Just this morning I noticed that on the back/inside area of Sadie's left hindquarters, there was a bald spot there. About the size of a quarter. There wasn't any flesh showing but the hair had definently been worn or scratched away. I had noticed that Sadie is scratching her tail alot recently. No, I haven't washed her tail as so there'd be soap left. I had rinsed with water between her udders and the same with her rectum incase somthing was bothering her there. She had stopped for a few days, but has continued to do it.

Anyways, about that spot. Does anyone know what that might be??

It can be a sign that they are wormmy. Has she been wormed reciently, and are you on a rotating schedual of wormers?

Also check her tail dock. It could need to be washed (dry and flakey or maybe even fungus or something growing down under that hair).

Depending on how well you rinsed her udders you may want to check there too. Sometimes they'll scratch their tails when that area needs a good cleaning (don't be afraid to get up there with a washcloth, but pay attention if you haven't done it before...some horses don't like that area messed with).

She is on a rotational worming schedule and gets wormed soon.

I'll try next time to clean more throuroughly (sp?). Just with water, right?

My yearling filly recently began scratching her tail out, and she too is on a good deworming program. So I washed her whole body and scrubbed with a stiff brush while wet, then I applied a conditioner that contains olive oil and coconut oil. She has not scratched since then, maybe it would help your horse to use a good conditioner?
To clean the udder, be sure to remove the smegma between the teats. Excalibur sheath cleaner works well, and it smells good, too.

By the way, how can I put a photo of my horse on my signature?

Is it okay to wash her now, with it so cold out? I don't have an indoor washing stall, and I'd have to use buckets of water. Our outside spiget isn't working right now to hook up a hose.

Just water should be fine (try to get luke warm or room temp water or she won't like you much), or as the other poster suggested you could use excaliber or something similar.

The trick is to actually get up in there and remove the gunk from between the teats. Just running water normally doesn't achieve that.

How cold is it there? A full out bath may not be feasible, but I think you'd be ok to clean her udders and perhaps scrub on her tail and buttocks area without getting her body wet.

I would say it depends on your weather...here our highs are in the lower 60's, and there have been a few strong, cold winds, but since it is sunny I went ahead and washed Sparkle (my filly), but I did it differntly...I stood her beside the barn where there was no wind and lots of sun, then filled a 5 gallon bucket with very, very warm water. I put shampoo mixed with warm water in an old, rinsed out dish soap bottle, or you could use a spray bottle. I used a rag to wet her down with the water in the bucket, then poured on the soap, scrubbed well, then rinsed it out with the rag (dipping into the clean water and not wringing it out) I then mixed conditioner in the soap bottle, and repeated the procedure. after rinsing, I scraped off all of the water, then used 2 large towels to dry her. I think a larger horse would take more towels, 4 or 5.
Perhaps I should mention that I waited until the warmest part of the day, which is aroun 11-2 o'clock here.
I really wouldn't use a cold water hose, besides being not so wonderful for your horse, it's cold for you,too.
Sparkle really seemed to enjoy her "bucket bath" and it was nice & warm for me.

Its in the 50's and 60's.

So, we don't know what the little circle thing is?

"so, we don't know what the little circle thing is?"


do you mean the bald spot? it is probably just where the hair got rubbed off. how does the skin look?

I have a friend who's Paso Fino started rubbing his tail and she tried all kinds of things, then finally stumbled upon an iodine shampoo which did the trick.

If it were my horse I would probably use some Excalibur on her udder in between her teats (use gloves because smegma stinks and the smell will STAY on your hands), then be sure to rinse it well with warm water (since smegma is body oils mixed with dirt and other stuff, cold water won't help at all). then I would wash her the same way that I washed Sparkle (with un-medicated shampoo). give it a day, and if she is still scratching I would wash just her rump/haunches/udder/tail area with a medicated shampoo. Before, during, and after baths I would make sure to groom her within an inch of her life! my horses are shedding right now, and the short hairs mat into the longer new hairs and itches.
I'm not saying that you HAVE to try it, I'm just saying what I would do, esp since it worked for my filly.