Nateracer - 2016-12-15 9:51 AM Wonder if she's allergic to something in the grain?   

CarrieH77 - 2016-12-16 10:58 AM We had a race horse come in once that I swear was going bald but his new coat was coming in so much darker than before and he just looked totally different.  His was also from diet changes.  It's crazy what they do!   

GoMistyGo - 2016-12-13 2:16 PM

 I bought a three year old at the beginning of November.  She has a very glossy thin coat.  Very pretty blood bay.  The weather here is very crazy, 32 one day 75 degrees the next.  I have her blanketed when it is cold.  I noticed yesterday that she is shedding heavily….  Like it is March – it is just coming out of her.  Any ideas why she would do this?  I’m not keeping her under lights (she may have been under lights at her old place though).
 
It seems very odd to me…?  None of my others are shedding yet.
Thank you.

Since I first posted this, the mare is now going bald.  She has large bald spots all over her.  Acting fine otherwise, but looks like a plugged chicken.  I just want to cry.
Going to the vet tomorrow morning for blood work and skin scrape.  Other vet thinks she is just shedding out to grow winter coat, and is being overly dramatic about it.  I think she may have been under lights at her old place.  I'm horrified.
 

BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-12-16 8:43 PM What state did she come from?? I know people that keep their horses blanketed in stalls thru the winter to keep them shiny.... get a rude awakening in the spring time when they take off the blanket and they start growing winter hair and then shed the "winter hair" in June/july to normal summer hair... I would sure change to a freshly water washed//rinsed blanket just in case the blanket you have been using has a strong detergent or spray on water repellent or even dry cleaned and the residue in the blanket is creating a problem .. and hair is falling out in the sweat marks under the blanket ... As far south as you are in Bandera .. I wouldn't think you would need a blanket ... no more than a Baker sheet at the most and then be present to remove instantly when temp rises as you describe ... that's the problem in most of Texas ... being there to remove a blanket when the days heat up ... GOOD LUCK ... (In Texas we call it a ... plucked chicken... lol)

GoMistyGo - 2016-12-16 9:47 PM


 Thank you.  She came from Weatherford, TX.  She had a very slick thin coat compared to my fuzzy bears (relative term, not sure what horses in the North look like now).
She got a brand new blanket,  and since I work from home I can cater to their needs 24/7....

Most of the balding is on her belly,  so far her neck is still ok.  I will wash the blanket.

BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-12-18 5:59 AM Since it is mostly on her belly ..... don't forget girth itch .. it can show up anywhere and once it gets established .. it is like trying to put out a grass fire ... There are a lot of good stuff to cure it .. so see what your vet uses .. if it is girth itch wash and sanitize everything .... spray 25% bleach on stall walls, trailer etc .. ******************************************************* I keep a spray bottle of this simple mixture at the barn to doctor on any kind of scruffs, scritches, bite marks (bug and other horses), cuts or odd looking ithchy places .... etc etc .. One ounce of strong iodine in a qt spray bottle filled with plain old cooking corn oil. A little dab will do you .. wet a spot .. rub it with finger .. shake before using ... (iodine heals and prevents infection and kills a live bug) (the corn oil will smother anything that breathes ) ******************************************************** There is a weird itch we encounter with our race horses once we start taking them to the track ... we call it race horse itch .... tuff to get rid of and the only way we have found that works is simple ... whatever it is... it's alive and no vet has identified it .. .. it appears on neck, shoulders and/or belly ... Worm with a full tube of ivermectin and repeat in 7 days .. meanwhile ... use ivermectin as a grease to rub on the visual itchy areas ... 2-3 times a day for 7 days or until it disappears ... horses are usually pretty itchy with this itch ... we also keep everything sanitized while itch is active per the girth itch above .. On bald healing areas you can see if new tiny hairs are growing back by shining a flash light at an angle and squinting your eyes to see the minute glow of hair coming back in ......... with the horse in a semi dark area .. GOOD LUCK ...

royaldimple - 2016-12-19 11:27 AM What is the selenium level of you hay or feed? I have heard of horses getting too much selenium and it can do this. Had a horse allergic to sulfur once and found out when we gave her antibiotics she had a reaction to it. Also had to keep her out of sun after that or a sheet on for protection.

CarrieH77 - 2016-12-16 9:58 AM

We had a race horse come in once that I swear was going bald but his new coat was coming in so much darker than before and he just looked totally different.  His was also from diet changes.  It's crazy what they do!   

cowgalsissy - 2016-12-30 1:32 PM How's it going?

 

GoMistyGo - 2016-12-30 5:32 PM


 Thank you for asking!  I am happy to report that she is growing hair. 
She now looks well enough to go out in public.   Still a ways to go, but on the right track.
I still don't know what caused this, but assuming some metabolic issue rather than a fungus or allergies.  I did treat her for fungus, giving her Platinum Skin & Allergies, Healthy Coat oil, and rub her down with Shapley's MTG stinky stuff.  This program seems to
work.

uno-dos-tres! - 2017-01-01 8:13 AM You should probably leave her in her ugly coat, I see many looking in envy at this beautiful mare-she could go missing. 

GoMistyGo - 2016-12-30 5:32 PM  Thank you for asking!  I am happy to report that she is growing hair. 

She now looks well enough to go out in public.   Still a ways to go, but on the right track.

I still don't know what caused this, but assuming some metabolic issue rather than a fungus or allergies.  I did treat her for fungus, giving her Platinum Skin & Allergies, Healthy Coat oil, and rub her down with Shapley's MTG stinky stuff.  This program seems to

work.