Rain scald in older mare who lives out and hates shelter!

[[154267]]

Just looking for some quick advice as this the first year we've seen it like this. She's 18 now, could her coat be losing some natural protection as she gets older? Rain sheet or not? Is linseed oil supplement worth a try? Anyone had the vet out for this?

 

[Gloi]

It was a sign of Cushings in one of ours.

 

[[154267]]

Hmm interesting, any other symptoms at that stage?

 

[meleeka]

How's her weight? If she's fairly flat on top the rain just sits there. I find it's worth fluffing the coat back up when it's dried after rain. That has stopped it in my Shetland.

 

[Gloi]

Hmm interesting, any other symptoms at that stage?

There weren't, but he was 20 and we had all the oldies tested together that autumn.

 

[[154267]]

How's her weight? If she's fairly flat on top the rain just sits there. I find it's worth fluffing the coat back up when it's dried after rain. That has stopped it in my Shetland.

Weight can always be better (as in she could be less round!) but isn't bad and she has quite a spine, not flat backed. As well as a couple of large patches that we successfully treated it's just little flecks everywhere. Really unsure whether to put a rainsheet on whenever it's wet now or if that might just make it worse.

 

[Birker2020]

Just looking for some quick advice as this the first year we've seen it like this. She's 18 now, could her coat be losing some natural protection as she gets older? Rain sheet or not? Is linseed oil supplement worth a try? Anyone had the vet out for this?

Lari is very thin coated and lost a bit of hair on top of his back during some of the wetter nights we had a couple of weeks ago with what I assume was rainscald. He won't wear a fly rug and it was too warm for a rain sheet.

I brushed the loose hair out (it was dry and scurfy by this stage) and I covered his back in keratex mud shield powder which repels water and within a few days it healed. It was only in a small area, very minimal.

 

[Beausmate]

Hmm interesting, any other symptoms at that stage?

Rain scald (also happened under a rain sheet if he got too warm) was the only symptom of Cushing's in my horse.

 

[[154267]]

Rain scald (also happened under a rain sheet if he got too warm) was the only symptom of Cushing's in my horse.

Vet it is then!

 

[lozzles]

I had mine tested for Cushing's recently and it came back fine and he also had his first ever patch of rain scald this year. Think it's the sweat more than the rain with him in this heat! Hibiscrub cleared it up and he's been fine since

 

[Birker2020]

I had mine tested for Cushing's recently and it came back fine and he also had his first ever patch of rain scald this year. Think it's the sweat more than the rain with him in this heat! Hibiscrub cleared it up and he's been fine since

It often is.

Most naked horses subjected to the torrential rain we had will get it to some degree as its caused by prolonged rain and humidity.

We had a few at the retirement that got it the last year Lari was there. Lari got it around his face, where he was covered with a rug was fine.

 

[honetpot]

Its a bacteria that affects compromised skin, like mud fever so I would be thinking about using some sort barrier to protect the skin and keep moisture and bacteria out, like most of the mud fever treatments.

 

[Gloi]

Back in the olden days at a farm where they kept a lot of draft horses the farmer used lard on their backs in wet weather to stop rainscald.
Not what you want if you are riding them though.

 

[[154267]]

It's just so strange that it's only really happening this year, as she's always lived out and only had natural shelter for most of that time. Unless she is using the shelter more than we thought and with the other mare's warmth maybe that's causing warm, humid conditions (bear in mind we're in the far north!). Who knows, we'll try some stuff and also have a chat with the vet

 

[Tiddlypom]

Skin conditions often come along with Cushing’s, so at 18yo I’d defo get her tested for that.

The good news is that once top of it with medication most symptoms will usually disappear. That and oily herbs mean that neither of my Cushing’s ladies have skin issues any more, but they did before.

 

[Beausmate]

Ask your vet about the free ACTH test. You still have to cover the cost of the vet coming out to take bloods, but the lab fee is covered.

 

[Birker2020]

Back in the olden days at a farm where they kept a lot of draft horses the farmer used lard on their backs in wet weather to stop rainscald.
Not what you want if you are riding them though.

We used to mix lard and flowers of sulphur into a squidgy mess and coat our horses leg with it to prevent mud fever.

 

[Birker2020]

This is Lari's from earlier tonight. A bit that I pulled off. It's so loose it just comes off with a body brush. Just old hairs in a clump.

 

[Carrottom]

Medicated talc might help in the short term. Patch test first.

 

[Birker2020]

Medicated talc might help in the short term. Patch test first.

Definitely recommend keratex talc. It's a game changer for mud fever prevention if you are able to apply it regularly.

 

[[154267]]

Definitely recommend keratex talc. It's a game changer for mud fever prevention if you are able to apply it regularly.

Ordered some, plus some linseed oil supplement.