My horses have never had any of these issues in the past, but they do now. I have one young horse that had a few raised/scaley areas in the Fall, but nothing that seemed like anything to worry about.  Now the poor guy is losing his hair in large toughs. (spelling?) I started medicated baths about a week ago and each time I bath him he becomes more bald in areas all over his body. Legs, face, back and sides. These toughs of hair are coming out at the folical. Is this what rain rot looks like. There is  no oozing like I heard rain rot does. They are more dry. Could it maybe be ringworm? I have been watching the other horse and they to are now just startingto show signs. Just a few small areas where the hair has started coming out. I have already started baths on them to. Anyway, I would like to hear if this sounds more like rain rot or ring worm. Yes, I know I probably need to get a vet out here, but easier said then done. HELP!

What you are describing sounds alot like Ringworm, which is a fungal infection of the skin. This can be spread to other horses or even to you so best to get right on this pronto. Go purchase some antifungal medicated shampoo, in tack stores or tack/vet supply catalogues and start bathing your horse with it. If you have been blanketing your horse, stop doing it now, because you need your horse's coat to breathe. Start disinfecting all of your horse's blankets, halters, brushes, saddle pads, etc. Make sure you wash up after you treat or handle your horse as well. You might not get it, but you could spread it to someone else.

This month's Horse & Rider magazine has  a really good article on  Ringworm, might be worth buying to read.

However, contacting your veterinarian might not be a bad idea. If your horse's immune system is out of whack usually do to  some mineral deficiencies, all the bathing in the world with the medicated shampoo won't get you anywhere.

Good luck with this!

First, stop sharing the brushes between the horses!

Second, get some fungus killing spray or lotion.  I like a product called Fung-away, that I found in Petsmart.  Clear solution, dabbed on twice a day I think, great for daily medications between baths.

Keep on bathing!  (Scrub with the rice root brush during bathing to exfoliate all that dead tissue) Be sure you are disinfecting every little thing that touches your horses, use either the medicated shampoo per directions or a bleach solution and let the brushes SOAK!  If you are blanketing, stop and let the blankets sit outside, inside out in the sun to kill your "funky fungus."

If after a few weeks you see no relief in site, ask the vet to your barn.  I'd already have called my vet but let him diagnose over the phone to settle my mind.

I have had this happen twice, once my appy was just shedding in the weirdest way...yet my barn got really clean just in-case.  Second was a client horse that brought the funk with her.  I put her in isolation as usual, and treated her for about three weeks with the fung-away.  I sprayed her stall down every other day with a Pinesol solution.  She had her own set of brushes and they lived in a bucket of disinfectant every night.  I even kept her stall fork in front of her stall and didn't use it in the others.  I am a germ freak.  Even after all that I still caught it from her, I used the fung-away on me too!

FYI, tying them outside in the sun is also very good for killing the fungus.  UV kills fungus, that's why it lives in dark moist places.

You've got a tough battle ahead of you but it is one you can win!

http://barrelhorseworld.com/contribute/topstories/Rainrot/Rainrotstory.asp

Why can't you get a veterinarian out to your place? I understand this is a busy time of year for most large animal vets but still.......If your horse is not doing well after these antifungal baths, there may be something else going on. I would definately seek  some medical attention to your horse. Besides, isnt' it time for spring vaccinations, dental checks, sheath cleaning, deworming and some once overs for your horses? Try to schedule a farm call that includes everything. If you live out in the boonies, that may be why it is difficult for your vet to come by for just one horse and to make his time and your time worthwhile.

Hope it works out for you and your horse(s).

here is what I used last year when we had so much rain and humidity in Louisiana and two of my horses developed rain rot. 11% iodine shampoo baths every other day for 2 weeks. worked great for one but on the other horse I bought some Capistan which is an anti fungal treatment used in fruit tree orchards and can be used on livestock. Make a paste with the powder and put it on each spot, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then thouroughly rinse the horse off with warm water. You can boil a pot of water and mix it with cold in a bucket and sponge off the horse, He will appreciate it. Of course check with your vet before using the capistan. I did check with mine and she said it would be ok, just make sure to rinse well.

Good Luck.

MTG mane and tail groomer by shapely's......It is great product to sooth and kill fugus on skin.  MTG working properties are sulfur and pine tar in an oil base.  If it is califlower looking, cracks and oozes, then use PINE TAR.  slather it on and let the natural healing properties of Pine tar kill the fungus.  It falls off and new skin and hair are already growing in.  We call it Scatches here in California and Nevada.  Pine Tar worked on my horses, I tried everything else !!  Its about 2.00 a jar at the horse store.  My grandpa swore by it. 

Young horses really get it, ussually in the spring and it just runs its coarse.  Horrible to deal with.  Hang in there it will get better.  T

I am so glad to hear your horse is better.  I had a white tabino that I thought was going to get eaten alive by this, what ever it is.  No vet could help me either.  Other than buying traquilizers so I could scub his legs.  He got through it and it never came back like it did that spring when he turned three.  I found the MTG after his breakout.  I used it in the future to keep it under control when it flared up.  It is like herpes.  Maybe a reaction to temp.,protein, sunlight.  Wow maybe someone will figure it out and we can immunize for it...Wouldn't that be great.  Its here and it is not going away.  Peace, T