My horse has this “fungus” on his legs - primarily on the inside of his back legs. When you run your fingers over him its bumpy, and if you rub it his hair falls out heavily with little white balls on the end? Does anyone know what this is and how to get rid of it?
Buy a large bottle of original, original not the different flavors, Listerine and apply it full strength daily.
I don’t know what it is that your horse has, but Listerine kills rain rot and most skin problems. BTDT.
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It sounds like it could be Canon Keratosis. It’s not a fungus or a bacteria, rain rot or mud fever. Some horses have it, some don’t. Some get it once, on occasion or always have it. If the skin becomes inflamed and crusty, then it has probably turned into a bacterial infection. Ir it’s just as you describe, it can resolve on it’s own. Other times gently scrubbing with betadine or chlorahexidine can help. Just don’t scrub too hard because that can cause inflammation and pain. In general, it doesn’t bother the horse unless it’s become crusty and inflamed, then it hurts. It’s okay to brush it and to get loose hair off but don’t scrub too hard.
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Just looked this up and I think that’s it. Google says there’s no real cause / treatment…hmm. Thanks!
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Most of my horses haven’t had it, but a few have. If they do, I usually use either shampoo while bathing or one of the above treatments. I have one that had never had it util age 7, and it was a bad case. I used chlorahexadine shampoo to scrub it. A lot of hair came out and I could see pink skin. I scrubbed to hard because there was inflammation the next day. This concerned me so I applied the chlorahexidine a second time, the crud went away and never came back.
Hair that comes off is kind of greasy. Getting that grease layer off and allowing the skin to breathe helps to allow the hair to grow back, and it always has in each case.
Sounds like scratches. Can you post pictures?
The cannon keratosis will resolve on it’s own nothing needs to been done. My gelding gets it every spring I do nothing for it…and it goes away.
Scratches is usually on legs with white socks and pink skin. That also resolves with no treatment.
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Try human Nizoral shampoo. I’ve used it on a fungal/bacterial issue on my horse’s tail dock and it worked great. When I had success with it on the tail dock, I tried it on the black ick on his cannons and it worked there, too.
My gelding gets it every year about the same time on his hind legs. I typically will shave that area and apply betadine couple times a week. Besides looking gross it has never bothered/affected him in any way.
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I’ve had complete success in getting rid of cannon keratosis with a rubber curry. I just curry the cannons well each time I groom and it goes away. Regular currying keeps it from coming back.
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I have battled muck itch for years with my half draft Palamino. A few months ago a fellow draft owner (she had six) told me that she just used a concoction of powdered sulfur mixed with mineral oil to make a paste and then left it on the affected area overnight.
Twice I have used this paste, when nothing else worked, and amazingly the next day the muck itch was completely gone. The skin was smooth and my horse was comfortable again and pain free.
I had to pass this along as this condition gets out of hand so quickly, there are so many remedies that just don’t seem to work at all, and this concoction, my draft friend told me, is an old farmers tried and true inexpensive solution that I am so grateful to now know.
One of my horses is prone to the same thing. In his case it is caused by a buildup of dead skin cells and dirt on the skin. I curry his legs every time I ride and shampoo and curry at least once a week. Exfoliation is key for him.
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Had this once, mild case, and fixed it by washing well with Head and Shoulders shampoo and the applying Desitin zinc oxide cream.
When my horse gets this, I either brush or wash area thoroughly if temps allow. Either way, apply Equiderma Lotion to the area and it’s gone after 1-2 days of application. Easy and simple…
In 40+ yrs with horses, the only time I’ve seen this – and I’ve worked at vet clinics, show barns, training barns, sale barns, breeding farms, etc-- is when the legs aren’t being curried regularly.
Usually happens in the spring when folks are set on the task of shedding out. They run a curry or nubby mitt down the legs they’ve neglected for several weeks and suddenly are surprised there’s scurf and hair falling out.
It’s in the hair whorl that runs inside the hind cannons yes? Just under and behind the rear chestnut, for about 3 - 4"? It’s no big deal. This keratosis that so many suggest putting more glop on only exacerbates the problem. Wash his legs with a good antibacterial soap. Don’t SCRUB scrub, but gently agitate the fur and get all that accumulated sebum out from the base of the hair, and along with it the dirt. Dry thoroughly. Do not apply anything else.
Keep the legs curried regularly. And by that I mean at least twice weekly. You may have to repeat the washing again in a few days and repeat once more a few days after that.
It’s not a fungus. It’s not a mysterious affliction. It doesn’t need ‘special’ care. It just needs good, regular grooming.
How does the back of your horses’ ears look, but the way? 
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My horse gets this every spring, his legs shed out slower than the rest, so he sweats and it tends to act like sweat scald.
I curry off as much of the old hair as I can and then use a medicated antifungal spray.
I like dry for this better than wet creams.
You can also try using Lysol. I havent tried that yet but i am told it works.
If you use trimmers without causing pain or discomfort you can remove all the extra hair that way.
Hope this helps.
