Abstract Equine coital rash (ECE) is a highly contagious benign infection that induces lesions on external genitals, and it is caused by the equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV‐3). Although the disease is globally distributed, its presence in Chile has not been documented from a genetic point of view. Here, we performed polymerase chain reaction screenings for EHV‐3 in lesions of external genitals in four horses belonging to a riding station at Bulnes, Ñuble Region, Chile. We sequenced a fragment of the glycoprotein G ( gG ) gene from three horses with clinical signs of ECE. The sequences were identical between them and 99.7% similar to a haplotype of EHV‐3 detected in Brazil, and phylogenetically related with homologue from Japan, Russia and Brazil. Our results show the presence of EHV‐3 for the first time in horses with ECE in Chile.