Posted 2005-06-16 10:57 AM (#26663) Subject: Sunburn
Veteran
Posts: 152
Location: Florence, SC
Hi again! My newest addition is a nearly solid white paint and he seems to be getting incredibly sunburned around is eyes and nose especially (this area has become very pink and scabby). Is there anything that I can do for him other than applying sunscreen or keeping him in during the middle of the day?
Posted 2005-06-16 11:22 AM (#26666 - in reply to #26663) Subject: RE: Sunburn
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
My app mare has that problem. I bought a fly mask that covers her entire face and keep that on during the day. I bought the one without the ears since her ears were fine.
Posted 2005-06-16 1:50 PM (#26687 - in reply to #26663) Subject: RE: Sunburn
My overo paint mare has a bald face and has the same problem. Just keep loading on the sunscreen and also put a fly mask on him, that should do the trick. Make sure the sunscreen you use doesnt have paba in it. Good Luck!
Posted 2005-06-16 2:06 PM (#26689 - in reply to #26663) Subject: RE: Sunburn
Regular
Posts: 53
The first summer I had my paint he burned his nose so bad. I put lots of vitamin E gel on his nose several times a day to relieve the dryness, I also kept the vitamin E in the refrig so it was cool to put on. He also stayed in during the day (with a fan outside his stall) and was let out at night. That was 10 years ago and I haven't had any problems since. I don't take the clippers to his nose in the spring or summer - he looks good with whiskers - that way I'm not taking any hair off the nose to allow the sun to penetrate it more.
Posted 2005-06-16 4:03 PM (#26700 - in reply to #26695) Subject: RE: Sunburn
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
That fly mask works well for me. I think they are sized a bit big though (the one I posted a link to). I bought the horse size for my app mare and it is big on her. I think the arab size might have fit her better. The horse size fits my QH throughbred mare pretty well though.
Posted 2005-06-21 5:25 PM (#26888 - in reply to #26663) Subject: RE: Sunburn
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK
Best bet is to keep him inside during the day and let him out at night. You can't cover every pink inch of skin and when he ages like fine wine he'll have cancer and you'll spend his last years carving on the old man like a turkey at Thanksgiving.
If you must let him out during the day, I used to use Bullfrog on my whitefaced horses but it stinks. Coppertone sport lotion is great, it lasts all day and won't sweat in the eyes. If you get sunscreen in the eyes it can cause clouding of the cornea.
I have battled cancer with paints and apps and I can tell you I'd much rather let them chill out under a cool fan during the day and let them play all night long than go through that again. This also helps because you can ride at the end of the day, hose them off and turn them out. The flys aren't bad at night and during the day the fan will keep most of them off while your equine buddy snoozes the day away in comfort.