Anyone's sweet itch beast live out during summer?

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LankyDoodle

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I am going to be getting him a snuggy hood to try and help, and will keep up the rest of his summer routine for keeping the flies away.

I was hoping to try and allow the horses to live out this summer (George is a good doer but I can control his grass with a muzzle if necessary), just coming in to be worked or on extremely hot days (how often?!).

Lanky is new to me (since September), but I have dealt with mild sweet itch in the past. His sweet itch gets severe in the places not covered by a rug (ears, belly - because he is big and the rug won't cover it), hence the snuggy hood idea.

I have been told to try injections, but he had them before and I don't think they worked. Have they worked for your horse?

Who keeps their SI horse out in summer? How workable is it? Do they tend to suffer more because of it?
 
My friends Icelandic suffers sweet itch, so she keeps her in a Boet (spelling?) rug. It covers most of the belly, and all the neck and you can get a face mask for it too. it does a good job at keeping her sweet itch at bay. They are expensive though. If you google Boet you should be able to get more info on it
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I own a hackney mare who suffers from very severe sweet itch. She gets it between her front legs, on her legs, her udders and the usual places

She lives out all summer in her boett blanket which covers most of the places she gets it. The only place is doesnt cover are her udders and her legs.

The Boett Blanket is a godsend. It is expensive but it is worth every single penny - without it she would have been put down by now.
 
Thanks. Have used Boett in the past, and so as OH, and not had much luck with them in terms of lasting, hence the snuggy hood idea.

I just wonder whether the snuggy hood will allow him to stay out during the day as well as at night.

It is nicer for them to be out but I would also like to try and keep hay consumption down, as well as mucking out times etc.
 
We had a shire/percheron with mild sweet itch and he lived out. Lots of baths, fly repellant/creams and most importantly we kept him in a very exposed field as much as possible during the summer, midges don't do wind. (that makes us sound cruel but there were three HUGE trees in the middle for shelter and scratching just the rest of the field was exposed!)
 
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without it she would have been put down by now.

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Put down? Really? Sounds like she has a particularly horrendous case, then.

Lanky tends to get it on his belly (where the rug doesn't cover) and on his ears (where she couldn't get a fly mask with ears to stay on!).
 
We had a pony with sweet itch who managed to live out when it was windy and cooler but on the warm, still days she had to come in. We used to give her a sachet of bute every day as this helped ease the itching a bit. She had a hood / rug thing. Boett rugs are best and I think, if you enquire, they would make one to fit your boy. Though they're unfortunately not cheap!
 
My youngster had mild sweet itch, and I got him the rambo hoody last summer. It worked a treat, and lasted really well. Unfortunately he has grown out of the rug!
wink.gif
So I've got him a premier equine one for this year (cheaper, for untill he stops growing!).
 
My two both live out from beginning of May to end of October 24 x 7.

I am going to invest in the snuggy hoods and rugs if not this year then next, purely as they are still growing and I can cope with normal rugs.

They are not severe SI - which may or may not be due to my lotions, potions and rugging.

Last year I coped ok by having them with normal fly rugs on. Rambo protectors which got outgrown and worn in 2 years, so now have equine premiers which do the job. Farra's has a neck cover but Chancer's does not - he only started mane rubbing late this year if in and I tend to avoid them if I can in case they rub his mane. I coated their manes and tails with my own fly spray which has a lot of skin so soft and essential oils twice a day, plus a bit of benzoyl benzoate on top of that.

They were also fed brewers yeast and global herbs Skratch - I alternated between Super and Plus.

When out the fence had an electric tape in front of it so they can't rub. Chancer does still rub his belly a bit. This is covered in sudocream and I add a bit of sulphur and tea tree oil to sooth and prevent midges just in front of his sheath and I also do the sides of his sheath. I also spray his belly and sheath area.

If I have them in, Chancer wears his dress circle lycra suit which covers him nose to tail. I also put on a cotton tail guard to stop him rubbing his tail. By doing this I can keep him in show condition. Farra is not too bad so can be left to have a little rub if she wants.

