What should I check if my horse is stamping but has no obvious wounds?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your horse is stamping but you can’t see any obvious wounds, irritation is a common reason. Bot fly eggs, flies, midges, skin sensitivity, or something irritating the legs, belly, mane or tail can all trigger the behaviour. It’s worth checking carefully, but there may be several possible causes and you may not see anything obvious at first.

Things To Check

1. Check when the stamping happens, such as after turnout, in the stable, during grooming, or in certain weather.

2. Look closely at the lower legs, belly, shoulders, mane, dock and around the face for bumps, tiny specks, redness, scabs or broken skin.

3. Run your hands over the coat to feel for anything unusual, including raised areas, sensitivity, heat or small crusts that are hard to see.

4. Check whether there are flies, midges or bot fly eggs on the coat, especially on the lower legs and around areas your horse can reach with its mouth.

5. Notice whether your horse is also tail swishing, rubbing, biting at the skin, fidgeting or seeming generally bothered.

6. Look at turnout conditions, bedding, grooming routines and any recent changes in pasture, insect pressure or washing products.

Common Causes

Bot fly irritation is a common reason horses stamp, especially if eggs are present on the coat or the horse feels something moving or tickling on the skin.

Other insect irritation, such as flies or midges, can cause similar stamping, even when there isn’t a visible wound.

Skin irritation from mud, sweat, grooming, clipper irritation or a minor rub can also make a horse stamp.

Less commonly, a small foreign body, a sensitive patch of skin or an early skin problem may be involved.

What To Do

Start by checking the coat carefully in good light and grooming through the areas most likely to be affected. If you find bot fly eggs or insects on the coat, note where they are and tidy the area as part of your normal grooming routine.

Keep a simple eye on whether stamping is only happening in one place or at one time of day, as that can help you spot a pattern. It can also help to adjust turnout timing, shelter access and grooming routine during fly season.

If the skin looks normal, keep monitoring for a day or two. If the stamping becomes frequent, spreads to other behaviours like rubbing or head tossing, or your horse seems uncomfortable in other ways, it’s sensible to get advice.

Products That May Help

During fly season, a routine that supports coat care and sensible summer management can be useful alongside regular checking and grooming.

Horse Fly Sprays & Summer Care

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