Rusty Blade

Blade is a horse we acquired last year for the Troop.  However, he developed an odd skin condition that started out looking like dandruff, but eventually became so itchy that he began to bite himself.  We had it analyzed and it was determined that he had a fungus on his skin.  Fortunately, it seemed to affect Blade only.  None of the other horses were infected with it.  I tried to treat it at the stables, but because the horses go out to pasture on weekends, wasn't abe to provide the daily treatment necessary to rid him of the fungus. 

 

Blade in his war tack

Eventually, I brought him home and had Debbie begin daily treatment.  She managed to get it cleared up in a couple months and I took him back to the stables to continue his cavalry training.  Unfortunately, within a week the fungus had reappeared along with welts on his skin where the tack was rubbing him.  We concluded that he was having a reaction to the tack--either the tack still had residual fungus on it or he was reacting to something else on the tack. 
 

So, again, I brought Blade home for treatment.  Within a week, Debbie had the infection cleaned up and she cleaned all of his tack to remove any residual fungus or chemicals.  Today, I tacked him up and rode him to see if it would cause another reaction.  Blade was a pain during the tacking up process, as I have not ridden him in a long time (I had another rider work with him the past month).  He dropped the saddle in the dirt and I had to have Debbie hold him while I finished putting the saddle on him.  Once we got going, he was fine.  Very responsive to rein cues and able to transition between gaits without trouble despite the fact I forgot to bring my riding boots and spurs home.  

 

We should see soon enough, if he is still having a reaction to the tack.  Hopefully not as he is a good horse and we need him in the Troop.