Chewing at feathers

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CobsGalore

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My heavy cob has very very thick feathers and has been biting and chewing his front legs for a couple of weeks. He usually does this a little when the weather warms up and when he moults but it seems excessive this spring.

I have checked his legs and there are no sores or anything so not convinced it is mites, but what is the best thing to use to soothe and stop the itching?

I'm reluctant to pump him full of chemicals, but his feathers are so thick that it makes it difficult to get things like pig oil and sulphur right down to his skin. Would an insecticidal shampoo work, or would something else be better?

Any advice or tips from other hairy horse owners would be great!
 
Can you wash his legs with Nutrogena T Gel shampoo? I've been recommended this for my mare who gets sweetitch, it seems to help.
 
Not criticising anyone's management, but PLEASE please please patch test your horse if you're thinking of using pig oil and sulphur, it can cause a very nasty angry skin reaction - I followed advice on here to use it on my boy, and I simply didn't know any different, and he came up in a very nasty pink/hot rash where I'd put it, my poor boy, I felt so awful.

So please, just be careful and patch test first for at least twenty four hours, on a small area.

Frontline, whilst it may be effective, is not licensed for use on horses; however a vet may prescribe it (and take the responsibility for that action should a reaction occur). As your cob is obviously in considerable distress with this, I'd ask the vet to take a look in the first instance and go from there.
 
The mites burrow under the skin and there won't always be visible signs. The treatment will depend on the horse. My girl's feathers are so thick that it's impossible to apply anything topical (even Leahurst gave up on this). So for a couple of years she had the Dectomax jabs. But like you I don't like pumping her full of ivermectin all the time, so I bit the bullet and clipped her legs so I can use Frontline. To be honest, this works a lot better than the Dectomax jabs. You can also buy Ivermectin wash which at least isn't systemic like the jab. You can never get rid of them; it's a case of finding the best way to manage them. You do need a prescription for Frontline spray, but Effipro is essentially the same product but cheaper. Good luck - they're a pain!
 
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