Why is my horse licking or biting at its heels?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your horse is licking or biting at its heels, it often means the skin there is irritated, itchy or uncomfortable. Greasy heel is a common reason, especially if the heels are muddy, wet or have scabs, but there are a few other possible causes too.

It’s worth checking the skin closely, because the behaviour can be a sign of a mild skin issue, fly irritation, rubbing, or an infection affecting the lower legs. You usually can’t tell the cause from the behaviour alone, so looking at the skin and the environment is the best place to start.

Things To Check

1. Check whether the licking or biting happens after turnout, in wet weather, after exercise, or once the legs have been washed.

2. Look closely at the heels and pasterns for redness, scabs, crusting, broken skin, swelling or any discharge.

3. Feel the area for heat, tenderness or puffiness compared with the rest of the leg.

4. Check whether the horse is stamping, rubbing, or appearing bothered by flies at the same time.

5. Think about whether the legs are staying damp, muddy or sweaty for long periods.

6. Look at stable bedding, turnout conditions and whether there’s anything that may be rubbing the heels or lower legs.

7. Note whether one leg is affected or whether it’s both sides, as that can help narrow down what’s going on.

Common Causes

Greasy heel, also called pastern dermatitis, is one of the most common reasons. It can make the skin sore, scabby and itchy, so the horse may lick, nibble or bite at the area.

Mud, moisture and dirty legs can also irritate the skin and make the problem worse. Some horses are sensitive to wet grass, wet bedding, sweat, or repeated washing if the skin isn’t dried well afterwards.

Fly irritation can trigger licking, biting or stamping too, especially in warmer weather. Less commonly, rubbing from tack, bandages or a field companion, or another skin condition affecting the lower legs, may be involved.

What To Do

Start by keeping a simple note of when it happens and what the skin looks like. That can help you spot patterns such as wet turnout, grooming or fly activity.

Keep the lower legs as clean and dry as practical, and avoid leaving mud or sweat sitting on the skin. If you do wash the area, dry it carefully afterwards.

Reduce anything that could be rubbing or irritating the heels, and keep an eye on whether the horse is getting more uncomfortable over a few days. If the skin is broken, swollen, hot, very sore, or not improving, it’s sensible to get veterinary advice.

Products That May Help

If your horse is dealing with muddy turnout, damp lower legs or routine heel care, a practical cleaning routine can make day-to-day management easier.

Hoof, Leg & Mud Care

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