Meet Matilda! Pictures 10/1

[SummerRose]

The hair loss on the curly was sounding familiar so I went hunting for info - apparently, alopecia is not uncommon in the breed so it’s very possible that the curly’s hair loss has nothing to do with your mare’s. (Or it might. In any case, fingers crossed that an easily-treatable cause is figured out quickly!)

Hair loss in curly horses:

One of the mysteries of curly coated horses around the world is the problem of alopecia (abnormal absence of hair).

Alopecia in curly coated horses can range from thin or absent mane and tail hair, to bald patches on body coats, and can also include an almost complete absence of hair. To make matters even more complicated, we now know that various populations of curly coated horses have multiple causative genes.

https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2023/01/21/baldness-curly-coated-horses/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20mysteries%20of,almost%20complete%20absence%20of%20hair.

[moonlitoaksranch]

When I told our vet that a homozygous curly was the other mare the young lady was offering for sale, she said there are a lot of associated health issues. Apparently, there are at least two genes that control curly hair in horses. When doubled up, there are many undesirable health issues, as well as baldness.

[erinmeri]

So sorry about poor Matilda’s skin! Hope you get it figured out and it clears up quickly! Wanted to chime in to agree with others - she is filling out nicely in your care and the pics definitely show it!

[sparkygrace]

Interesting! My sister bred Curly Bashkirs for years. Some were “straights” and were not as valuable. None of her horses had the hair loss problem. She no longer has them, but I wonder if that mare came from her when she dispersed her herd. She had forty, yes forty!

Sorry for the diversion.

[Paint_Party]

@SummerRose

Has photodermatitis been considered?

I was just going to suggest this as a possibility if the skin biopsies don’t find anything.

It can happen to any horse with a lot of white hair and underlying pink skin. There’s usually a contributing feed component that sets it off, like consuming clover or certain grasses. It’s a challenge to get under control, but it can be managed.

[moonlitoaksranch]

No, that’s really interesting. I did hear about a curly herd dispersal. Those always make me sad. It’s the loss of a dream for many.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Do you know what kind of clover? I’m going to keep an open mind unless we get something definitive from the vet.

[jvanrens]

Alsike clover. It has a white flower with a bit of pink.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Thanks, I’ll see what the vet says on Monday.

[MsM]

I only knew one Curly horse. She shed out weirdly in the Spring. She would lose most of her curly winter coat before her summer coat was really in. She wasnt quite bald in those areas - if you looked close you could see the fine hairs coming in. She lost some mane hair too. But she did look weird and required careful blanketing in changeable New England weather. Her summer coat did come in and was wavy. She didnt seem to have the same issue changing over to her winter curly coat.

[moonlitoaksranch]

That poor mare has been advertised for four months and the latest pictures still don’t show any more hair.

[Ghazzu]

@jvanrens

Alsike clover. It has a white flower with a bit of pink.

Photosensitivity may also occur with red clover (Trifolium pratense) and, in some animals, alfalfa.
Tetracycline, minocycline, and doxycycline may cause photosensitivity in humans. I believe there have been cases reported in horses, at least for tetracycline.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I asked about photosensitivity because she’s on doxy, but the vet yesterday said it’s not an issue with horses. She has a fly mask that reduces UV light.

I’ll revisit that when her regular vet is back.

[Cat_Tap]

I have had a couple of horses with white muzzles react to the clover ending up with ugly scabs. I think I used zinc ointment which cleared it up. It was a long time ago.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Interesting. Our son takes her to graze twice daily and she does like clover, but it’s the pink flowered one the grows most often here. She had a lot of cuts and scratches on her muzzle when we first brought her home, but they’re healing up. I think because she was burrowing into the nasty round bale they had. The seller pointed out this large excavation she had made in the center. We’re feeding her square bales.

[Cat_Tap]

moonlitoaksranch I think it is so great what you are doing for this horse. Sometimes I think i should take on some projects or rescues. I am down to three horses from ten. I no longer ride or teach and really miss it.

Always thought I was invincible until last year now I am just a shadow of what I used to be.

[OnAMission]

I think that would be a great use and gift of your expertise and knowledge!

[moonlitoaksranch]

I’m sorry. Maybe you can help at a rescue so you can do as much or as little as you want? Although, three horses can be a big enough job. We have two horses now, plus a Shetland pony, and a mini donkey, so not too many, but I think somehow the mini donkey counts himself twice for the amount of attention he desires.

[FjordBCRF]

@moonlitoaksranch

somehow the mini donkey counts himself twice for the amount of attention he desires.

Awww!

[skydy]

Yikes. I hope the vet gives you good news.