Controlling sweetitch with a rug wreaker!!!

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thatsmygirl

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I bought my lovely 2 yr a boett which he's had on for the last month at least. Thing is he won't keep it on he rips it off every other day. Been in 2 bits twice now and this morning it's ripped all down the side again. It's only my horses in the field and iv walked the fence which is proper post and rail and can't see where he could be doing it, and never see my others bite him. So how can I control his sweetitch if I can't keep a boett on him? He's only a 2 yr old and last year was the 1st time he showed it and I would like him to keep his mane/tail this year. Any advise welcome
 
My friend has an Andalusian x who has sweetitch. She doesn't use a rug on her but manages it will a daily application of Benzyl Benzoate
 
How severe is the sweetitch? I as because I have had good results from using the Global Herbs Skratch products in milder cases. Brewers yeast is also good for reducing itchiness and also general skin health. Would it be possible to turn him out in an electric fenced paddock (or run some electric round the post and rails) so he has nothing to scratch on; I find if you can break the itch-scratch cycle this can improve matters too.
 
Manage as you would a laminitic - control the grazing as sweet itch starts in the gut. Try brewer's yeast or yea-sacc to help control the internal inflammation and bacteria, ground linseed for omega 3s (which also have an anti-inflammatory effect) and use Neem Oil as a topical application. As he reacts to BB, I'd add Neem Oil (100ml to 900ml) to Double Base cream/gel and make an emulsion of it. Or you could try adding Neem Leaf powder (messy!) to water and shake each use. The powder is cheaper, but don't wear smart clothes around it. ;)
 
I've got a rug wrecking donkey with very bad sweetitch. I have tried everything and the only thing that helps him is to let him come into a stable / shelter away from the midges. I have set it up so he can come in when he wants, it's transformed him.

He still gets a few bites but is so much better. He isn't rubbing himself into holes as he was even with a rug. I really hate sweetitch, it's a torment for the poor animals. Until I hit upon giving him free access to shelter, I was seriously considering having him PTS to put him out of his misery. Only the fact the other donk would die of grief made me try another management strategy. Good luck.
 
My two sweet itch cobs are rug wreckers. We use rambo hoodies now, they are much tougher than the boetts. We also have electric fencing inside the post and rail, absolutely essential for ours.
 
Sympathies - these rugs aren't cheap. I agree that a Rambo may be more sturdy.

Speaking as one whose horse took fright at something last night while I was applying topical lotions to him in his field with rug rolled up to his neck, took off with Boett trailing - end of Boett!

He is now back in his Rambo until I can buy another Boett. Oh and I've learned a very valuable lesson.
 
Thanks guys he's feed fast fibre and d itch by naf. I feed my others micro linseed by Charnwood but not him as I'm worried it would pile the weight on? He's a highland so weight is a issue to control. I will add brewers yeast and maybe buy a Rambo and also add the boett stomach piece to that.
 
thatsmygirl said:
Thanks guys he's feed fast fibre and d itch by naf. I feed my others micro linseed by Charnwood but not him as I'm worried it would pile the weight on? He's a highland so weight is a issue to control. I will add brewers yeast and maybe buy a Rambo and also add the boett stomach piece to that.
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Agree with the diet info, cut back on grass, and feed soaked hay in preference if needed. I'm sure a small amount of the linseed shouldn't be a prob, both our good doers get about 150g per day and I don't think it's put any weight on.
The rambo is tougher (and easier to patch lol!). Do you keep the rug on 24/7? HE might also need it on if brought in. You might have just missed getting it on soon enough which is why he is itching and wrecking his rug. Bloomin' midges are so early this year so I'm sure lots will be caught out. Just wondering if he could be too hot? My sweetitch mare needs to run on the cooler side otherwise she is terribly itchy. I have to hunter clip her before her sweetitch rug goes on otherwise she gets very uncomfortable and itchy. Regular baths help her too, as well as washing her sweetitch rug weekly in non-bio ecover (the only one she doesn't have a reaction to!). I wash her in this http://www.barrier-biotech.com/product.php?pid=AIS every couple of weeks too which seems to help. I wouldn't usually bath so much, but it seems to help her so I stick with it.
 
Thanks everybody you have been very helpful as normal. Yes his rug is on 24/7 and he comes in for a couple off hours in the evening for a brush etc than back out. He doesn't itch while his rug is off in the stable so I'm hoping iv caught it in time. Ok will try the linseed, " thepony" 150g a day is how much going by mug size? I feed my others a mug full a day. That shampoo iv actually just brought so was hoping it may be good. There's no sign he's getting to hot but normally he doesn't wear a rug so maybe he's not keen on it. All the horses get on well and no other rugs get ripped ( 5 out together) so I take it he's doing it to myself. Iv seen nobody pick on him. It's such a heart ache and when u have spend hundreds on a rug just to see it in 2 bits hanging off him I wonder why I bother.
 
thatsmygirl said:
So how can I control his sweetitch if I can't keep a boett on him? He's only a 2 yr old and last year was the 1st time he showed it and I would like him to keep his mane/tail this year. Any advise welcome
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You can try an experiment of cutting right down on his access to anything sweet. Strip molasses/molglo out of his feed, soak his hay for 12 hours at least and either strip graze him on absolute minimum grass or bring him in during the day when the grass sugars are highest.

Sweet itch is a midge saliva allergy but there are some horses who are symptom free or very much reduced in symtoms if you do those diet changes. If he is not completely symptom free, then it is also possible that he will stop reacting to benzyl benzoate and you can use it to stop the midges biting. The horse I did this with went from red-raw to no sign whatsoever in one season.
 
My pony wrecked her Boett in 2 months! 2 years ago I bought a Rambo Hoodie and it's now entering its 3rd summer. It has lots of little caught threads, but only one tear about 2 inches long.
 
AndreaB71 said:
My friend has an Andalusian x who has sweetitch. She doesn't use a rug on her but manages it will a daily application of Benzyl Benzoate
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Benzyl Benzoate definately but you need to start using it now, you can get a bit bottle from hyperdrug for just under £20 one bottle lasts one horse till about sept - its brilliant stuff dont need a rug at all i put it on every other day or every day if the midges are bad but my boy is super sensitive and will start o itch just looking at a midge ;)
 
thatsmygirl said:
Trefnantblackknight do you need to water it down or just use it neat?
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Advice from my vet was neat every 3 days. I water it down to 1 in 3 and use it every day instead, because it's much easier to remember to do something when you do it every day.
 
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