What should I do if my horse’s ears are crusty or scabby?
Share This Guide
Read time: 3 minutes
Overview
If your horse’s ears are crusty or scabby, start by checking whether it looks like simple dirt, mild irritation, or skin damage from rubbing or scratching. There can be several causes, and it’s not always possible to tell the difference straight away.
Most cases are linked to grooming issues, insects, tack or headcollar rubbing, sensitivity to products, or minor skin irritation. If the skin looks sore, is spreading, or your horse is very bothered by it, it’s sensible to get veterinary advice.
Things To Check
1. Check when you first noticed it and whether it seems worse after turnout, grooming, exercise or using a headcollar or bridle.
2. Look closely for redness, swelling, broken skin, scabs, discharge, heat or an unpleasant smell.
3. See whether your horse is rubbing the ears, shaking the head, flinching, or objecting to being touched.
4. Check the headcollar, bridle, hat silk and any grooming habits for anything that could be rubbing the ear area.
5. Think about recent changes such as a new shampoo, fly product, bedding, turnout field or weather conditions.
6. Look for signs of insects, flies or midges around the ears, especially in warmer weather.
7. Check whether the horse has similar crusting or scabs anywhere else on the face, neck or body.
Common Causes
The most common causes are dirt build-up, dry skin, mild rubbing from tack or headgear, and irritation from flies or midges. These often improve once the area is kept clean and the trigger is reduced.
Less commonly, crusting can be linked to a skin reaction, small wounds, infection, parasites, or a condition that needs treatment. You can’t confirm the cause just by looking, especially if the skin is sore or not settling.
What To Do
Keep the ears as clean and dry as you can without over-washing. If there is loose dirt, gently wipe it away with a soft, damp cloth and stop if the skin looks sore or the horse becomes uncomfortable.
Review anything that may be rubbing, including the fit of the headcollar or bridle and how often the ears are handled during grooming. If you’ve recently changed a product, consider pausing it and watching for improvement.
Try to keep the area calm and avoid picking scabs off, as that can make the skin more irritated. If flies or midges seem to be bothering your horse, reduce exposure where possible and monitor whether the ears improve away from turnout or at different times of day.
If it isn’t improving within a few days, or it keeps coming back, get it checked by your vet so they can look for an underlying cause.
When To Contact A Vet
Contact your vet if the ears are very painful, swollen, hot, bleeding, oozing, or if the scabs are spreading. You should also ask for advice if your horse is head-shy, very itchy, shaking the head a lot, or if the problem keeps returning.
A vet can help work out whether it’s simple irritation or something that needs specific treatment.
Products That May Help
If your horse needs a bit of extra routine support while you’re keeping the ears clean and watching for irritation, the Horse Care collection may be useful.
Related Questions
Should I clean crusty horse ears every day?
Why is my horse rubbing its ears on everything?
Can flies make a horse’s ears scabby?
Atlas is here to support owners with practical, easy-to-understand guidance. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If you're concerned about your animal's health, symptoms worsen, or something doesn't feel right, contact your vet.