Why Is My Old Girl Going Spotty??

[southerncomfort]

I have a 24 year old welsh mare. Chestnut with flaxen mane and tail.

She's only the second veteran I've ever owned. My first veteran gradually started getting odd white hairs mixing in with usual coat but when I lost her at 27 she still wasn't noticeably grey.

My current mare has, since her last coat change, developed white spots. Probably about 12 in total located mostly on her chest and under her tail but she has some on her sides too. Each probably about the size of a 20p piece. I know nothing has rubbed these areas, no bites or anything.

So is this just an ageing thing? Has anyone else had a veteran that's gone grey in this way? Or is it just one of those odd coat changes?

Other than the white spots, she has a little bit of grey around her eyes that she didn't have before but it isn't particularly noticeable.

 

[horselady]

My mare got spots like that from a sweat rash caused by the sweat being on her skin.

 

[southerncomfort]

That's interesting, thank you. I haven't noticed her sweating particularly but it's not impossible that she gets sweaty on hot, muggy evenings after I've left.

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

I had a 33 year old chestnut welsh cross who started having the same thing. She had about 20 little white spots by the time she passed away. I asked the vet about it and he said it was common in older horses, especially those with chestnut coats

 

[horselady]

We'll we got some maliseb shampoo for dogs and cats and it was completely gone after two applications.

 

[Lammy]

They'll most likely be birdcatcher spots Nothing to worry about, my older, flaxen chestnut girl is getting them too, she's just had another one come in this year under her stomach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdcatcher_(horse)

 

[saskiahorsey]

Ish mare chestnut with flaxen mane and tail ... has huge splodge of white on bottom but now shes 16 and has white splashes all over and a couple of black ones too ... i was told her sire is a grey not sure if that would make a difference ... ?

 

[Goldenstar]

As above ,they are birdcatcher spots .

 

[spacefaer]

I've got a 7 yr old chestnut with them.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, Birdcatcher spots; Toytown has them and they tend to increase with age.

 

[Meredith]

My 26 year old chestnut mare has had these since she was about 2. They come and go as they please. At first they are strongly defined but after a while they become roan and eventually disappear. She has had them on her face beside her white stripe, behind her ears, at the top of her tail including tail hairs and in her mane, in fact just about any where, they are even creeping down her legs!

 

[southerncomfort]

Had a google of Birdcatcher spots. That's exactly what she has. Then I went and examined Chestnut Mare No. 2 and discovered she has a couple of spots too (she is 18).

Love this forum...I'm always learning something new!

Thanks everyone.

 

[horselady]

ok, I thought you meant spots on the skin with a white head, now I see you didn't, sorry.