I do let them have time without rugs to groom - I put them in the indoor school. My field is fairly good at not having too many midges as well.
 
Mine used to live out covered up to the hilt

However last spring when we had all the rain and warm in April his sheath swelled and didn't come down after a week. I took him to the vet, had injections and he came down with chronic laminitis and had 6 months off! (Big 16hh show jumper, not a lamintic pony!)

So this year from Mar / Apr onwards mine will only go out in the dark and will be in during the day keeping away from the midges.

I will never have him injected again as not worth the risk.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My youngster had mild sweet itch, and I got him the rambo hoody last summer. It worked a treat, and lasted really well. Unfortunately he has grown out of the rug!
wink.gif
So I've got him a premier equine one for this year (cheaper, for untill he stops growing!).

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you. This is the rug he wore last year and it will not cover his belly. He is 17.3hh or thereabouts.
smile.gif
 
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We had a pony with sweet itch who managed to live out when it was windy and cooler but on the warm, still days she had to come in. We used to give her a sachet of bute every day as this helped ease the itching a bit. She had a hood / rug thing. Boett rugs are best and I think, if you enquire, they would make one to fit your boy. Though they're unfortunately not cheap!

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Thanks scotsmare. Do you rate Boett above snuggy then?
 
I use pagony or ultimate sweet itch rugs, mine will need patching and I'd rather pay £80 per rug than pay over £200 for a boett - as they generally only last one season!
 
My lad has very bad sweet itch but also COPD so he has to live out - the injections didnt really help but my vet gave me a wash that is actually used to treat mange and it worked a treat. I also have him in a sweet itch hoodie, reapply fly repellent three times a day. The equine america Itch No more also really did the job but he is a grey and its brown so he used to look quite funny!!!

Another tip that worked for me is a weekly bath in head and shoulders - really helped to stop the itching...

It is an uphill battle though - involving careful management but it can be done, and he is happier and healthier out.

Good luck!
 
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My two both live out from beginning of May to end of October 24 x 7.

I am going to invest in the snuggy hoods and rugs if not this year then next, purely as they are still growing and I can cope with normal rugs.

They are not severe SI - but there again I don't let them get so they rub themselves raw and do keep on top of it.

Last year I coped ok by having them with normal fly rugs on. Farra's had a neck cover but Chancer's did not. I coated their manes and tails with my own fly spray which has a lot of skin so soft and essential oils twice a day, plus a bit of benzoyl benzoate on top of that.

They were also fed brewers yeast and global herbs Skratch - I alternated between Super and Plus.

When out the fence had an electric tape in front of it so they can't rub. Chancer does still rub his belly a bit. This is covered in sudocream and I add a bit of sulphur and tea tree oil to sooth and prevent midges just in front of his sheath and I also do the sides of his sheath. I also spray his belly and sheath area.

If I have them in, Chancer wears his dress circle lycra suit which covers him nose to tail. I also put on a cotton tail guard to stop him rubbing his tail. By doing this I can keep him in show condition. Farra is not too bad so can be left to have a little rub if she wants.

I do let them have time without rugs to groom - I put them in the indoor school. My field is fairly good at not having too many midges as well.

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Thanks for this. Sounds like you have a pretty good routine for them.

I make my own spray as well, which helps. I don't like the itch stop stuff as it is so so greasy and makes him itch for that reason! I will have to put sudocrem round his sheath area anyway because he gets very sore there and the rug obviously won't cover it. He will get regular baths with dettol/insecticidal stuff.

