What are the scabs and flakes in my horse’s winter coat? | arlo.® Atlas

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

Scabs and flakes in a horse’s winter coat are often noticed when the coat is thick and the skin is harder to see. Lice are a common reason, but dry skin, rubbing, mud, dandruff-type scaling and other skin irritation can look similar. You can often check a few simple things at home, but you can't confirm the cause just by looking.

Things To Check

1. Check whether your horse is rubbing, stamping, twitching the skin or grooming more than usual.

2. Part the coat and look for scabs, flakes, broken hairs, redness, bald patches or any moving specks in the coat.

3. Pay close attention to the mane, tail head, neck, shoulders and along the back, as irritation often shows there first.

4. See whether the skin feels dry, greasy, warm or sore when you groom gently.

5. Check for signs of mud, sweat, poor rug fit or tack rubbing that might be irritating the skin.

6. Look at whether any other horses in the yard are itchy or have similar coat changes, as lice can spread between horses.

7. Notice if the problem is worse after rugged turnout, stable time or grooming.

Common Causes

Lice are one of the most common causes of winter coat scabs and flakes, especially if your horse is itchy and the skin looks irritated in thick coat areas. They can be easier to miss in a heavy coat, so careful parting of the hair helps.

Dry skin is another common reason, particularly in cold weather, when horses are clipped, or if the coat and skin are not being groomed regularly enough.

Rubbing from rugs, tack, mud, sweat or fit issues can also cause scabs, broken hairs and flaky skin, especially along the shoulders, withers and girth area.

Less commonly, skin infections, allergies or other parasitic problems can cause similar signs, so it’s worth keeping an open mind if the pattern doesn't fit lice clearly.

What To Do

Start by grooming gently and regularly so you can see the skin better and remove loose flakes. If the coat is muddy or sweaty, clean it carefully and make sure it dries properly.

Check rugs, tack and turnout gear for rubbing points, and adjust anything that looks tight, damp or dirty. If more than one horse is affected, keep an eye on the group and clean shared equipment thoroughly.

Take a few clear photos and note where the scabs are, whether the horse is itchy and whether the problem is spreading. That can be very useful if you need advice later.

When To Contact A Vet

Speak to your vet if the scabs are spreading, the skin is very sore, there’s hair loss, swelling, discharge or intense itching, or if several horses on the yard seem affected. You should also ask for advice if the problem keeps returning or doesn't improve with sensible grooming and management changes.

Products That May Help

Good grooming and gentle cleaning can be useful parts of managing a horse with scabs or flakes in the coat, especially while you're checking for changes and keeping the skin comfortable.

Horse Care

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