skin fungus?

Question
I have a buckskin that just got a bunch of black dots (not patches) all over his sides and chest. He looks like a cheetah. I was wondering if you have ever heard of anything? It does not seem to itch, they are not flaky or red oozy. Just black spots with no hair (he just shed out so it does not fall out like rain rot.) He does love to lie in our pond and cover himself with mud - so maybe a fungus from that but no irritation? weird. Please let me know if you know anything. I don't want him to be able to give it to my 2 yearlings.

Answer
Miranda:

without being able to see this I cant really say what this is. Skin fungus seems to nearly always be assumed by owners, but is really fairly uncommon. If it is a fungus, it will not stay in one site, but will spread fairly readily to other parts of the body. Keep your grooming instruments separate for this horse for now. I think what you may be seeing is the results of what could have been a bacterial folliculitis or something similar to that. The lack of hair and appearance of any inflammation suggests to me that you are seeing this as it has resolved and the hair loss is one of the results of the primary problem that may be gone now. Keep an eye on it. If it spreads or gets worse, get a vet to look at it- maybe take a skin biopsy and some scrapings and cultures to try to identify the specific problem. Thats about all I can tell you from this at this point. Good luck. feel free contact me again.