SKINCARE.
SKIN SENSE UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES THAT CAN AFFECT THE HORSE’S SKIN AND HOW TO PREVENT OR TREAT THEM CAN DO A LOT TO KEEP HIM COMFORTABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, REPORTS BARBARA YOUNG.
A
s the largest organ in the horse’s body, general health and condition is re ected in the uality of his s in, displaying a glossy coat which shines naturally. A dull coat is indicati e of internal pro lems with s in infections and infestations often
a sign that there is something amiss, e plains etplan uine et il iley. For e ample, ushings disease can cause many pro lems from laminitis to muscle loss it often affects the s in rst, so a dull, e cessi ely hairy coat is the indicator that pro lems may e afoot. il points out that many s in conditions are affected y
seasons. ice and mites are much more common in the winter when coats are longer, mud fe er and rainscald are due to wet conditions, and sun urn can cause concern in the summer, as can allergies to pollen or y ites. here is also a particular auto immune condition, leu ocytoclastic asculitis, which is related to sunlight and often affects white soc ed horses. in s in is suscepti le to conditions related to light photosensitisation, sun urn, leucocytoclastic cannon and pastern asculitis , while dar s in is not affected at all y these conditions.
TREATMENTS First signs that a horse has suffered an urticarial’ reaction are raised swellings, circular or horseshoe shaped, distri uted o er the nec and ody, which tend not to be itchy and
according to il, horses will usually respond uic ly to an anti in ammatory in ection. ets can also ad ise on anti in ammatory treatments in ecta le and topical which can e helpful at treating or pre enting the initial cause of the complaint. For e ample, with mud fe er, anti iotics will e necessary ut minimise the time your horse stands around in wet paddoc s, wash off mud and towel dry the limbs when coming in and apply a protecti e waterproof arrier to the s in efore turnout. In the case of y ite allergies, an effecti e repellent and purchase of a good uality y rug can minimise the need to treat. When choosing y sheets for those which are sensiti e s inned or prone to allergies, you get what you pay for so it’s worth that e tra in estment.
ABOVE: THE HORSE’S SKIN IS THE LARGEST ORGAN IN HIS BODY, REFLECTING HEALTH AND CONDITION. LEFT: TO HELP PREVENT AND TREAT MUD FEVER WASH OFF LIMBS AND TOWEL DRY WHEN COMING IN.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 3 2021 // 15
