Rain scald/rain rot? Or something else? (pics)

L&B

L&B

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Anyone any suggestions what this could be?
It's in my horses coat. No where else but his upper back. It's like scurfy little scabs.
Ordinarily I would suspect rain scald, but he's not been out without rugs since the place I bought him from (four months ago) and has always had a rainsheet on or light weight since being with me. He has been on boxrest for the best part of 3months now (unrelated).
He doesn't appear bothered by them & has let me have a pick & poke tonight. He does enjoy a good scratch over them, but isn't rubbing himself or anything (as if mites or similar) Hmm... Could he just be warm given its the first time probably in his life he'll have not been clipped coming into winter, creating clogged pores/scurfy bits?

Also, how do I treat whatever this is??

Apologies for the size of these. I've no clue how to resize...

107w3vd.jpg

2nh2ivs.jpg
 
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I'm intrested in this thread as mine has a simalar thing. But he found it quite painful when I pulled on a couple. I didn't think much of it untill he was clipped last night and his whole kneck is coverd in sores which look almost like a mans face when he gets a shaving rash with a few Knicks - it didn't look know where near this bad with his coat. He also didn't like being clipped over it either it partically bad on one side but the other isn't so servere!
 
Looks like rain scald to me, the 'paint brush' effect of the tuft. It may be that he got a bit warm and damp under his rug, which can be the ideal breeding ground for it. I would get some tea-tree oil spray, give the area a good brush through, with a stiff brush and then work the tea-tree oil in to the skin. If it was warmer I would recomend a bath with tea-tree oil shampoo, but January doesn't seem like a good time to try. I would also put him out without his rug on days when it isn't raining, let some air get to his skin.
 
What are you feeding him? I have had horses in the past react to barley deritives in a similar way? Also check out for ring worm.
 
Classic rainscald. Paintbrush scabs with a little bit of pus/sebum underneath. It's usually a mixture of itchy and painful. Not surprising considering how much rain we've had! They don't have to get soaked to get it: it's just as commonly caused by being damp or sweaty under a rug.

Make sure your rugs are properly waterproof and that he's warm enough to drive moisture out the material whilst not being so hot he sweats. Also make sure he's getting all his vits and minerals and not feeling under the weather as it's common in run-down horses.

Vet recommendation is hibiscrub and pick off but I've yet to find a horse who wants to be bathed in this weather. I've found pig oil and sulphur to be just as effective and much easier. After making sure he's not allergic, rub it well into all scabby bits and try and lift the scabs. If they're too well attached, try again next day once they've soaked a bit. No washing off required except the rug afterwards. The horse is oily and smells faintly of sulphur for a while but they don't mind and it wears off quickly.
 
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Thanks so much for all replies!!
Soooo, rainscald would make sense as, being a TB and being told he felt the cold easily (when I got him) meant that it took us a while to get our rug routine right & often he has been sweatting under his rugs when I've left him a few hours and returned later, misjudging him! (seller was completely wrong btw, he is the warmest horse ever, he does fantastically! Sure he's secretly native).

I shall bring his fleeces & stable rugs as well as his lightweight home & give them all a throrough wash - do you think tipping a little dettol with them in the washer will hurt?
I shall warm hibiscrub him & dry him off on the next warm day we get & will look into tea tree/pig oil as some have suggested to pop on the area/s afterwards :) :)

Thanks again!!
 
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My horse gets this when rugged and this year she's not been clipped and only got 2 small areas where the numnah would go.

I rub some hibiscrub into them and pick them off if they come easily. My horse gives no reaction when grooming or scratching but will pull a face if I try to get off a stubborn scab as its sore underneath.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Classic rain scald. Get some hexocil and pevidene shampoo from the vet. Don't share brushes with anyone else. Clip him if you can.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit wary of bathing him this time of year... No real way to get him dry...
Can't clip either as he's not in work currently & is just coming off of box rest :( would be meany... x
 
does he have any lumps with it? my pony had what looked like classic rainscald, turned out to be an infection caused by her being very allergic to bites. it came out in winter as it was the result of bad midgies in a warm oct/nov was december before hair came out. she did have lumps though under the skin as well, needed anti biotics. rainscald is more likely but keep this in mind (was the first time she had reacted like this as well and we had moved yards so maybe had more midges)
 
My mare gets a rash or acne just on the left hand side of her neck and shoulder line in 3 distinct places - gets it all the time there and nowhere else, just now and then. (Summer or winter, furry or not)

I wet it the area, scrub it with diluted Hibiscrub using cotton wool to soften the scabs and then pick them off with my fingers. Rosie's aren't itchy or sore at all so she doesn't mind this.

Then I pat them dry.

In the past I have then applied:

Sudacrem or
Wound powder or
BR Healing Cream or
Iodine spray or
Nothing

But what I've found works best is Gold Label Wonder Gel for clearing her spotty skin up for months.
 
It's not like bathing them. Trust me. I had a rescue horse who needed treatment every winter for 5 years (it had resolved in 3 but a further 2 were preventative).

You don't wash it off so you just wet a dandy brush, put some shampoo on, scrub as hard as he will let you (they usually like it as its itchy) then leave it on to dry.
 
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