Every spring my horses tail falls out at the top. It started doing this about 3 years ago and we cannot figure out why. Has anyone got any ideas? We have tested him for Se toxicity but it only happens in the spring and summer…It grows in the winter…
Are you sure your horse isn’t rubbing it out? A common cause of tail rubbing is itchy knat bites around the groin area. I find Listerine works to foil the knats.
chicamux
I have never seen him rub and the hair is lying flat. just falls out when you brush it too… But I can try the listerine anyway. Just the dock to wash or between his legs?
Selenium overload?
Listerine is sprayed on as an insect repleent. It works for mosquitos and knats. We have some knats here in Southern MD. They will bite the entire underside of the horse from groin to chin. Their bites are very itchy! I have an awful reaction to them. You can tell they are biting by feeling for little bitty scabs on the nearly hairless areas.
If you are on the east coast you would have to really work to overdose your horse with Se. From what I’ve read about a university research project it takes well over 10 mg of Se to reach that range. This entire area of the country is pretty much Se deficient so Se overdose is unlikely, IMO.
I know some Curlie horses shed mane and tail every year and decided to do a search on this topic. I have included a link to an article from a Curley owner who discovered it was a skin problem that caused the hair loss.
http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlymanecare.htm
chicamuxen
The rest of his coat is in gorgeous condition! His mane and forelock too… It is definitely seasonal…So I guess I should try the Listerine. What about MTG? I have never used it before but have heard really good things about it…
My horse gets this problem annually from his fly sheet. Just a bit of premature balding :lol: It doesn’t bug him in the slightest, but without his sheet he rubs and is much worse.
I wouldn’t worry about it, but maybe keep sunscreen on it if the skin is lightish. A sunburn could make things worse.
It is on his tail and it is to early for.fly sheets.
I know there are lots of horse owners that swear by MTG but there are just as many people who have tried it on a horse and had them react badly to it. My Arabs will get a mild chemical burn from MTG, oil based fly sprays, Skin So Soft, etc. Many horses are sensitive to petroleum products. Mineral oil is a form of petroleum and it is the base of MTG.
Be careful about sprays on the sensitive groin areas. I have found that Listerine never bothers my really sensitive horse but very much fly spray of any sort will cause a bit of scurfing.
chicamuxen
Off to the supermarket to get some listerine…
I hope it works…
Mine has the same thing!! He gets a bald patch up at the top of his tail. No rubbed tail hairs. No scratching.
Tried MTG in the past, and burned a bigger section. Im using vitamin E cream now.
I put listerine on the top of the tail to prevent rubbing/itching and it works really well. I do it about twice a week.
Also make sure his butt under the tail is very clean. Dirt there could cause rubbing too.
Should I clean it first then try the Vit E cream? He lives outside 24/7 and he had this problem even when stalled…It has gotten worse over the years too…
I realize this is an older post but wondering if you figured out the cause and if you figured out what helps? Mine is doing that all of a sudden! Losing tail hair like crazy! Not rubbing it. It falls out just pulling in it!! Help!!!