I suppose the risk of G getting laminitis from being on lush grass, and the risk to L's sweet itch, means I may have to keep them in, which is a shame because I just worked out my hay needs for a year now that I have a bigger horse, and it's around 350-400 bales!
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Our 16.2hh Idx lives out with sweetitch. He isnt allowed anywhere to scratch eg trees and we have electric fencing. i baste him in good old fashioned benzyl Benzoate - getting harder to find in chemists so i get it here:
http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/search_re...tments&cty=

He has bug rugs which i buy one size too big. Currently wearing Amigo-I had a fab one from Loveson that had a belly flap but it died of old age last summer:
http://www.loveson.co.uk/util/u5.htm

It helps to start with the benzyl long before the flys get going so will start a daily application in March, going to twice daily from April. I have also used Avon Skin So Soft round his face and in his ears with reasonable results. Dermoline do a sweet itch lotion thats like a very thick clear gel and that works well even in the rain:
http://www.battles.co.uk/products/001/equine/144/dermoline/-/-/5287/dermoline-sweet-itch-lotion/

I bath him twice a week and have 3 bug rugs so i can wash them every couple of days (using a smelly conditioner seems to help)and it gives a spare if one gets trashed.

My biggest problem is that the super bendy fat cob can scratch between his ears with his back foot for ages, perfectly balanced
shocked.gif
this led to a few incidents where he caught his neckcover between his hoof and shoe. *crosses fingers and whistles* it doesnt freak him out and you either get down the field and he is grazing happily with the remains of the rug still caught in the shoe, trailing behind him or the rug is in a heap with a shoe still attached.
I now have thick fleece sewn around the neck seam which *touches wood* has made it too thick to get caught and also helps stop bugs getting down inside the neck- this also works well on belly flaps
wink.gif

I feed Brewers Yeast as garlic isnt recommended alongside Formula4feet
It IS do-able you just have to find a routine that works for you.
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Mine used to live out covered up to the hilt

However last spring when we had all the rain and warm in April his sheath swelled and didn't come down after a week. I took him to the vet, had injections and he came down with chronic laminitis and had 6 months off! (Big 16hh show jumper, not a lamintic pony!)

So this year from Mar / Apr onwards mine will only go out in the dark and will be in during the day keeping away from the midges.

I will never have him injected again as not worth the risk.

[/ QUOTE ]

How horrendous. Well it's my YO telling me to get the injections, and we all know she renders me speechless. I don't really want him to have them as they haven't worked in the past; and I lost the mare in my sig to laminitis so I don't want to go down that road again.

Thank you.
 
yes, mine do. I use the equine america stuff all over faces and exposed bits, a lashing of benzel benzote twice a week and they are perm rugged up in rambo hoodies. And you wouldn't know either was at all itchey, one of them being chronic, when I got him he was bald , no mane, tail or hair on legs, neck or belly. Try and find an exposed area as poss, hill sides are great as are any yard near the sea side (midges don't like sea winds) and have them there.
 
I have an itchy pony - he is out during the day but stabled at night so away from the field at dawn and dusk when the midges are at their worst.

He is in a Boett from March to October (roughly) - he actually has two so one can be in the wash while he is wearing the other one. Not tried Snuggy hoods but I have heard they are not as breathable as the Boett and horses tend to sweat in them when it's hot.

We did have him in a Boett hood at the start of last summer but the seams rubbed his muzzle so he just had a field guard one on for the rest of the summer - and just had to put up with baldy ears. Both his Boetts have needed a bit of patching up but I haven't had to buy a new one for two or three summers now.

By far the best thing though is to feed a spoonful of marmite in each feed. It has the same effect as brewers yeast in working as a midge repellent. He's never been anything like as itchy since we started feeding it
 
I didn't know about the laminitis connection to steriods prior to this happening. Not sure I would have risked it as this horse's dam had lami.

Fortunately I got away with it, albeit losing a year of competing (he had qualified for everything). However the high dose steriod injections can be fatal in the wrong circumstances.
 
I have a sweet itch cob. He lives out 24/7/365. He has severe sweet itch and cannot live in as he would rip himself to pieces.

The best way to keep them is with electric fencing. Mine doesn't even get a shelter but has overhanging trees to shade under for most of the day.

My field is on the side of a valley so is very exposed which helps keep the midges down.

