Conference noted::equitation

    	Hi Dani!!
    
    	I have had the same problem for five years with my appy.  I
    	have tried EVERYTHING - to no avail - until NOW!  I finally
    	had the vet do a skin check on him beacause I am sick of looking
    	at half a tail and a brittle falling out mane.  He has an allergy.
    
    	She gave me some iodine shampoo (looks yecky and RED!) and I
    	use this twice a week - you work up a lather and let it set
    	for 5 minutes.  If all goes well - she said I could go to once a
    	week. His mane and tail are looking SUPER!  The stuff looks like 
    	it would stain terribly - but it washes out beautifully.No more 
    	brittle hair (used to fall out even if I just rubbed it!).
    
    	I think this is my answer - may be yours too.  (Cody's tail	
    	is white on the top and black on the bottom.)
    
    	Susan

    I have just purchased a 15 hand Morgan/Quarter Horse Gelding, age 
    is 15. He appears to be losing a greate deal of hair when gromming
    him. He came like this when I bought him and I've had him two weeks
    now. Is this something to worry about seeing as how winter is riht
    around the corner? He has an exellent appitite, was a little over
    weight but riding has thinned him out a bit, very active. Doesn't
    appear to be any other signs or problems, just losing hair.
    
     Also on the face where the halter rubs is bare. I have tried not
    to use the halter much so the hair can grow back, but nothing yet.
    I'm sure someone else has experienced this. Does it take long to
    gow back (weeks, months)???
    
    Any help would be greatly appreciated. If in the diet, a vitamin
    deficiency, I would like to correct it now.
    
    Presently, he gets four flakes - Canadian Timothy and two lbs.
    mixed grain daily on an every other day ride of no more than two
    hours.                 
    

    Has your weather changed?  Ours is crazy! (in maryland)  One week/day
    it's in the 90s, next week/day it's in the 60s.  Maybe your horse's
    metabolism is reacting to the changes.
    
    Also, I wonder whether he's getting enough grain.  My quarter horse
    ate that much while sedentary.  When we began to use him more often,
    we had to increase the grain to almost double.  When his coat
    thickened, he seemed to sweat more and lose weight, too.  He wasn't
    in great shape, so we took it easy -- usually, no more than walking
    or easy trotting on wooded trails.
    
    Does your halter fit?  The same horse outgrew his halter alarmingly
    fast and left a rub mark across the bridge of his nose.  The hair
    eventually grew back, but the area was always discolored.
    
    Merrie

    My Thoroughbred mare's filly chewed her tail off (just the hairs).
    At least, I'm assuming that's what happened, but it actually looks
    like someone hacked it off with scissors.  This is very unfortunate,
    as I am trying to sell her, and her half-tail is not a strong point.
    I assume the only solution is time, but if by any chance anyone out 
    there has any home remedies for encouraging tail growth, I'd be 
    interested.  This mare had a scraggly tail to begin with, very thin 
    at the ends, but since she's used only as a broodmare, it was never 
    a priority to get it looking better. I'm hoping it will grow back a 
    bit thicker.

    How rude, I put in my question before responding to the original
    question (sorry).
    
    I was under the impression that a horse actually sheds his summer
    coat, as the winter coat grows in.  So, if your horse is losing
    hair during grooming this may be normal at this time of year.  Unless
    the coat actually looks patchy, I wouldn't worry.
    
    Horse coats are very susceptible to rubbing.  It seems to take a
    long time to grow back in.  I had a horse get a bald spot on the
    chest, as a result of a poorly fitting blanket; I would say it took
    2+ months to grow back completely. Or maybe it just seemed that
    long.

    
    Sharon, I had the same thing happen to my mare when she was at a
    breeding farm this summer.  She was turned out with a young horse
    that chewed on her tail; looked like someone used scissors on it.
    What a mess.  That was my only experience with a tail chewing horse.
    The only thing I know (besides keeping her separate from the filly
    - don't know when it will be weaned from your mare), is instead
    of combing or brushing your mare's tail, separate the hairs using
    your fingers.  I haven't put a brush to my mare's tail in 4 years
    and she has a nice, thick tail and since the chewing incident, it
    has all grown back nicely.  
    
