Sores on tail

[TreeDog]

I noticed today my horse has these sores on his tail. He was a bit uncomfortable about me touching his tail, but stood and let me look gently while he was untied and wasn't trying to move away so I don't think it's too painful. I did notice some other scabby looking areas and his tail skin seemed a bit scurfy in places. He has a history of sarcoids around his groin but don't think this looks like a sarcoid thing.

I have spoken to vet and just emailed them photos but does anyone here have any thoughts?

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I can’t really see very well on my phone but could he have been rubbing his tail? I have a wee chap who has sweet itch and rubs his tail on occasion when the flies have managed to get under his rug and they’re kind of yellow weepy crusty little sores and they’re obviously sore.

 

[TreeDog]

I can’t really see very well on my phone but could he have been rubbing his tail? I have a wee chap who has sweet itch and rubs his tail on occasion when the flies have managed to get under his rug and they’re kind of yellow weepy crusty little sores and they’re obviously sore.

I thought about this as he's recently moved to a field close to a river so more midges but the sores are mid to bottom of his tail rather than the top, and doesn't look like he's been rubbing much, I did notice it looked like he had rubbed it the other day but not excessively. I wondered if maybe he's caught it on the fencing or while playing/fighting with field mates and pulled the skin off with the hair. Hopefully just that and not something more worrying. Not sure that would account for the scurffiness though. What do you do for yours when he's had sores? I was thinking some sudocreme? I thought best to wait to hear back from vet before applying anything, looks like they'll get back to me tomorrow now.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Ah ok, that does sound strange. I use sudocreme usually, I did have some Other creme that I had just a small amount left of and that worked well (but it’s more expensive). https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/2028678003...MI192QmoL46QIVmLPtCh01cQILEAQYAyABEgKoVfD_BwE

 

[Nasicus]

Could he have been itching it with his teeth? My SI mare used to impress people by reaching around and itching her mid to lower dock with her teeth, which wouldn't damage the hair in the same way/leave that stereotypical bum itching look.

 

[TreeDog]

Could he have been itching it with his teeth? My SI mare used to impress people by reaching around and itching her mid to lower dock with her teeth, which wouldn't damage the hair in the same way/leave that stereotypical bum itching look.

Never seen him doing this, I would be impressed if he was that flexible! When I was trying to look he was clamping his tail down so it must be a bit sore, I'm doubtful it's been caused by excessive itching. The last couple days I spent a couple hours in the field poo picking and ragwort pulling and didn't see him doing anything unusual with his tail. Vet has been on colic emergencies all morning but hopefully will call me back soon!

 

[Nasicus]

Never seen him doing this, I would be impressed if he was that flexible! When I was trying to look he was clamping his tail down so it must be a bit sore, I'm doubtful it's been caused by excessive itching. The last couple days I spent a couple hours in the field poo picking and ragwort pulling and didn't see him doing anything unusual with his tail. Vet has been on colic emergencies all morning but hopefully will call me back soon!

It is pretty impressive when you see it! She would curl around and then bend her tail to the corresponding side to reach it, my instructor said she'd never seen a horse do that before!

It does very much look like a scrape or chunk of hair ripped out to me. Have you tried giving it a gentle wash to get a better look at it? I'm guessing from the photos that the blackness is dried blood, so seeing the skin underneath could give some clues.

 

[Meredith]

I found a huge wound on my cob’ s dockwhich was covered in a pale yellow crust. Her tail was thick and I had to cut it to access the wound. She was so sore that all I could do after that was spray it with salt water. It healed very well and she never had it again. I never found how it occurred.

 

[PurBee]

The midges here have recently hatched and on cue my horses have started rubbing their tails, as the midges love to bite everywhere. Some bites will ooze that exudate which will go orange and crusty.
Once the immune system gets used to the bites they no longer bother them, but maybe your isnt used to the influx of them and due to the new river location, they’ll be a lot more there than higher up fields.

id use aloe vera and give it time to heal. Morning and evening are worse times by the river for biting buggers, so maybe restrict turnout to late morning, in an hour before sundown? Or if on 24 turnout, allow him there during the midday hours only?

i have a similar ‘damp’ grazing patch and my horses have free run of where to go - they only graze in there midday hours or during the dark cooler hours.

 

[TreeDog]

He's in the same field 24hr, it's near a river but not right by water and a slight hill so not loads of midges but in the evening I have noticed a few.
I think washing to get a better look would be a good idea but I was quite gentle to get a look at it, when I wash his tail I generally avoid the actual skin of his tail and just wash the hair because he hates it getting wet, he tucks his bum right under and fidgets and that's without the sore tail so I think washing would be a bit challenging and unpleasant for both of us! I will take a flask of warm water up and try sponge just the sore bits, if he will let me. Vet hasn't called me back yet so hopefully they've seen the photos I sent by now and are just not too concerned.