Shedding & Preparing for Queensland Itch Season
- Oct 6
- 5 min read
As the days grow longer and the chill fades, your horse’s coat begins its annual transformation. Shedding season isn’t just about loose hair—it’s a vital time to support your horse’s skin health, comfort, and overall well-being for the coming months.
Coats and hooves are really important. They’re the canary in the coal mine for overall health. Ideally your horse will be glossy, and have healthy, even hoof growth. If that’s not the case, then something else is going on. Read more here.
Now is also the time to start preparing for Queensland Itch season. If your horse typically suffers from Itch, giving them the building blocks for a robust immune function will set them up for less suffering when summer comes. Please also forward this on to your friend who has a horse who suffers from Itch.
Shedding is triggered by changes in daylight, not temperature. This makes sense because summer time temperatures and diurnal variation (the difference between the temperature during the day and at night) are going to be very different around the world.
As spring approaches, longer days signal your horse’s body to release its thick winter coat. Horses kept indoors or under blankets may shed later or less dramatically than those exposed to natural light. Read more about light and coats here.
Grooming Routines That Work
Help your horse through this itchy, hairy phase with these tried-and-true techniques:
Daily Brushing: Use curry combs, or grooming mitts to remove loose hair and stimulate circulation.
Bathing (Weather Permitting): A warm bath with gentle shampoo loosens dead hair and refreshes the skin.
Skin Checks: Watch for patchy shedding, excessive itching, or signs of rain rot or sweet itch.
Launder your winter rugs now for Autumn. As days warm up rugs will dry quickly in the sun. If you are buying new rugs this season, keep the packaging to store your winter rugs to keep dust and spiders out. Your future self will be grateful when your winter rugs are clean and ready to go!
Feed the Coat from Within
Hair and hooves are made from keratin. Horses synthesise keratin using amino acids from protein in their diet. Learn more about amino acids here.
Ensure adequate protein—especially for growing or senior horses. Include omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and copper in the diet. We combine these in our Chia Trace Mix.
Omega 3s promote skin hydration and reduce inflammation, improving skin health and increasing natural oil (sebum) production. Both chia and flax are high in omega 3s, however chia has significantly more polyphenols (antioxidants)
Zinc supports skin integrity, immune function, and protein synthesis.
Copper is crucial for melanin production, connective tissue formation, and iron metabolism.
It deepens coat colour, especially in chestnuts, bays, and blacks. Helps maintain rich pigmentation and overall coat health.
Chia is called a superfood for a reason:
Chia seed is a potential source of antioxidants with the presence of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol which are believed to have cardiac, hepatic protective effects, anti-ageing and anti-carcinogenic characteristics. It is also a great source of dietary fibre which is beneficial for the digestive system and controlling diabetes mellitus with higher concentration of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids, gluten free protein, vitamin, minerals and phenolic compounds. Therapeutic effects of chia in the control of diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-blood clotting, laxative, antidepressant, antianxiety, analgesic, vision and immune improver is scientifically established.
While seasonal shedding is a natural and healthy process, certain patterns can signal underlying health concerns that deserve closer attention:
Patchy or Uneven Shedding If your horse’s coat is shedding inconsistently—leaving behind tufts of hair or bare patches—it may be more than just a messy molt. Uneven shedding can be a sign of skin infections, such as rain rot or fungal conditions, or even hormonal imbalances that disrupt the normal hair growth cycle. Horses with thyroid dysfunction or metabolic disorders may also exhibit irregular coat changes.
Failure to Shed, Especially in Senior Horses A horse that retains its thick winter coat well into spring or summer, particularly if it's older, may be showing early signs of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), commonly known as Cushing’s Disease. This endocrine disorder affects the pituitary gland and interferes with the body’s ability to regulate seasonal coat changes. Horses with PPID often develop a long, curly coat that fails to shed properly and may also show signs of lethargy, muscle wasting, or increased thirst and urination.
We have helped many owners manage Cushings and their horses have had long, productive, pain-free lives. See three case studies showing different management styles here.
Excessive Itching or Hair Loss Beyond Normal Shedding
If your horse is rubbing excessively, developing bald spots, or losing hair in areas not typically affected by shedding, it could point to external parasites such as lice or mites, or dermatological conditions like sweet itch also called Queensland Itch (an allergic reaction to midge bites). These issues can cause intense discomfort and may lead to secondary infections if left untreated.
We have had great success over many years helping horse owners whose horses suffer from Itch. With vigilance, symptoms can be radically reduced.
Chia Trace is available in 1kg, 3kg and 5kg pouches. We also offer it with our zinc-based shampoo in the Skin Fix Bundle.
Reviews for Sound Advice Trace Mixes.
Three different reasons to choose our trace mix - quick wound healing, addressing chronic skin problems and managing insulin:
After one week on this my Colts itch has disappeared entirely, and not even at full dose yet, he had a zinc deficiency & Sound Advice advised correctly & accordingly. He seemed to take to it no problem as well given the taste, Thanks so much guys 👍
My horse looks fantastic on your Chia Trace Mix. Her coat is absolutely shining! My other horse sustained an eye injury during the severe flood weather and since she has been on this mix her eye improved quickly and has healed very well. Thank you for excellent service and fast shipping. The items were packed with love and care and a hand written card. Xx
Since putting my horse on this along with the calm mix. His coat has come along in leaps and bounds and it hasn't even been a month. Coat is shinier, skin condition looks better, he seems much calmer in situations which were stressful for him. So, so happy with the recommendations from the Sound Advice Team on the Trace Mix and Calm Mix.
I use this product for my horse and it's really improved my horse's skin and hoof health. He also has high insulin levels at times and needs regular blood tests to check his levels. Since starting this supplement his results have been in the normal range and this means he can live out 24/7 as a normal horse when combined with diet and exercise. i also have my older horse on the turmeric joint mix to support his joints. Thanks for effective and affordable products.
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