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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
   
Location: Louisiana | Since I got married and moved, my horses are on 24/7 turnout. And it is not agreeing with my sorrel gelding, T-Bo. He looks terrible. He is normally a bright gleaming dark red this time of year, and he is a dull, light color. His hair is so bleached and dry. Then, with the rain we've had he developed rain rot so bad his entire butt is pretty much bald. It seriously went from me noticing a few bumps and flakiness and thinking, "Oh, I better get some spray for that," to the next day all the hair had fallen out. :( He has also lost most of the hair on his face, my husbands old mare does the same thing every spring/summer. It's so not pretty lol. Then I noticed I'm pretty sure he has scratches on all 4 ankles. Ugh!!!
Are some horses just not cut out for natural living?? Have I spoiled and ruined him the past 5 years??
Here's what I've been doing...
I put him back on his ulcer meds to work on his overall health- I had hoped with constant grazing he wouldn't need it.
I have been giving him twice weekly iodine shampoo baths. And spraying daily with "Spurs Big Fix", an antiseptic spray that has cleared up rainrot in the past for me. I also spray that on his heels where the scratches are. I bought some kind of horse SPF spray with sunflower oil that's supposed to keep them from bleaching. I don't think it has worked, I'm not buying another bottle.
As for his face, I picked off the loose hair and intend to get him a fly mask- would that help??
he looks so pitiful it's embarrassing to bring him anywhere lol.
The rainrot is healed up but we're still getting a good bit of rain so I'm continuing to shampoo and treat with the spray. He's just bald where it was and his hair grows soooo slow.
He is the only horse out of 4 in the field with this issue. The rest are fine, but they have also been turned out in the past.
I thought about it today...our friends down the road may allow me to use one of their stalls to keep him up during the day. But that is a lot of effort to haul him back and forth every morning and evening.
Thank you all in advance for your suggestions!! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I kept my show horse turned out from evening to about mid morning and then he was stalled. I know that isn't an option for you, but WHILE he was turned out he had on a Kensington protective fly sheet that is also UV protectant. Kept him looking great. He had as nice a hair coat as the horses I was showing against but a much better disposition because he wasn't locked up in a stall 24/7. |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | what kind of feed/supplements do you use? I had a mild version of this going with my herd (also 24/7 turnout) and within two weeks of putting mine on Platinum CJ I had 5 gleaming coats. One looked a lot better but wasn't quite gleaming yet.. He's got something else going on and I just started him back on some ulcer meds.
I've had this same turn around when I've added NuImage (which is way cheaper) to their diet also.. |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Shampooing is really hard on the hair coat, that might also be a bit much. A good supplement might be good too, if he is lacking anything in his diet. THE Performance Formula is less than 90 cents a day shipped with 2 blends and Muscle Mass is $1.01 a day shipped with 2 blends. |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | Mine are turned out 24/7 and I feed renew gold + alfalfa and they are SUPER shiny. |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| I cannot BELIEVE how awesome my mare and gelding's coats still look and it's almost JULY in TX! I swear its the platinum CJ, normally my bay mare would have been bleached out by now but she is as bright and shiny as ever! When I was running her I would turn her out at night and keep her in during the day, but now that she's bred she's turned out with my colt. Very happy! Plus, she's covered for up to 8k of colic surgery so it's a win/win. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | We have 4 horses on our lot right now. 3 are ours. 1 is not. They all get the same alfalfa. Fresh water. All on a worming routine. Nobody is stalled. Granted not "on pasture". It's basically a dirt lot. My 2 are on beet pulp and MM. They look phenomenal and are toned and shiny. Daughters old mare is on beet pulp and rice bran (for weight gain, but the bran also promotes a healthy coat.) She is gleaming. Now, the one just on alfalfa is dull and shaggy. He looks like poo compared to the rest. But, not my horse, and it's hard enough as it is to get the owner to pay for hay. So, not my problem. We have good quality alfalfa as well.
