I know what butt rubbing can mean,

[Frankie]

I know when they rub their butt it can mean just that the hair is bothering them, or they may be wormy. I have one who rubs his neck what I would consider a lot. Hair is gone in a few places on both sides. Does any one know or have you heard that ever to be a sign of some medical problem, or something else is going on besides it just itches?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Becky]

Carolyn, I've certainly had them do that in the winter when they have lice.

You might try treating for lice and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Frankie]

I thought with lice it started more along the mane line? This is lower on the sides. But I will check and probably treat any way.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Yep real itchy like that would be the one clue for me lice. We noticed a yearling over here that had it after we head and neck and it looks like it had spread to the others. Worm with ivermectrin or use fly spray, that really helps.

 

[Bess Kelly]

All above good advice........BUT

could be they are just itchy! In my area the weather is 30 days and 20 nights one week, the next may be (IS) 50 days and 40 nights. They don't know what's going on

We may be very comfy at 50 with a jacket but they actually prefer cooler weather without the coat. Just a thought.

Are several itching? Only bred mares? etc.........so, a trend or one individual. That may be a clue.

 

[ohmt]

With the younger horses a lot of times it means lice, but here when it's one of my mature horses that's doing the neck rubbing, it's usually just dry skin (in the winter). They get such long, thick winter fur here and because it's so cold it just gets itchy because the air is so cold and dry. My vet gave me a special lotion for them-I bring them in the barn at night and apply it and it helps them alot. I've only had a couple of horses get itchy necks when it's a bit warmer-those were fungal type things and required bathing and applying topical treatments that I got from my vet.

 

[Matt73]

Ditto...My filly has itched her butt since the day she was born. She loves getting it scratched and loves rubbing up against stuff. She has not got lice and is wormed on a monthly basis. It's just her foal coat coming out and enjoying a good scratch. Same with Lexus. Often she'll be scratching and usually I just check between her teats and pick off the crud that collects there. That usually fixes her itching. In other words, horses scratch their butts for a lot of reasons (including worms etc.).

 

[Frankie]

One horse, a 5 year old boy, the only one. It has warmed up 30 degrees here as well.

Thanks for the thoughts

 

[Mominis]

If if it isn't lice, her mane bed may just be extremely dry. One you've tried the lice treatments and if they prove unsuccessful, you may consider washing just her mane bed with some Head and Shoulders shampoo and follow it up with the Head and Shoulders Conditioner.

 

[Sandee]

If if it isn't lice, her mane bed may just be extremely dry. One you've tried the lice treatments and if they prove unsuccessful, you may consider washing just her mane bed with some Head and Shoulders shampoo and follow it up with the Head and Shoulders Conditioner.

I'm guessing it's too cold to wash where you are and if you see dander in the mane (lots of dry flaky skin) try rubbing some oil(baby oil), or using a spray on like show sheen something with lots of oil in it, down into the mane. My filly was plagued with this as a yearling - sort of like babies with craddle cap.

 

[disneyhorse]

It could also be allergies. In that case, only something like Hydroxyzine may help... but definitely look for anything like lice or dermatitis first...

Andrea

 

[Firefall]

I had a horse last winter that was rubbing his lower neck and chest almost bald. I rubbed M-T-G on those spots a few times and it quickly went away.

 

[mizbeth]

I agree with the alergies especially if in that spot and his age. I have had weanlings rub their lower neck, chest like that when all else seemed normal, I wormed them again and it stopped.

Beth

 

[Katiean]

I used to have a mink cage along one of my fence lines that I had placed with the opening out into the run. My Missy loved to stick her head into the hole in the cage and scratch. She didn't have lice or rain rot or any creeping crud. She just liked to scratch. She was rubbing the hair off her neck and royally messed up her mane. I got rid of the cage and there was no more trouble.

 

[barefoot]

We had a gelding who rubbed his mane when his sheath needed cleaning.