Content

Mallenders in a nutshell - start here

• Key takeaways
• What is mallenders
• The root cause: gut → liver → kidneys → skin
• Why feathered breeds are more affected
• Natural support for mallenders

Looking ahead

• Next steps

Mallenders in a nutshell - start here

Mallenders (and sallenders) isn’t just a stubborn skin issue – it’s a sign of a deeper detox imbalance in your horse’s system. And recent research from 2020/21 now connects it to KPU (Cryptopyrroluria) – a chronic detoxification disorder that begins in the gut and affects the liver, kidneys, and in the case of mallenders - the skin.

→ For the full background on KPU, see our  KPU Advice Page – it explains the full gut–liver–skin connection that sits behind mallenders.

In simple terms: when the detox system is overloaded, the skin has to step in as a back-up toxin excretion route, leading to scabs, thickened skin, and discomfort. This is why ointments, clipping, and chemical mite treatments rarely solve it long-term.

The good news? By resetting gut health, supporting the liver, and feeding a clean, natural diet, many horses see their mallenders ease – and even reverse.

Key mallenders takeaways

• Not caused by mites – it’s a detox overload issue.
• Common in feathered breeds due to genetics and metabolism.
• Linked to KPU (gut–liver imbalance).
• Long-term support = natural diet, gut reset, liver care.

What is mallenders?

Mallenders and sallenders present as thickened, crusty scabs behind the knees or in front of the hocks, particularly in heavier, feathered breeds such as Friesians, Cobs, Shires, and Gypsy horses. Traditionally, it’s been described as a keratin overproduction problem (hyperkeratosis), but that only scratches the surface.

Owners know all too well that the scabs are stubborn, uncomfortable, and prone to secondary infections. Standard advice usually involves clipping feathers - many horses needing sedation as it's so painful, applying ointments, or even using harsh chemical mite treatments – none of which resolve the root cause.

The root cause: gut → liver → kidneys → skin connection

Since 2021, science has shifted the understanding of mallenders. It’s now thought to be part of the wider KPU syndrome – a chronic detox disorder linked to hindgut dysbiosis and a deficiency of activated vitamin B6 (P5P).

Here’s how it plays out:

• Hindgut dysbiosis (often from haylage or processed feeds) disrupts the microbes that normally produce P5P - the activated vitamin B6.
• Without P5P, the liver can’t transform toxins properly.
• The kidneys become overloaded with mutated toxins shunted their way.
• The skin steps in as an “emergency exit,” pushing toxins out through oil glands, sweat glands, or (in mallenders) the skin of the legs.

The scabs we see aren’t just “extra keratin” – they’re toxins leaving the body, bringing dead skin cells (which naturally contain keratin) with them.

Why feathered breeds are more affected

Dr. Christina Fritz has highlighted the genetic side of the puzzle:

• Draft and feathered breeds have more oil glands in their legs, making them prone to detoxing via the skin.
• Ponies (e.g. Icelandics, Shetlands, natives, Arabs) tend to detox through skin rather than hooves – less lami-prone, but itchier.
• Thoroughbreds rarely detox through the skin, which explains why they almost never develop mallenders.

This isn’t random – it’s metabolic wiring shaped by centuries of selective breeding.

Natural support for mallenders

The solution lies not in ointments or chemicals, but in resetting the gut–liver–skin pathway.

Feed a natural fibre-based diet

• Ad-lib meadow hay, not haylage.
• Avoid processed feeds, fillers, and molassed cubes.
• Base the bucket feed on forage fibre (e.g. meadow-grass chaff or cobs).

Support the hindgut

• Restore healthy microbial balance with targeted gut support (see KPUCARE).
• Spirulina can help bind toxins after haylage feeding.

Support detox organs

• Herbs to assist the liver, kidneys, and lymphatics (see LKLCARE).
• Ensure daily salt and forage-balanced minerals (see EquiVita/VitaComplete).

Stay consistent

• Mallenders is chronic, so improvement takes time. Many owners see significant changes when diet and detox support are consistent.

Looking ahead

Mallenders, sallenders, dry mud fever, itchy skin – these are not random “skin problems.” They’re systemic detox issues, often underpinned by KPU.

Research is catching up, but for now the best results come from functional support: feeding naturally with 'clean' species-appropriate food, protecting the gut, and re-establishing detox balance.

Everything connects to KPU - by restoring gut and liver function, you’re not just easing the scabs – you’re supporting your horse’s whole-body health.

Next steps

Forage First

• Feed ad-lib meadow hay (not haylage).
• No processed feeds, no bulk fillers.

Gut & Detox Pathway Support

• Follow the KPU Reset protocol

Stay consistent

·      Mallenders is chronic - expect gradual improvement as the detox pathways rebalance.

We’ve also got an eye-opening blog that explores the deeper connections between genetics, gut health, and stubborn symptoms like mallenders. It looks at how horses with MIM/PSSM2 and other genetic predispositions often show signs of underlying KPU (Cryptopyrroluria), and how issues like mallenders, sweet itch, and persistent skin or hoof flare-ups can stem from dysfunction along the gut–liver–detox axis.

If you’ve been managing symptoms on the surface, this blog might just shift your whole perspective.
→  Mallenders Musings: shedding light on the links between genetics and the detox pathways

Meanwhile, here are the Mallenders/Sallenders SHOP links below for you.

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