    Pat
    

    Horses shed twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.
    They will shed from now thru october, generally. The shedding is
    generally most noticeable now, so you might get a lot when grooming.
    An important aid to proper shedding and/or hair regrowth is proper
    parasite control. Be sure and put your horse on a veterinary approved
    rotational worming program. If you use a high quality leather halter,
    you will generally have less hair abrasion problems, although some
    horses show marks no matter what type you use. The amount of grain
    to feed is often an individual matter with each horse. Again, parasite
    control is important. You may want to locate someone with truck
    or livestock scales and weigh the horse monthly. Careful parasite
    control and weight tracking will make you better prepared to make
    decisions concerning feed quantity.

    Thanx for all the imput. It's hard getting started again, as time
    goes by, you forget more and more. 
    
    The one thing that became apparent yesterday is he is now getting
    a little on the thin side as apposed to when I first got him-fat,fat!!
    
    I figure it's because now we are working him almost daily-although
    it's light work, it's still work where he probably didn't see the
    light of day from his previous owner. I know he's thinned a bit
    because before he had a belly-hay, now I just noticed slight signs
    of ribs. His appitite remanes and he is as active as the first day
    I got him-just wants to run,run,run.
    
    As of this morning, backed up by all of your replies, started him
    on 3 lbs. of grain as apposed to two lbs. daily. One in the morning and
    two for night. I wish I could feed three or four times daily but,
    one has to work to afford such pass-times.
    
    To sum it all up, I love it and I am thinking of purchasing a yearling.
    This way instead of buying someone elses bad habbits, I can create
    my own!
    
    If this feed ration still appears to be to little for the work load,(ridden
    once a day provided good weather for 1-2 hours)and an age of approx.
    15 years, please fill me in. I could use all the pointers I can
    get. It may also help out others with simular questions.
    
    Thanx again and in advance and I'm sure will talk again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                              
    Also I found less hair when grooming the passed couple of days and
    yes, the halter fits ok, even a little on the large side but I fear
    to tight will only continue to remove nose hair. Any comments???
    

    On the question of Hows the Weather???
    
    It's crazy, first rain for a weak, then hot, then overnight cold
    spells., but what can you do when you live in New England. If you
    don't like the weather, wait a minute!
    

    A remedy for your halter situation: try the halter fuzzies that
    are sold in most tack shops.  They are tubes of sheepskin or fleece
    material that go over the nosepiece and crown piece (as well as
    the cheek pieces) of the halter, and they are designed to prevent
    rubbing & discolorations.  Actually, I have a set of fleece
    'fuzzies' that I don't use (they are green) - if you want them
    you can have them - let me know.
    
    The 'baldness' problem may just be shedding, my horse that I just
    got went through a heavy shedding session about a week ago, and
    the more I groomed, the more came out, but it's slowed down now
    since his winter coat is coming in.
    
    I would definitely start your horse on a worming program, because
    the sudden loss of weight, but increase in appetite sounds like
    a sign of worms.  Make sure that your horse also has plenty of
    hay in addition to his grain ration.
    
    I noticed your comment about getting a yearling - I suppose you
    know what kind of commitment & involvement you would be taking
    on in getting/working with a yearling, and it's not all fun
    and games.  If you haven't worked with a young horse before, you
    may seriously reconsider it, or at least work closely with a
    reputable & knowlegeable trainer.  It's a lot easier to create problems
    than it is to solve them.

     RE: .8
    
>    I would definitely start your horse on a worming program, because
>    the sudden loss of weight, but increase in appetite sounds like
>    a sign of worms.  Make sure that your horse also has plenty of
>    hay in addition to his grain ration.

           
    I aggree with this.  If your horse hasn't been wormed for a long
    while, I would call a vet and have your horse tube wormed.  The paste
    wormers just won't get them all.  Besides, you run the risk of blockage
    if he is loaded with worms and you use a paste.
    
    My brother bought a yearling pinto last summer.  When I looked at
    him, he appeared to be anemic, but was eating like a horse.  So we
    wormed him.  Later, fecal matter was full of bots & strongiles.
    A few weeks later he still seemed anemic, so we called a vet.  He
    tube wormed him and later, fecal matter was again full of bots & strongiles.
                                                                   
    Larry.
                                       

    Unlike most Appy's, my appy mare has a beautiful tail.  Well I should
    say HAD.  The top of her tail is now almost bald.  She may be rubbing
    it but I can't find any clues.  I checked her stall and I couldn't
    find any hair.  The coral she goes out in has electric fence so
    I doubt she is rubbing it there. (Although the fence is not always
    turned on.)  But no one at the barn has ever seen her rubbing it.
    She is consistently wormed and she was tube wormed about
    2 weeks ago by the vet.  Does anyone know what could be causing
    this?  I was considering wrapping her tail but then I thought that
    would irratate her and she would rub it even more.  
    