I would put him on a good quality supplement or maybe even try the rice bran. The MM did great things for my 2 working horses. In saying that, the bran did wonders for our old mare as well. Good luck. Pasture shouldn't affect negatively in my opinion. He just sounds like he's missing a lil somethin', somethin'. |
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | Thanks y'all!
He gets a mix from a local mill. Anytime I've tried something "better", I end up going back to it. A friend of my parents had it mixed just for him to feed to sale barn horses he bought thin. He would fatten them up and get them pretty and resell. My mom finally tried it about 10 years ago and every horse on the place would eat it and looked great. The mill sold so much it's a regular mix now.
He was on alfalfa cubes up until about a month ago. I tried Chaffhaye but plan on going back to cubes. I just got done paying for a wedding, and am now in another in the fall and money is a little tight with all the planning that goes on!!
He gets his ulcer sup, and a bleeder sup, as well as bleeder meds when I run. But I did cut out his overall sup several months ago. I love Royal Champion, he looked amazing on it but it's so pricey. Do y'all think that could be it? I am planning on picking up some Safe Choice or something similar to add in also. I have a friend at a feed store that carries Nutrena and Purina so I was going to ask him what he suggested that won't break me lol. He was on Safe Choice mixed with the local mix in the past.
I know the regular shampooing isn't super good for him, but I'm trying to make sure the rain rot doesn't return. We have been getting almost daily thunderstorms. I do feel like since he's been back on his ulcer meds, he seems happier and has perked back up. He even soaked me this morning when he grabbed the water hose lol.
I even put him on an ounce of Red Cell in the mornings to help perk him up. He just didn't feel good for a while there. I ran Saturday and he seemed to feel better to me.
I don't know. I know all of those sups y'all listed are great, but I am on a major budget right now. Did I mention I'm also still a student?! That only works part time?! lol.
I brought him last month to the vet and had his ankle and coffin joint injected again, that looks like it's gonna be every 6 months now. 8 months was too long. I was really wanting to start him on Pentosan but just haven't gotten a break to order any.
I'm going to be sooo happy when November is here. It'll mean I'm done buying dresses, planning bachelorette trips and showers, and can spend my money on myself! Haha. I'm going to punch my anyone that dares propose to one of my friends in the next year lol. I never realized how expensive it is to be a bridesmaid or MOH.
Ok, I've rambled enough!!
Thanks guys and know that I'm researching and keeping all you suggestions in mind.
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | It's just so frustrating when my horse is the only one on the whole place that looks bad. My husband's horses are in a different field eating crab grass and look amazing. Same thing a with my brother-in-law. Then the other 3 in my field-which actually has the best grass, just not an over abundance of it-look great. T-Bo looks bad and it makes me mad bc he's my baby. He looks like I don't take care of him. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Flax seed, rice bran, and a small bit of alfalfa, and only rinsing their coat - I never wash. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| We have a little secret weapon for halter horses. Anytime you hose them off or give them a bath, spray a little product called Silverado Coat Gloss. They will shine in very few applications. We put it on all the show horses and it makes them really pop in the showpen. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Is he alone?? Maybe it's stress related......if he is alone find him a friendly companion. Also if you're on a budget try flax seed or oil it really will perk him up and shine him up nicely. If they sweat they should be rinsed as the sweat tends to dull out the coat. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | not to leave you feeling hopeless but I have one of those. when I bought him as a 2 yr old he lived in a pasture full of babies his own age, but of course it was an iowa winter so I really didn't take too much of an opinion of what he really looked like. I started stalling him, during the day for summer, during the night for winter.
right now we have really nice fields and next to perfect weather so I won't turn them in if they aren't getting beat by bugs or cooking in the sun, I'll feed them in the field and give them some fresh fly spray and a clean fly mask. This dude will all but beg to be turned in, he can only last about 2 full days out on the pasture before he's tapped out and needs to be in front of a fan snoozing in his stall. He'll get rain rot, bleach out, his coat will go to crap if I even try leaving them on pasture 24/7 the other horse could care less, and IMO does better. It's a healthy balance, but I definitely have lost hope I can even try to leave him that way.
