Sensible advice needed for older shetland.

[Paddy Irish]

I've got a bit of a dilemma for my RSPCA rescue shetland Tilly , she's approx 16/17 yrs and lives out 24/7 with her field mate a 6/7 yr old american mini. Anyway last winter the hair along Tilly's back , pretty much along the spine line went really matted , almost hard like plastic , i wasn't convinced it was rain scald but it did start to fall out as spring came round , in great big clumps
I've had tilly for just over three years and have never rugged her , in fact they are both kept on grass only with hay/haylage in winter with no other feed , they do have a shelter but seem happy to stand out in all weathers , they have about 3 acres to roam over and are both healthy , so my question is , should i be thinking about a rug for her , although i have no idea if she's even had a rug on or is there something else i can do to keep her coat nice , obviously a light weight rug would be no good as she wouldn't be able to puff her fur up , am i just worrying for nothing?

 

[joeanne]

Sounds like it could have been rain scauld to me.
If last year was the 1st time she had it I would see how things go this year, then if she gets it again, you can clip and rug her.

 

[huntley]

Try putting lard along the ponies' spine - this can prevent rain scald. Personally I would just keep an eye - they are generally better not rugged - but if we have a prolonged spell of rain then maybe put a rug on.

 

[be positive]

It is where the water sits on their backs,a bit like a gutter, rather than running off it stays there and the rain scald develops. Some regular application of coat conditioner or grease can help prevent this happening.

 

[Perissa]

This happens to my two old shetland girls, its not rain scald unless you see sores next to the skin or if the fur flakes off with a sore underneath. Be Positive is absolutely correct it is where the water sits rather than runs off. But it doesn't mean they have got or will get rain scald. One of my girls gets a smear of sudocream, the other doesn't because she doesn't need it.

I have to do the same smear of sudocream on my old ID girl. It where her back has sunk a bit with old age.

It is horrible the way the fur dries in hard clumps. I use a terrific little gismo to break up the lumps when they are dry. Its sort of like a metal curry comb but its round. Works brilliantly.

 

[Cahill]

rugging a shetland(unclipped) flattens the coat and i suspect the pony will not be as warm.
i would try pig oil applied once a week so the rain will just run off.

my shetland (26) has a stable with the door left open and a little yard area on the front.he prefers to stand out most of the year except when it is really hot.

 

[Paddy Irish]

Thanks guys , great idea about the grease and yes it probably is where the water just sits as although she's nowhere near fat she has got slightly more of a flat table top back , when the hair comes out there is no soreness or skin coming away , just the new coat underneath. I'm not sure about clipping as i don't have my own and she may just go mental ( although she seems ok with most things tbh) i'll just have to wait and see what the weather does , she gets groomed and foot picked every other day and i would hate to rug really as she always seems warm even at -10 with an icicle beard!

 

[Wagtail]

I would rug her with a lightweight good quality rug (one that is 1200 denier and no fill). It must feel really uncomfortable for her when it happens. I would not recommend the grease as this will just mix with dust and dirt when she rolls making it a breeding place for bacteria.

ETA in the light of Marie t comment. I need to clarify, that I would only rug her in wet conditions and remove the rug on dry days.

 

[maree t]

I would worry about rugging her unless you do it at the start. My shetland x gets too hot and then itches like mad. Bought her a rug couple of years ago and used it once, she was part clipped but got so hot and itchy she dropped and rolled with a child on board the following day. Never used it again. She gets thickest coat and snow wll lay on her back and not melt.