Recently acquired a 14yr old Dutch warmblood, gelding 17.3 from upstate New York. Brought down to FL end of January.(He’s been down about 2 months) He’s having a very hard time acclimating to Fl 🫠😩 Lots and lots of skin issues. Hives one day, scratches, fungus, the list goes on. He’s a show horse and I’m out EVERYDAY grooming or doing some sort of care. Any tips or tricks on making this transition easier for him ? The skin stuff is crazy. It’s literally something new every week with his skin.
Wow, that sounds annoying.
Poor horse and poor you.
It might be worth reaching out to your vet to discuss what is going on. If there are endless new things it sounds like he is struggling some physically.
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It’s a whole different world down here. I’d ask the vet about giving some Benadryl until his body adjusts to the climate/bugs, etc.
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You can try fish oil
Probiotics, prebiotics, copper, zinc, and omega-3s.
A rinse (water only) once a day may help.
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Clip off any leftover winter coat. Address the fungus issues with a antifungal shampoo.
He probably has environmental allergies. Make sure there’s no fireweed in the pasture that could cause hives. Try a different flyspray.
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How has his diet changed? Hay, feed, grass, water? Could he be having delayed reactions to nutritional changes he’s had since relocation?
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I feel your pain - had a similar situation with a young horse shipped down to FL. Out of desperation I did allergy testing and the allergy shots, which has helped a TON. Plus once or twice a week bathing with Eqyss Micro Tek shampoo seems to have his reactions under control.
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