Rainscald and Rugging...

T

TwoStroke

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So last night I was giving my 4yo a scritch on the withers, and I discovered evidence of rainscald under his all his fluff. He's a thin skinned WBx but has always wintered out without a rug, and as he's in no work atm I had planned that he would do so again this year.

If he's getting rainscald, though, I'll have to rug him. Problem is, he's so fluffy that any rug will over heat him. Would you clip? If so, a trace, or take it all off to get at the rainscald?

Also, any recommendations for REALLY tough rugs? So far he's already trashed my Bucas, Rhino and Fal. Not pleased.

TIA
 
Hi, my 2yr old had rain scold when I brought him in February. He's a cob with a thick coat, but it made him so itchy that this year I've decided to rug him when it's due to rain or be chilly with a light weight. Il then use a medium weight etc once its colder but try to give him as much time as I can without the rug.
You can either spend a lot and get something with a high denier, at least 1800, or just buy cheap rugs knowing he'l trash them.
Have a look on eBay, I've managed to get a few rugs really cheap with about 2000 denier for around £30-£50 and they have all been good.
 
Rainscald is an infection, so that needs treating first (same bacteria as mud fever). I would definitely clip the area, and then hibiscrub daily. Can you keep the pony in until it clears ? I would look at the feed, as a skin supplement may help - had fab results with Naf skin feed supplements.

If you rug before the infection has healed, you will provide a warm moist area, not good for healing. When you do rug, go for a full neck, or have you tried that already ?

lots of advice to follow I'm sure.
 
If it was mine I would clip and rug.

Rain scald is akin to mud fever and once takes hold can be very difficult to get rid off. When I bought my last horse, he had been turned away for the winter, unrugged and had a coat like a yak! I only found the extent of his rain scald once clipped and still bears the some scars now, and took nearly a year for it too fully clear up.

Invest in a good anti bacterial body wash and be careful not too over rug, as that can also exacerbate rain scald.

Hope you get it sorted.
 
Thanks all.

It's not really practical to keep him in long enough to get rid of the rainscald, so I'll have to do my best with him living out.

I'll be sad to see all his baby fluff go! But needs must, I suppose.

I'm surprised he's got it, he's on a supplement which includes zinc. I have some MSM I'll start giving him too, see if that helps. My TB's got the odd scab or two as well. Guess it's this awful wet weather we've had all summer... they never come into the yard during the rain, either - seem to prefer getting soaked :rolleyes:.
 
When the broodies got rainscald, or mud fever for that matter, we used to scrub the area with hibi scrub so it was clean and then get iodinised udder cream and slap that on. It is so waterproof it acts as a barrier. We then left it a day or two, scrubbed the udder cream off with hibi scrub, re applied and generally within a week or two the rainscald or mudfever was gone.

Alternatively, clip and rug!
 
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