3 Common Homemade Rain Rot Remedies (And Why Equestrians Prefer Science)
Introduction
We’ve all been there. You run your hand down your horse's cannon bone or back and feel those tell-tale crusty scabs. It’s Rain Rot (or Scratches), and you want it gone—fast.
Before online ordering was a click away, or when the tack shop was closed, many of us turned to the "Old Timer" method: raiding the pantry and the medicine cabinet to mix up a homemade cure.
While the DIY spirit is a huge part of equestrian culture, the industry is learning the hard way that playing "kitchen chemist" often comes with messy, stinging, and ineffective results. Here is a look at the most common homemade remedies found in barns, and why so many horse owners are graduating to science-backed solutions.
1. The "Super Juice" (Listerine & Baby Oil)
This is perhaps the most famous DIY concoction in the barn aisle.
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The Recipe: Usually a 50/50 mix of amber mouthwash and baby oil.
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The Logic: The alcohol in the mouthwash acts as an antiseptic to kill the bacteria, while the baby oil softens the scabs so they can be picked off.
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The Problem: While it smells minty, alcohol stings. Putting high-concentration alcohol on raw, irritated skin is painful for your horse and can cause them to become head-shy or kick out during treatment. Furthermore, baby oil is mineral-based; it traps heat and clogs pores, which can actually help fungal conditions thrive in humid weather.
2. The "Bleach Bath"
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The Recipe: Diluting household bleach in a bucket of water.
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The Logic: Bleach kills everything, right?
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The Problem: This is extremely risky. If the ratio is slightly off, you risk chemically burning your horse's skin. Bleach is caustic and damages healthy tissue, which slows down the healing process. It also ruins your clothes, your wash rack towels, and severely dries out the horse's coat and hoof walls.
3. Homemade Pastes (Desitin & Antibiotic Ointment)
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The Recipe: Mixing diaper rash cream, triple antibiotic ointment, and sometimes anti-fungal foot cream.
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The Logic: Creating a barrier cream that fights bacteria and fungus simultaneously.
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The Problem: While safer than bleach, this is messy. Extremely messy. It gets all over your blankets, wraps, and tack, and it is a nightmare to wash off your hands. More importantly, without stabilizing agents, the ingredients can separate, meaning you aren't getting an even application of the active ingredients.
The Verdict: It’s Time to Upgrade
Our founder, Keelin, understands the DIY mindset—she started out experimenting with formulations in her own kitchen because she wanted better solutions for her horses. But she also learned that consistency and chemistry are key to healing.
While homemade mixes had their place in history, switching to Medica’s veterinary-formulated products offers benefits the kitchen cabinet just can't match:
1. Synergy Over Separation When you mix creams in a bowl, they don't bond chemically. They separate. Medica products are formulated so that the active ingredients—like Sulfur and Zinc Oxide—remain stable and evenly distributed. This means every pump of the bottle delivers the exact dosage needed to treat the infection.
2. Healing Without the Hurt DIY remedies often rely on "scorched earth" tactics—using alcohol or bleach to kill bacteria. This destroys healthy skin cells and causes pain. Medica is pH-balanced specifically for equine skin. We include soothing agents like Vitamin E and Coconut Oil that calm inflammation rather than irritating it.
3. Competition Safe If you show, you have to be careful about what goes on your horse's skin. Some household ingredients can test positive or cause reactions that look like "doping" blisters. Medica products are developed with the competitor in mind, ensuring you can treat skin issues without worrying about a steward checking your grooming box.
4. It Actually Saves Money It sounds counter-intuitive, but DIY often costs more in the long run. Between buying four different ingredients, ruining towels with bleach, and treating the same patch of scratches for months because the home remedy isn't working, the costs add up. Medica is designed to work fast—usually clearing up issues in a fraction of the time.
Stop guessing with your horse’s skin. Skip the mess and the stress. Reach for a solution that is proven to work, safe for competition, and gentle on your horse.
