High heat and humidity are ideal conditions for growth of organisms on your horse, so numbers in the environment-and on your horse's skin-are high during the summer. They're also high on tack, saddle pads, grooming tools and basically everything. A horse's skin that's irritated by friction (from tack), insect bites or dirt from the coat or equipment that gets trapped under tack or halters is at prime risk.
Bacteria and fungi, either on the surface of the skin or in the hair follicles, can play a role in many common minor skin problems seen in the summer, including itchy tails, bare spots on the face, hair loss under halters, raw areas between the hind legs, udder dermatitis, lumps in the saddle area and other equipment rubs. Fortunately, these problems are usually fairly easy to treat and prevent.
Cleanliness is essential for both prevention and treatment:
• Groom well before tacking up.
• Wipe sweat and dirt from tack after each use.
• Use clean saddle pads and stable blankets.
• Remove sweat and dirt after work by hosing or sponging, and don't forget the face and around the ears.• If the horse tends to have long fetlock hairs, keep them trimmed back. In fact, horses prone to skin problems on their lower legs often will do much better if the hair on their legs are clipped.
• Remember to clean halters regularly, too.
