What is this?

[ER_Flo]

Hi,
When grooming my little mare recently she's been really greasy, so I hot clothed her and this worked mostly, it doesn't seem to get it all off though and I also noticed she get's really flakey and I've not managed to remove ant of this - I'm not sure what it is. My friend has looked at her tail and forelock and it looks like she has had mites, also I was told she gets sweet itch which is why her mane is hogged. Sorry if this all sounds stupid! She's my first pony and I've only had her a month. Just wanted your opinions on what this is? And how to get rid of it. She scratches quite a bit - particularly her legs and hind quarters. She had a high trace clip a month ago too. Photos are of her hind quarters where she's turned into a fluffy monster! x

 

[RockinRudolph]

Could just be scurf? Like dry skin and dandruff in the coat. It's more common with winter coats I would say. What's her diet like?

 

[ER_Flo]

Thanks, she just has hay when she's in for 4 days and hay and grass when she's out in the field for 3 days a week x

 

[ER_Flo]

Oh and when I tried her out in August I had her for a week and she seemed to get dandruff just above her tail.

 

[RockinRudolph]

Maybe think of using a balancer, to make sure she has all the vitamins and minerals she needs. I use baileys lo cal balancer, just one mug a day. Linseed is good for the coat too, you can get it in lozenge form (like pellets really) and just give a small handful each day.

 

[PandorasJar]

Watch her on linseed. I found my laid back pony, who could be fed anything heating and not make an odds went a bit loopy on micronised linseed. Others I've not had any difference on it though.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Sweet itch comes with flakey scurfy skin. Midges are around when temperature is anything over 12 degrees. Keeping skin clean seems to help, plenty of grooming with a body brush, some people have success with regular shampooing. Head & shoulders shampoo, tea tree shampoo and citronella shampoo are the ones I've known to help. You'll need cream, spray, feed supplement (any or all, depending on severity) too .

Scurfy coats are normal in winter too, the natural oils build up and waterproof the coat, then there's the dirt from mud etc which you can't properly groom out because you'd get the coat too clean and it would no longer be waterproof. If she's wearing a rug the grease can build up too much, so get your body brush out in this instance.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Also consider lice, if she's still rubbing a lot at this time of year.

 

[ER_Flo]

Thanks, will get some for her - should I give her a mug of lo cal balancer mixed with a handful of linseed pellets? Do I need to soak it or anything?

I read that the linseed can put weight on them - she's lost some unwanted weight recently and I don't really want her to put that back on because we've been working hard and she looks a lot better at the moment!

PandorasJar - thanks! I'll start off with only a tiny handfull then! She's already a bit loopy haha.

Thanks very much for helping x

 

[ER_Flo]

Also consider lice, if she's still rubbing a lot at this time of year.

Thanks, I've tried to look but can't see anything other than my friend says it looks like she's had mites..


She's getting a thorough groom when she's in 4 days a week but I don't reallt want to bath her in this weather - what spray or cream could I use? Thank you xx

 

[RockinRudolph]

Maybe just try with the balancer to start with. There are a few different ones on the market so have a look on the net or ask in your local feed shop.

 

[ER_Flo]

Ok, thanks x

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

She shouldn't have sweet itch now its too cold. You can get louse powder. I've seen plenty if horses with lice but rarely see a louse itself. If she has mites you can try Barrier Animal Healthcare's Parasite Repel spray, but they live in the grazing and bedding so its an ongoing battle. If you want a skin soothing cream camomile, tea tree, lavender, calendula, zinc are all good ingredients, and DEET is insecticide I think.

 

[Lego]

If she is getting anything extra, perhaps she has an allergy? For instance, by trial and error I realised that my boy has an intolerance to alfalfa - which shows in his coat with lots of scurf.

I feed mine linseed and his coat is lovely - even commented on by a visiting instructor a 50ml scoop in each feed is enough in the summer to give a bit of shine etc without fattening him up, and I give more when needed ie as the weather is getting colder, or if his coat/hooves look a bit poor. If you are going to try linseed, use the micronised linseed rather than the lozenges - the lozenges are the waste product from making linseed oil, held together with sugar in some form, whereas the micronised has all the fibre, protein and oil. Try googling, or looking on here for more info.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Forgot to say for sweet itch season you ideally want an oily cream, even if you have to layer it over another soothing cream. Aloe Vera gel sinks in quickly and takes the heat out of inflamed skin. The midges don't like biting through the oily stuff. Some people find fly rugs or sweet itch rugs useful.