewers yeast is fab for my sweet itch pony, so that would be worth a try as well
 
FrankieCob said:
Alfalfa can definitely cause itchiness so prob worth stopping that. I'd be adding linseed as well, its good for weight and brilliant for skin and hooves etc. Brewers yeast is fab for my sweet itch pony, so that would be worth a try as well
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She hasn't been on Alfalfa for 4 months now, she has Graze On instead with 400g of linseed (along with seaweed and sugarbeet). Will try brewers yeast :)
 
MillionDollar said:
She hasn't been on Alfalfa for 4 months now, she has Graze On instead with 400g of linseed (along with seaweed and sugarbeet). Will try brewers yeast :)
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We have just taken my mare off Brewers Yeast in case that is causing her to be very itchy She is particularly itchy inside her back legs, where she is moulting.
 
I would be very surprised Pearl if BY is causing the itching as it is usually excellent for skin and hoof condition - but all horses are different and what suits one won't suit another I know. Will be very interested in the results later.

FWIW have you tried washing the area at all so that the base is clean? A lot of itching comes from the hairs matting and tangling as they get rubbed out before they can fall away from the area; once all the hair has fallen out there is no irritation so no more itching if that makes sense.
 
It was Cushings that was making our old Fell pony itchy and flakey. Do have yours tested, sometimes they do not have all the classic symptoms.
 
My cob was scurfy for a while when I got him, nothing horrendous but not shiny and coat always looked a little poor-and poor quality hoof.

After I tried him on alfalfa and his skin got markedly worse, I went back through what he'd been fed since I'd had him and twigged that every time I'd given him anything with alfalfa or soya, his skin had been worse. After a lot of research and reading around, seems anything high nitrogen or legume based can have this effect, particularly on heavier types.

Cut the soy and alfalfa and he looked better within days. This winter he's mostly been on grass chop and grass nuts with linseed and pro balance and looks fab. Gleaming and been working barefoot for about 2 yrs now. Some nuts and speedibeet occasionally depending on workload etc but figure they're designed for grass and he isn't laminitic so why not? :)
 
I'd cut the seaweed out as too much can upset the balance of the vits n mins your horse is getting... Keep on with the linseed, sugarbeet etc...However try adding spirulina ( think you can get it from forageplus website,) Its a supplement which is meant to have very good results in treating sweet itch (and putting on weight, its whats in Myoplast). Its reasonably priced, personally I would give it a go.
 
My friend had exactly the same problem. Her horse was elderly so was tested for Cushings. The first test came back negative but another vet tested again about 9mths later and result was positive. Since he has been on Prascend(Pergolide) his scurfy skin and itchiness has improved.
 
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