What do you think?

[heath]

My kids have an old ranch horse, he is 23. He loses big patches of hair and I can't figure out what it is. It starts growing back as quick as he loses it.

 

[3waycross]

Stress?

 

[branguscowgirl]

Some of my old horses do that also. I think that they have a lower resistance and or metabolic deficiencies as they age. The fact that the ends look greasy means it is similar to rain rot or mange. I would bath in antibacterial/anti-fungal shampoo made for horses. (It's milder than using betadine scrubs. Which some horses will severely react to!) If you have oak trees, it can also be oak tree fungus. Either way, the shampoos work well. Let them sit as directed. Usually there is a spray to follow up with in the same product line.

 

[cow pollinater]

When I worked the pack stations we used to wash their backs with iodine and water and there was an older horse that would lose hair in patches so we started brushing him all over with it. It seemed like it worked.

 

[wbvs58]

Cushings disease is being picked up in older horses a bit these days. They tend to get long coats that don't shed out in summer and are more susceptible to infections like fungi and clumps can fall out. Google Cushings disease in horses and have a read. It may or may not apply to your situation.
Ken

 

[branguscowgirl]

Cushings disease is being picked up in older horses a bit these days. They tend to get long coats that don't shed out in summer and are more susceptible to infections like fungi and clumps can fall out. Google Cushings disease in horses and have a read. It may or may not apply to your situation.
Ken

I agree with Ken, (as I said above) they have something Metabolic going on. But the anti-fungal shampoos work well. I have had horses severely react to the Betadine and get hives over their entire body. (Most don't, but if it happens it's bad.)