Strange Rash - any ideas?

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Switchthehorse

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My 5yo mare has suddenly (in the last two days) developed a strange rash on her back. She has about thirty lumps all in the saddle area which weren't there 2 days ago. Some of them have developed scabs and a couple of the scabs have come off to reveal sores without any real infection or weeping/bleeding. She is being driven crazy with them - they clearly really itch as she is desperately trying to rub them all the time.

She hasnt been ridden for 4 days (just loose schooled and some time off) so can't blame saddle/saddlecloth/strange washing powder and she has not been fed anything different or rugged differently than usual. She hasnt been turned out without a rug on so no chance of rain scald... i would have said it was an allergy only there is literally nothing new that could have caused it!!

She hasnt got any bumps anywhere else but is generally very itchy all over.

We have hibiscrubbed her and given her bran mash with epsom salts.

Sorry for the essay but anyone got any ideas what it could be... doesnt look like ringworm - just slightly concerned it could be something infectious as she is kept on a yard with 30 other horses - none of which so far have had any symptoms!

Any help very gratefully received!! Thanks!
 
one of mine has got some spots too! think he has got too warm in his pj's. i have picked them off and a quick wash with hibi srub! i will clip him off once we are past this cold spell and srub him them. he hasnt got extra friends!!!! and its not a grobbly (ringworm) just winter spots as he isnt as clean as he should be and greasy under the rug!
 
It does sound like a case of being too warm, maybe the pores have sweated and become blocked up causing the scabs. Cant think of anything else unless its bedding related.
 
thanks for the tips and glad we arent the only scabby ones out there. Tad surprised if she is too warm as she is clipped and not in too many layers but will cool her off a bit and see if that makes any difference

Reassuring its not some terribly lurgy tho!
 
Have you changed feed or haylage/ hay recently. My mare developed lumps which scabbed. My vet said it was more than likely the result of some really wet haylage that I had got. Since I changed back to the drier stuff the lumps have gone.
 
It sounds like common or garden rainscald hun. That's one of the classic spots you would expect it to form - it develops just as happily in the sweaty patches under numnahs as it does under rugs. The delay between last time ridden and spotting the rash is just because it takes a few days for it to be observed in its nastiest state. You can feel rainscald starting if you gently probe the base of the hairs in suspect areas. It feels rough and the hairs are clumped together. A few days after that, especially if the horse has been rolling or rubbing to ease the discomfort, the full weepy scabs show.

Hibiscrub and loosening the scabs will clear it up but you should hold off riding until it's clear. Then be ruthless about de-sweating the horse after riding and before rugging.
 
My friends horse kept developing a rash, all over his body but worse on his sides and neck. He had all sorts of steroids and medicines, his feed was cut out one by one, his haylage changed for hay and new rugs bought. He even had skin scrapings and skin patch tests. Then one day they dissapeared. She never did find out what they were - she'd had him nearly four years before he had this problem. Very weird.
 
I had a problem with my pony similar to Applecart14's friend. I struggled for a good 18 months with steroids, washes from vet etc etc. Naff D Tox eventually cleared it up and hasn't been back since. Never did find out what caused it.

Jane
 
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