    I show her in halter and I don't think she would look to nice with
    a half bald tail.  I have a show coming up in two weeks and I would
    like to try and get something to fix it.  At least stop it from
    looking worse.                                    
    
    Any suggestions????
    
    Thanks!

    I use Mane and Tail, I think its by ARROW, black and white lable,
    its almost like a cream rinse, what I do is, first I wash with
    Phisoderm(sp?), comes in a green bottle, can be bought at drug
    store or CVS, rinse, rinse, and rinse, then I apply the M & T,
    she could be itchy from the black flies, my mare has the same
    problem this time every year....Keep it clean and apply M&T,
    the cream helps promote new hair growth too.

    Never wrap a tail, could cause worse skin problems than you could
    imagine.  Try the idodyne shampoo, and if after two weeks you notice
    no difference, call your vet and have your horse allergy tested.
    It's surprising how many horse have skin allergies and actual hay
    fever.  My horse not only looses his hair high up on this tail (He's
    a Morgan and it hurts me to see that beautiful tail go) but he gets
    hives and welts all over his body.  Much of the hair vanishes from
    his shoulders and neck.  My vet gives him (I know I'm not going
    to spell this right) dexamethazone and anahistimes (pretazone).
    I've found that it's the only thing that works.  
    
    If anyone has any suggestions, let's hear um.
    
    Kelly

    
    The Appy I take care of has had a VERY BAD dry tail.  He has
    been rubbing it all the time..I wash it every other day and I put
    vasilne on it everyday.  It is getting worse..and his rubbing is
    getting out of hand.
    
    He gets wormed every 6weeks, So I know it's not worms..I called the
    vet and she seems to think that he has a tick on the very bottom of the
    tail, and we have not noticed it becasue we are looking up the top of
    the tail were the dryness is happening.
    
    so I am to check for a tick and then mix 2/3 babyoil and 1/3 listerine
    Yes, listerine the mouth wash to kill infection and put it on the tail 
    2 times a week
    
    then every day apply cortozone (sp) for the itching
    
    Has anyone had this problem and what did you do?
    
    louisa (Chipper & Joey & Shree)

    A friend of mine uses baby oil and listerine for mane and tail
    maintenance.  Does a nice job...no itch; no dryness.
    
    GOOD LUCK  some of these things are so difficult to pinpoint.
    
    Kathie
    

    
    why dont you try and bottle of antifungal stuff and see if that 
    works, you should know in 3 -4 days...
    
    
    

    
    I first soak the tail with mineral oil (same stuff as
    baby oil, but without the perfume & additives, and it
    costs less! :-)) and wrap it with one of those neoprene
    tail wraps.  I leave it on until the tail & skin has
    become thoroughly saturated with the oil.  The whole
    tail all the way down, BTW.  Then I wash the tail with
    a human dandruff shampoo, one of the good ones, like
    Desonex or Selsun Blue, and rinse thoroughly to get out
    any residue.  Then use a human cream rinse/hair conditioner,
    and rinse AGAIN thoroughly.  Then I spray Lasersheen on the
    wet tail, comb thru gently, and let the tail dry.
    The mineral oil moisturizes the skin, and the dandruff shampoo
    helps the flakes.
    
    Lynne
    

    
    Thank all so much for your ideas!  I bought the EPICOAT mane/tail
    and washed it everyday in a aloe horse shampoo and in two days
    he is all healed!  He only has a scab left that is healing nicely
    I could not belive the FAST action the EPICOAT took!  It smelled real
    bab..but it seemed to do the trick.  I will keep up the treatments
    for a bit to make sure he is totaled healed...
    
    Louisa :-)

    Glad to hear that your horse is feeling better.
    
    But was wondering if the hair is growing back?
    
    My mare had a nasty scrape on her tail, healed now thanks to mineral
    oil and listerene, but will her tail ever grow back in that spot?