Apart from that he wears a Boett/fly rug and I use the fly spray recipe in the Stable Yard forum..liberally,twice a day.

This seems to keep him as comfortable as possible.
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I use pagony or ultimate sweet itch rugs, mine will need patching and I'd rather pay £80 per rug than pay over £200 for a boett - as they generally only last one season!

[/ QUOTE ]

My Boett is 7 yrs old
smile.gif
thanks to electric fencing..
 
i would make sure there is electric tape every where so he can not rub plaster him in net tex stop itch salve a good fly spray .and once a month from may until september treat with a product called spot on you should have less of aproblem if any or you can try a product called switch that is a brill product!
 
my horse suffers from sweet itch but she lives out all summer. i put a Boett rug and mask on her and this helps a lot so she hardly itches
also i cover her face, top of her tail and her mane in camrosa. this works really well and it is waterproof. also the fly don't go near it as it is quite sticky to them!!
 
Our cob has SI and has to live out 24/7/365 as he cannot be allowed near anything, even for a minute, otherwise he scratches hard. he is surrounded by electric fencing. he also has RAO so cannot be stabled anyhow
We use a bog-standard fly-sheet and the Net-tex Itch Stop Salve, which seems more effective than the Bb we always used to use.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Our 16.2hh Idx lives out with sweetitch. He isnt allowed anywhere to scratch eg trees and we have electric fencing. i baste him in good old fashioned benzyl Benzoate - getting harder to find in chemists so i get it here:
http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/search_re...tments&cty=

He has bug rugs which i buy one size too big. Currently wearing Amigo-I had a fab one from Loveson that had a belly flap but it died of old age last summer:
http://www.loveson.co.uk/util/u5.htm

It helps to start with the benzyl long before the flys get going so will start a daily application in March, going to twice daily from April. I have also used Avon Skin So Soft round his face and in his ears with reasonable results. Dermoline do a sweet itch lotion thats like a very thick clear gel and that works well even in the rain:
http://www.battles.co.uk/products/001/equine/144/dermoline/-/-/5287/dermoline-sweet-itch-lotion/

I bath him twice a week and have 3 bug rugs so i can wash them every couple of days (using a smelly conditioner seems to help)and it gives a spare if one gets trashed.

My biggest problem is that the super bendy fat cob can scratch between his ears with his back foot for ages, perfectly balanced
shocked.gif
this led to a few incidents where he caught his neckcover between his hoof and shoe. *crosses fingers and whistles* it doesnt freak him out and you either get down the field and he is grazing happily with the remains of the rug still caught in the shoe, trailing behind him or the rug is in a heap with a shoe still attached.
I now have thick fleece sewn around the neck seam which *touches wood* has made it too thick to get caught and also helps stop bugs getting down inside the neck- this also works well on belly flaps
wink.gif

I feed Brewers Yeast as garlic isnt recommended alongside Formula4feet
It IS do-able you just have to find a routine that works for you.
laugh.gif


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Thank you so much for this. I started finding it difficult to find benzyl for George so started using killitch which has benzyl in it. Not as good as straight benzyl though. Do you spray it on all over or apply it in specific areas?


Re the rugs - do they really work? I am worried that I will buy a cheaper rug and he'll get bitten and that's it for another summer.

I heard avon skin so soft acted as a kind of grease so the midges can't get to the skin. I like Theresa's idea of including it in the fly spray - maybe a fly spray with a drop of everything in, on top of the benzyl and the rug and being bathed regularly? I guess it will be hard to wash the rug if I buy an expensive one, as I won't be able to afford 2.

I'm loving the thought of a cob with his leg between his ears! My boy can get his leg to the front of his belly/chest, but even he isn't that agile!
 
yes, I have one that does

And in a snuggy hoods rug
yes I rate it above boet as the design is better and easier to use. Both are excellant though.

I would not buy a cheaper rug, normal fly rugs do not work, the rambo hoody is good however it does not provide as much protection particularly to the face.

Unfortunatly in this case you get what you pay for.
 
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