Rain Scald - would you buy a horse with this?

[AllInMyMind19]

Just that really. Horse has had quite bad rain scald over quarters and part of back (towards back part of saddle) but it's now 90% healed.

Would this put you off buying? For context, horse would be living out 24/7 with a field shelter and top quality turnout rug, she does live out currently.

Thanks for any thoughts.

It wouldn't put me off, as it can be prevented/managed.

No not at all, its something thst can be controlled. I'd make sure she could be brought in to dry out if needed though and change and wash rugs frequently.

My boy had that when I first bought him as he’d not been rugged during horrible weather. I always rugged in bad weather and always over winter. He never had it again ever. Even in early autumn when it rained before i rugged up.

Rugs solved problem. I’d buy one with that again providing u had enough rugs to rotate them while wet ones were drying.

Currently I have nothing as will be first horse I've owned (rather than shared) since I was a lot younger and had my own....but yes I can afford to get a couple of rugs to rotate. I'm a bit concerned as I've read rain scald is actually bacterial and infectious so could this be an issue with bringing the horse to a livery yard? And it says rain scald can cause weeks off work whilst it heals if it ends up under tack...

How do you plan on drying your rugs? If it’s over the stable wall inside a building it could take up to four days to dry! A heated tack room would be ideal if there is one. Two days.
Meanwhile you need other rugs to use.
If it’s a case of taking them home and hanging in the kitchen or something it will stink the whole house out although the rug could dry overnight.

I had one heavy weight full neck rug, one medium weight full neck rug, two medium weight removable neck rugs, and two lightweight unlined turnout rugs. As well as a quilted stable rug which could be used alone or under any of the rugs for extra warmth, and a sweat rug.
A lot of rugs I know, but mine were drying over a stable wall. Not quick!

I recall using gentian violet on the rain scald. I don’t know if that’s correct advice right enough but it seemed to work at the time. The scald healed quickly as new fur grew in.

If you get good quality rugs, you shouldn't really need to be drying them over anything. One of my old retirees (thorobred) lived out rugged, 24/7. Never had a wet through rug.

Depends. Possibly if it was otherwise perfect, but I’d want a good discount for the extra hassle it would be causing.

It’s winter. There are plenty of horses on the market so I wouldn’t be rush to buy in a problem tbh.

Perhaps you won’t need as many rugs as me depending on where you are OP! I forgot that other parts of the U.K. aren’t as wet as Scotland! Mine lived out. Dreadful weather.

The only thing that would give me pause for thought would be how did the horse end up having bad rain scald if it was being looked after by decent owners? And if the current owners are not decent what else have they ignored/done wrong?

Wouldn’t put me off. Usually caused by bad management

DD’s pony had rain scald on his neck the first winter we had him as we didn’t have him in a rug with a neck on (I was used to unrugged hairy natives). Neem oil cleared the rain scald and he has never had it since.

We have 2 who suffer with rain scald horrendously if they even so much as sniff rain (they don't grow proper winter coats). We manage it (i.e. they don't get it) by them wearing really good quality waterproof turn out rugs that we change regularly and we keep them dry. Ours live out 24/7/365.

As a rule rain scald is down to bad management. Keep the rain off them and it should be fine. It certainly wouldn't put me off buying.

Not at all. Can be treated, you can just negotiate the price!

It's only contagious if you use the same brushes on the scabby bits, then on another horse I think. My vet got me to buy imaverol, which you dilute, brush in, then repeat a week later. Depending on how big an area / how bad it got, it may take time to heal enough to ride, and I really would avoid riding until completely healed, as if the horse is sensitive there it won't enjoy tack. If it was the perfect horse then it wouldn't put me off, but I would expect a price reduction, as you may well have to wait to ride, and it'll cost a bit to sort out. Also check with livery owners first. My mare got it when away at stud - she had good shelter, but never used it...... very wet summer etc.