Also known as pastern dermatitis and grease heel, scratches is a skin irritation commonly associated with draft horses and other breeds with long feathers, though it may also occur in those with very little fetlock hair as well. It occurs most commonly as scabs on the back of the pastern and fetlock joints, and occasionally up the legs on the hocks or knees. These scabs may be sensitive if picked at, and depending upon the severity, may break open and ooze serum and blood. These scabs and open sores can be painful and some horses may go lame with serious cases, as well as show heightened sensitivity around the area(ie: watch out when picking hooves and bending the afflicted area). Although not a rule, it often is worse in those horses with very thick fetlock hair. Signs that a horse may have scratches include itching the afflicted area with the teeth, or with a hoof (often you will see them rubbing one back leg against the other).
In Friesians it is acknowledged as a common complaint and most will likely contract it at some point, though it occurs in varying severity depending upon the individual. The actual cause of scratches isn’t known with any real certainty, though there are varying theories, and the most likely explanation is that there are multiple causes for variations of the affliction. Many believe it is associated with a wet and unclean turnout or stall area where the horse must stand in unclean mud or muck for a long period. It may also be caused by mites or bacteria.
Just as there are many theories to it’s cause, there are many theories on how to clear up a break-out of scratches. If scratches is a chronic occurrence and needs treatment regularly, it is often recommended to shave the back side of the pastern to allow the area exposure to air and easy treatment. (Don’t worry..if the horse has thick enough hair, this can be done without shaving off those trademark feathers. Shave only the center of the pastern where the scratches occur and leave hair on the sides to cover the patch.)
Check out this handy info-graphic on scratches from The Horse.com:
“Like many other Friesian fanatics I searched long and hard for my Friesian friend. When I found him, however, there was a side to the purchase I had never considered. The lady who sold him to me was heart broken at having to part with him. She had selflessly realised that she could not give him the future he deserved and decided to let him go. I have kept in touch with her and wrote her this poem. I hope it strikes a chord with those who are searching and for those who are thinking of selling a horse they realise they cannot keep. I know I am no poet but it says in a few lines all that I felt.”
This whole mess started about three years ago when a young lady from town went to visit a horse exhibit at her local county fair. She met a Friesian stallion there that touched her heartstrings and made her forever a Friesian addict. This young lady wasn’t a horseperson, had never owned a horse, didn’t ride and knew virtually nothing about horses. But this one encounter was to change her appreciation of the equine forever. She started looking for information about that horse breed, this strangely wonderful Friesian that she had met, and gathered lots of pictures and articles.
Her husband of only a few years is a very deliberate man, who feels the sun rises and sets on his wife, was forming a “long range” plan. He knew it wouldn’t be anytime soon, but his wife would someday have her very own Friesian horse. This young lady had a variety of responsibilities, wife, mother, business partner, bookeeper, with all the financial obligations that came with it. Over the next half year he noticed the pictures on the walls and the calendars and the bookmarked websites on the computer, all big black horses. The opportunity came to sell their house in town and buy a farm a distance away, and with two small children to raise, it seemed that a move to the ‘country” was in the cards. In the back of her mind was the thought that they could someday have horses if they could get a barn or shed built. She thought that riding lessons were the next step, so after contacting neighbors to find a stable, she found one only 1 1/2 miles away, made an appointment to give it a try, and took the kids for a lesson.
The plan was to try to find an in-utero baby for sale and negotiate a price that was manageable. Late that fall we found a mare in foal that we wanted to purchase and we offered the foal to him in-utero and an alliance was made. The young lady knew nothing of this and just after Christmas we were going to tell her about her new baby. This was now almost two years after she had met her first Friesian, and her husband was only waiting until we closed the deal on the mare to be able to tell her. All seemed going well with the purchase and she got the news. She was excited about the new baby and started making plans. Then the unthinkable happened, the deal on the mare fell through. She tried to keep up a good front, but she was quite disappointed. It was about a month later as we were looking into other in-utero foals that the conversation turned to our own stallions foals. He had just been approved and that spring would be his first purebred breedings. She said that her ideal and dream was to have one of his get, but if her husband was going to find her another foal that was OK, but secretly she really wanted one of ours. Well we struck up a deal, the first foal he sired from one of our mares was to be her baby. She was ecstatic, now only 13 more months to wait, remember this was February, we weren’t going to breed our first mare till April.
The mare was checked every 8 hours during the last week of her term, still no signs. She was due to foal March 22nd, but finally on the evening of March 25th she waxed. We called and told them tonight’s probably the night, do you want a wake-up call? Absolutely! All night the mare was restless, up and down, kicking the stall walls, then at 4:25 am on the 26th the mare began to groan and even drowned out the sound of the stallion snoring in the next stall. We called and said its on the way.
Her husband was supposed to go to work from the farm but he went back home to break the news to his wife. Later that morning she came to see the filly. The disappointment was obvious, she didn’t make a move to touch the filly, the emotions on her face were intense. She kept up a good front though, and joked about the sock, and said she was still a good filly. After about an hour she went home, said she would talk to her husband, but she was sure he didn’t have a problem with the filly either. Like I said, a good front. My wife and I spent the day imprinting and making sure the filly nursed. The mare seemed relieved that was over with and each time we went to the stall they were both asleep in the straw bedding, what a peaceful pair they were.
The next day she called and asked to come visit the filly. We said sure, we had accepted the fact that we were going to keep this filly. To us we saw a perfect example of Friesian horseflesh. This filly was gorgeous, the shoulder, the croup, the straight legs. Watching her play out at pasture, doing flying lead changes, two tempis, and sliding stops, running circles around mom. And when she saw you she came running up and wanted to be petted. She had her daddies eyes, looking into them you could see all the way to her soul. All you breeders out there, you can relate I’m sure, about the changes that occur during those first days and weeks, a good foal will seem to impress you each day as they grow into that first bony frame. She did this and more. I never offered an opinion about the filly to the new owner because I didn’t want to make the decision to let her go any more difficult for her than it already was.