Why are the tips of my horse’s ears dry, flaky, or raw after sun exposure?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

Dry, flaky or raw tips on a horse’s ears after sun exposure are often caused by sunburn, especially on pale or thin-skinned areas. It can also happen if the skin has been rubbed, irritated by flies, or made more sensitive by another skin problem, so it’s worth checking the area carefully rather than assuming it’s only the sun.

Things To Check

1. Check whether the soreness appears after turnout in bright weather, especially around midday or on very sunny days.

2. Look closely for redness, crusting, flaking, broken skin, scabs, swelling or any discharge on the ear tips.

3. Feel whether the ears seem warmer than usual or if your horse pulls away when you touch them.

4. Think about whether the problem is only on pale skin, white markings, or the very tips of the ears.

5. Check if there’s rubbing from a fly mask, headcollar, rug, mane, or repeated head shaking.

6. Notice whether flies, midges or scratching seem to make the area worse.

7. See if any other skin areas look affected at the same time, such as the nose, face, or around the eyes.

Common Causes

The most common cause is sunburn, particularly in horses with pink skin, light coats or limited shade. The ear tips are easy to miss and can dry out, peel or become sore after exposure.

Other common causes include rubbing from tack or a fly mask, insect irritation, or simple skin dryness after hot, windy weather. Less commonly, a skin sensitivity, allergy or another skin condition may be involved.

What To Do

Keep the ears out of strong sun where you can, and make sure your horse has access to shade during turnout. If the skin is already dry or sore, avoid picking at flakes or scabs, and keep grooming around the area gentle.

It can help to monitor the skin daily so you can see whether it’s improving, staying the same or getting worse. If the problem keeps returning, look at turnout timing, fly pressure, and whether any gear might be rubbing the ear area.

If your horse is comfortable, handling the area calmly and keeping routine care consistent can help you spot changes early. Avoid putting anything on broken skin unless you’re sure it’s suitable for that use.

When To Contact A Vet

Speak to your vet if the ear tips are raw, painful, swollen, bleeding, oozing, or not improving after a few days out of the sun. You should also get advice if the problem keeps coming back, your horse seems unwell, or the skin looks infected.

Products That May Help

For horses that spend time out in bright weather, a summer care routine can be useful alongside shade, turnout planning and regular checks of sensitive areas like the ears.

Horse Fly Sprays & Summer Care

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