----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 9:04
PM
Subject: [RC] bald horses or move? Long.
. .
Well here goes . Maybe someone out there has had this experience. For 1
1/2 going on 2 yr.s now My horses have had periodic mane loss halfway down
their manes. I have had the vets look at them, I have tried the following.
Bathing in Betadine, dandruff shampoo, diluted bleach solution, captan,
ringworm ointment. And lately a ph solution. Everything seems to help
some, but then it reoccurs. The old mare with other an allergic
cyst problem has only had it twice. My two arabs more , my mare about 4 times,
my gelding twice that, with the most loss.The hair starts to grow back, but
usually not as thick, sometimes it grows back fairly well, other times it just
sits and does nothing. I have tried to figure out what could be the
cause. Two other horses we had , had it once, but bathing seemed to
clear it up and when they went to my daughters trainers barn , the problem
never reoccurred. My first vet couldn't figure it out. His partner came
out and I explained all the particulars. No one mane pulls, no unusual
rubbing, It happens year round, but there seems to be a connection with rain
or humidity/ bugs. He thought it could be an allergy reaction (with 4
horses?) We do have some springs and some mushy spots on our property.
We have about 2 1/2 acres turnout and two small pastures for occasional
grass.
He thinks it could be flies, (I do fly spray them, for the good it
does, and a sprayer in the barn, which they have open access to. ) There
is a creek 1/4 mile away, He said it could be mysquitos, gnats, or some
plant they are eating. (not many plants in their turnout, though there are
poplar, pine, dogwood, oak trees, 2/3 are fenced off from them) I do have
their hay bales in a hayring which is rusty.. . They eat round bales of
fescue/bermuda mix, get some pelleted feed, and Shoglo(vit. suppliment). The
yearling doesn't have it. They have plain salt, and mineralized block
available. They didn't have this problem the first two years. . .
He says it takes time for sensitivities to show up and manes
and tails are sensitive. . . He suggested , better fly control, bird and
bat houses. And maybe a screened ac stall(my arabs stalled all day, yeah,
right...) Or MOVE (do I look independently
wealthy?)
I did prevail on him to take hair samples. . .Next course if the culture
doesn't take, a biopsy is next.
Rascal could live with a roached mane, won't effect his looks, But Honey
who has better breeding and could actually show someday looks silly with 4" of
hair missing in the middle of her mane.
If Scout, the yearling wasn't with them I could try fly sheets,
make mane hoods, etc., but he thinks his job in life is to remove all
clothing and fashion accessories...
(Now I know why Charlie Brown said
"UUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"(His horses were bald!)
Laurie(is there generic Rogaine?)
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