Lex's skin has been a mess since I got back - a lovely combination of hives and what I call "Thoroughbred Skin Funk." I'm convinced that she was turned out in the rain without her rain sheet on, which is why she got funky. I also think that she's allergic to something in the hay or the shavings (several other horses also have hives) so I stripped her stall and went to buy her bagged bedding and new hay. I hate the shavings and hay situations at this barn anyway. Dumped bedding is bad news, because it gets ants in it and it's harder to quality control. And feeding hay off round bales is poor horsemanship because you don't know exactly how much each horse is getting. So buying her bagged bedding and better hay was something I should have done awhile ago anyway, even if it irritates some people.
In addition to all new bedding and hay, I got a medicated shampoo from my vet and I've been spot-treating the funk with a baby oil-and-chlorahex solution that works like magic. Chlorahex kills everything and baby oil keeps it on the spot where you want it. Fingers crossed. I really do not want to show up to a new barn with a horse with funky skin.
The good news is, despite being a dermatological mess, she's been behaving really beautifully. I got on her yesterday for the first time in two weeks and just walked and trotted around, and she was like, "I HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR LOST STRETCHY-TROT TIME!!!" She had her nose on the ground for almost the entire ride. I didn't ask her for much yesterday, just wanted to make sure she remembered the tack. Today I asked for a little more in terms of bend and rhythm. She was happy and relaxed the whole time. I love her.
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| This was from a couple of weeks ago before her skin went to hell. You can see that her standing martingale slid down too and I was trying to reach it to pull it back up. |
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Day!
Happy New Years, and Happy Birthday Ponies. Ramone's bday is end of February.
ReplyDeleteThat's on the early side! I hope he was born somewhere warm.
DeleteThoroughbred skin funk is the bane of my existence. Courage is currently getting blanket rubs in places I didn't even know it was possible. ??? Really, dude?
ReplyDeleteHe needs a bath like nobody's business, but yeah, we're not in Florida here.
So glad Lex is going well for you. :-) She is lovely.
Yeah, even in Florida right now I have to turn the hot water on and then towel her off right away. I don't know what we'll do in Ohio. Where is Courage getting his blanket rubs? When I lived in VA, I had a shopvac I used to clean up the horses when it was too cold to bathe them, but those things ain't cheap.
DeleteWhy do TBs have the worst skin ever? It really is frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI knowwwwwwwwww, it drives me crazy. Such sensitive delicate little flowers.
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