Today's "what is that?"

[JBCool]

Preface: Saturday, I gave my horse a bath & washed his tail well (no new shampoo or conditioner) and brushed/picked it out Sunday, so I KNOW this wasn’t there then.

Last night, I was checking his tail and found this. No roughed up or missing hair. Sorry pics aren’t great, but it is very hard to take pics of things under hair. It looks like the raw/oozy/crustiness of a tick bite, but it is an area way bigger than I’ve ever seen for that. Probably 3x4 inches or so. Barn (& trainer) consensus is a bug bite he rubbed, but just curious if anyone here has any other ideas on what it is or how to treat?

He has been dewormed & his sheath done within the last few weeks as well. Thank you!

[TKR]

Try Purishield (Farnam) - good product! You might need to clip some hair away from the sore spot, though! Good luck!

[Mulligan314]

I use listerine and water on itchy tails and manes. Cuts the bacteria and helps relieve the itch. You can also try Coat Defense powder to help dry it out and treat whatever it may be.

[Incantation]

It looks like tick “goo” - serum that leaks from a tick bite.

[OverandOnward]

It could be many things, but when I see tiny flat paper-like bits of skin - sometimes crusty - moving up the long hair and away from the skin surface, I tend to think it’s one of many possible skin issues. Equiderma and others make products to fight it. Keeping it clean and as bacteria-free as possible usually helps.

[Weezer]

I agree with suggestions to give it a wash but then I’d keep an eye but not worry. It seems fairly minor to me. It could be a sliver that popped. That happens to my guy occasionally when he gets a sliver from rubbing up against the barn.

[JBCool]

Thanks, everyone. I scrubbed it with betadine Tues night and it looked much better yesterday. Still a bit oozy in one spot, but not nearly as much surface area as Tues.

[islgrl]

definitely looks like a tick bite…

[Spudsmyguy]

Ticks. I used to get the little yellow crusty gunk in my mare’s tail after riding through the woods when I lived on the east coast. Never had it get oozy or sore though.