Skanky yearling!

Pc2003

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I’ve had my rising 2 yr old for a month now. Pretty sure he is looking skankier by the day 😅
His coat is very thick but tufty and he has bad dandruff in places. It’s all going in various directions! He is stabled at night and out all day and never been rugged. He came from Ireland and was living in a barn so this is the first opportunity to go out and roll in mud etc but he is quite itchy so wondering if there is something behind his general skank? Or do youngsters just look like that?!
 

Pearlsasinger

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2 yr olds to tend to look a bit odd, ime but it's more that they can be very gangly with uneven growth. If yours is itchy, I would treat for lice.

ETA - crossposted with ihw;)
 

Pc2003

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That’s what I maybe thought. Been in a barn with others, at transporters yards etc maybe I will douse him in powder.
And yes he is all sort of gangly weird to add to it!!
 

Pearlsasinger

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If you put your warm hand on his quarters, just above the dock and leave it for a while, when you lift your had, you may be able to see the lice moving, where your hand was, if he has them. Or you might not;)
 

Hexx

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If you do have lice, you are going to have to clip him out to get to them if he has a thick coat! That's what I had to do to my 18-month old last year - all off, mane, forelock, feathers the lot!! Mind you, he did learn very quickly about clippers, being sprayed with stuff and rugs - use it as a learning experience!
 

Pc2003

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If you do have lice, you are going to have to clip him out to get to them if he has a thick coat! That's what I had to do to my 18-month old last year - all off, mane, forelock, feathers the lot!! Mind you, he did learn very quickly about clippers, being sprayed with stuff and rugs - use it as a learning experience!

Oh really? His coat is extremely thick. Bet that will go down well!!
 

Pc2003

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Had a good look tonight and can’t see anything apart from dandruff but he is definitely itchy and can see where he has been chewing himself a bit.
 

PapaverFollis

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My old mare has got really itchy every time we have moved yards... rubs her face raw and is itchy all over for several weeks. I think it's the stress! Just a thought. But I would probably treat for lice anyway just in case, I did the first couple of times this happened. Can you still get Coopers? Was it Coopers?
 

Cortez

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You don't have to clip to treat lice! Best place to look for them is under the mane, especially when it's warm or he is a bit sweaty. Two year olds nearly always look awkward so don't worry about that. The other thing I would do is worm him.

Also; pictures....
 

Pc2003

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You don't have to clip to treat lice! Best place to look for them is under the mane, especially when it's warm or he is a bit sweaty. Two year olds nearly always look awkward so don't worry about that. The other thing I would do is worm him.

Also; pictures....

He was wormed the week before he came to me so 5weeks ago so don’t want to worm again yet. Was going to worm count next week to check.
Will get pics of him and all his skank soon!
 

Gloi

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Can I buy deosect somewhere or is it vet only?
Farm stores or internet, don't say it's for a horse. It isn't licenced for horses but lots of people use it for sweetitch and for killing lice. Switch is the same and Coopers and you could use either of those but being for horses they are more expensive.
 

J1993

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Mine was the same age last year and was also really skanky. She had a really thick winter coat from living out and was itchy, had mud rash and generally looked rubbish. She was constantly itching and had random bald patches. I even got the vet out who gave me Switch and it made no difference. From January i just tried to keep on top of her but i only really noticed a difference when she went back out on summer grazing in April. This winter i have rugged her and given her a hard feed and she looks so much better. She also didn't stay out overnight from around October. I think you just have to do whats right for them! She is 3 in May and will have another summer out until September.
 

Pc2003

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Mine was the same age last year and was also really skanky. She had a really thick winter coat from living out and was itchy, had mud rash and generally looked rubbish. She was constantly itching and had random bald patches. I even got the vet out who gave me Switch and it made no difference. From January i just tried to keep on top of her but i only really noticed a difference when she went back out on summer grazing in April. This winter i have rugged her and given her a hard feed and she looks so much better. She also didn't stay out overnight from around October. I think you just have to do whats right for them! She is 3 in May and will have another summer out until September.

He I’m hoping when they go out in April for the spring he will look better!
 

Cortez

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It is perfectly normal, indeed desirable, for yearlings/two year olds to look a bit "skanky". I like mine to show a rib, which means they are putting all their energy into growing. If they look like mature, well covered, finished horses then they are risking overloading growing joints, epiphysitus (sp), or OCD. This doesn't mean they should be emaciated, or have very bad coats, but I wouldn't rug if they have shelter. These are a Trakehner foal, yearling, & late 2 year old.
Trak foals.jpg
 

paddy555

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my vet told me switch (non prescription) for my foal that itched badly. It is a pour on that takes seconds to apply, no clipping, no bathing and it worked well.
 

Nasicus

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I applied Deosect for Lice by diluting it in a bucket and soaking fluffy horse through using a sponge (wearing long gloves!). Worked a treat, one treatment and the little sods were gone.
I usually get it from the vets, but I think you can buy it from Viovet without prescription, but don't quote me on that. I still regularly use it now as a flyspray/repellant for the sweetitch sufferer.
 

Pc2003

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I can’t post a picture as it keeps saying the file is too big?
Anyhow he was extremely itchy and sweaty tonight as they were having a gallop and it’s very mild.
He kept trying to roll on the concrete. 🤨
 

Goldenstar

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If you can’t find lice and he’s uncomfortable I think you ought to consider having the vet look at him .
My two year olds old often looked most odd.
And I would be getting a worm count done there’s no saying what he may be dropping on your land .
 

Pc2003

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If you can’t find lice and he’s uncomfortable I think you ought to consider having the vet look at him .
My two year olds old often looked most odd.
And I would be getting a worm count done there’s no saying what he may be dropping on your land .

Ye he needs his jabs done so will get the vet to take a look. He was wormed by breeder about 5weeks ago before he came to me but will do a worm count
 

Puzzled

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I’d say lice....either clip him and deosect or get the vet to jab with dectomax....much easier! Remember he’ll need at least two treatments to allow for the egg cycle. Worm with pramox to. He will never look well if he has lice/worms.
 
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