ETA: after reading LMS's post, I do think it can get to be stress related for my guy. He's sensitive, needs to be able to take a nap without my other horse harassing him, he enjoys having his own space for a little while and I really don't blame him for it.
Edited by Crowned Image 2015-06-30 4:22 PM
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | Crowned Image - 2015-06-30 4:19 PM not to leave you feeling hopeless but I have one of those. when I bought him as a 2 yr old he lived in a pasture full of babies his own age, but of course it was an iowa winter so I really didn't take too much of an opinion of what he really looked like. I started stalling him, during the day for summer, during the night for winter. right now we have really nice fields and next to perfect weather so I won't turn them in if they aren't getting beat by bugs or cooking in the sun, I'll feed them in the field and give them some fresh fly spray and a clean fly mask. This dude will all but beg to be turned in, he can only last about 2 full days out on the pasture before he's tapped out and needs to be in front of a fan snoozing in his stall. He'll get rain rot, bleach out, his coat will go to crap if I even try leaving them on pasture 24/7 the other horse could care less, and IMO does better. It's a healthy balance, but I definitely have lost hope I can even try to leave him that way. ETA: after reading LMS's post, I do think it can get to be stress related for my guy. He's sensitive, needs to be able to take a nap without my other horse harassing him, he enjoys having his own space for a little while and I really don't blame him for it.
I really think that might be T-Bo...
to answer LMS, no I don't think it's stress. He's with 2 other horses regularly, sometimes 3. And he is the boss. He doesn't beat up on the others, but they respect him. He wasn't boss at my moms, so I guess he decided to start off on top when we moved haha.
He was used to being stalled during the heat of the day with a fan. But I can assure you he wouldn't want to be in his stall while everyone else was out, he would pace.
I thought about a mesh lightweight fly sheet but I'm afraid he'll sweat too much, we are in south LA. I do intend to get him a fly mask for his face. Thank you all for all the suggestions!! |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| FlyingHigh1454 - 2015-06-30 3:53 PM
We have a little secret weapon for halter horses. Anytime you hose them off or give them a bath, spray a little product called Silverado Coat Gloss. They will shine in very few applications. We put it on all the show horses and it makes them really pop in the showpen.
We used the Silverado on our show cattle! Great stuff. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | Does he have any access to loose minerals? Might help, if he doesn't. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Mine are out 24/7 and they are really beautiful. I use Platinum Performance. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Up the fat in his diet and worm him again too. I'd try to wean him off the shampoo and keep him on the ulcer meds. Maybe add Forco.
Edited by oija 2015-06-30 11:34 PM
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | I really don't think it's the shampoo...I only bathed him twice so far, Friday and yesterday-I just thought that might help keep the rain rot controlled. Now I will just make due to hose him every evening to wash off the sweat, no soap.
He's on a fat sup also, Cool Calories. I didn't mention it bc I haven't really noticed a difference so I wasn't planning on purchasing another bag when it's gone.
He doesn't have access to the loose minerals, I will look into that. I'm going to check into all the different sups y'all have all mentioned as well.
I got to ride yesterday evening and I can tell he feels better, so much better I'm going to cut back on the Red Cell lol. For a while there I didn't think that was helping.
Thank yall, hopefully he starts looking better soon. |
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | oija - 2015-06-30 11:34 PM
Up the fat in his diet and worm him again too. I'd try to wean him off the shampoo and keep him on the ulcer meds. Maybe add Forco.
Yes I noticed a little tail rubbing yesterday and plan on worming. I just wormed them about 2 weeks ago but idk when my new one was wormed last-he'd been turned out. And it had been a while on T-Bo also. I used Zimecterin Gold, what would y'all suggest this time? |
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