Scabby leg, not mud fever

Keenjean

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My mare has loads of scabs on her nearside fore but none anywhere else except for that leg. They run effectively where a tendon boot would go and have no puss/blood under them. She doesn't care if I pick them/ wash them etc and her leg is not hot or swollen but there must be 20-30 of these little scabs on this areas of her leg and the largest ones would be the size of the largest end of a drawing pin and the littlest are tiny weeny. She doesn't wear boots so I know it's not being caused by that. I've tried hibiscrubbing her leg to get rid of them and have done this everyday for the last 2 weeks which is when they first became more prominent. I have the vet coming on weds next week so will ask then but just wondered if anyone has any ideas what they are or what I could do to help get rid! The horse is a 4yr old Dutch warmblood mare with no feather. THANKS!
 
My mare has loads of scabs on her nearside fore but none anywhere else except for that leg. They run effectively where a tendon boot would go and have no puss/blood under them. She doesn't care if I pick them/ wash them etc and her leg is not hot or swollen but there must be 20-30 of these little scabs on this areas of her leg and the largest ones would be the size of the largest end of a drawing pin and the littlest are tiny weeny. She doesn't wear boots so I know it's not being caused by that. I've tried hibiscrubbing her leg to get rid of them and have done this everyday for the last 2 weeks which is when they first became more prominent. I have the vet coming on weds next week so will ask then but just wondered if anyone has any ideas what they are or what I could do to help get rid! The horse is a 4yr old Dutch warmblood mare with no feather. THANKS!

It's not a white leg is it? My lad has one white foot and managed to get it sun burnt last year, lots of little scabs, we hibiscrubbed daily and covered in Sudo Cream all fine after a week.
 
Stop the Hibiscrub it is not intended for regular use like that, does far more harm than good. Just plaster the area with something like Sudacrem, zinc & castor oil cream or Protocon and the scabs should soon heal over and fall off. Do not pick at them before they're ready to roll off.
Most horses have a 'warm spot' where they'll sweat before anywhere else, perhaps this is her spot or it's possibly something in the grass that's irritated her.
 
My elderly mare had something similar to this the other day. I gave her legs a good scrub with hibiscrub and sprayed with purple spray. They seemed to have cleared up nicely now :) Not sure what it was but worked lol
 
Thanks for the replays and unfortunately the leg isn't a white one or I would have thought sunburn too, it's jet black. Will try putting cream on again although this didn't work last time. She's in now the weathers rank do will see if keeping them completely dry and away from any irritant in the grass appears to help. THANKS
 
Just I thought but I have just bought a mare who had scabs underneath her feathers - when I asked her old owner what it was she said it was a bit a greasy heel?

Not that I know much about it but she told me to wash them once a week in drandruff shampoo and pig oil regularly

Probably nothing to do with your problem but you never know :D
 
hello ! My guess is it could be feather mites or lice ? A horse at our yard has had very similar. he's been thoroughly shampooed with Deosect shampoo, all his bedding has been changed (and stable and walls scrubbed), and it's being monitered in case of further flares ups if more eggs hatch. He is in isolation too, as lice seem to jump walls.

If in any doubt, do get your vet to take a skin scrape to check though.

Very common, especially as it's warm and very wet.

Hope that helps. x
 
Thanks for all the replies, the vet had a look today and is pretty sure she's had an allergic reaction to something as the scabs are weeping sebum not thick pussy stuff so we've got some cream to put on twice a day for a week to try and clear it up. Just goes to show, if in doubt, get the vet! Ta guys
 
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