Fair to breed from a horse with sweet itch??

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Wheels

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I have the most lovely young colt, 2 years old, great paces, good looking with the most wonderful temperament - takes everything in his stride, really confident without being bolshy, loves attention, loves being out and about, never nasty... I could go on & on, he's generally just a real nice horsie to be around.

I was going to keep him entire in the hope that he keeps all of his qualities and turns into the stallion I think/hope he will become!! But this year he has been suffering from sweet itch - this is really starting to make me think that I should have him gelded and not even think of breeding from him, those of you that do breed, is it a big no-no to breed from a horse that has sweet itch?? (even if it's v mild!!)

I would hate to have him gelded and then regret it but then again I would hate to breed from him and his offspring end up suffering! This is causing me somewhat of a dilemna
 
I take it that if you intend breeding from your colt you will be taking him for licensing with a relevant society/organisation for his breed/type. That being the case I would imagine that if he is a sweet itch sufferer he would fail the licensing process and your question would therefore be answered.
 
I do breed from a mare that suffers from sweet itch!

She developed it after having her first foal but NONE of her offspring have shown any signs and I always show purchasers photos of my mare at her worst. Had she had sweet itch prior to covering I would never have put her in foal but it has worked out well for me.

She wore a Boett rug for 4 seasons but this year is rug and itch free thanks to my wonderful vet! She thinks it started as the stud she was at was by lots of ponds!

I wouldn't pick a stallion with sweet itch though - sorry!
 
I knew somebody that bred from a mare with quite bad sweet itch (which can get worse with age) and all of her offspring got sweet itch.
 
As there are so many stallions out there he would have to be the most amazing horse on planet earth to attract mare owners, personally I would never breed from a mare or stallion with sweet itch as it has been proven that a predisposition to allergies is something that is passed on genetically, so I wouldn't want to risk it. He'll make a nice gelding and will have a far more normal life without his noodles!! Not to mention the money and hassle you'll save without having to fork out for stallion facilities!!:D
 
Holly831 said:
I do breed from a mare that suffers from sweet itch!
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I do too - she developed it at about 15 months of age when - for a short time - she had to be kept on her own (and we are a very midgey area!) She has been tested and came back negative for an allergy to Cuillicoides - although neither my vet - nor I - believe that is the case! Her dam didn't have it, her sire didn't have it, and none of 6 half-sisters/brothers have developed it, nor have any of her 4 foals.

I DO believe that an 'allergic' tendency is possibly hereditary - but I also think circumstances are a big contributory factor.

I have to say I wouldn't choose to use a stallion with Sweet Itch - and if it has come on this year (which has been a bad year for midges and thus a good year for Sweet Itch sufferers), then I would expect him to get worse in a wetter Spring!
 
personally as a mare owner i dont think i would even look at a stallion with sweet itch.

i have a mini shetland with sweetitch though, and had a conversation with the National Sweet itch centre only the other day about my little mare, the mother doesnt show any signs at all, i dont know about the sire unfortunately, she started showing signs at about 12 months old and now she's 7 is wearing a boett rug 12 months of the year and is very happy and mainly controlled.

The sweet itch people say its been proven its not hereditary, that said i still wouldnt knowingly use a stallion with sweet itch. i too think it would be much nicer for your boy to be gelded and live a very happy life as one i'm sure :)
 
I'd be very unlikely to breed from a mare with sweet itch, and would never breed from a stallion with it - my own or someone elses.

I do think it can be hereditary - that isn't to say that all cases are hereditary, but unless I knew for sure that it wasn't caused by a gene problem, then I wouldn't breed from the animal.

The Sweet Itch official website still says genetics may be a factor - no mention there that it isn't. Until there is definitive proof that it isn't genetic, I'll stick with my stance. There are generally enough nice animals out there not to have to breed from one with a definite fault.
 
Yes, you're all right and I really knew the answer just didn't want to admit it to myself!!!

He will definitely make a special gelding and he's got a home for life with me, I do want to breed in the future but I'll probably go with my original plan of having a couple of good mares :-)
 
Hiya, I have bred two foals from a mare that had sweet itch and neither of her foals developed it.

That said though I doubt if I would choose to use a stallion with sweet itch - however if you were only using him on your own mares then it is entirely your own choice x
 
Wheels, i am sure you will make the right decision for your special boy, and that he will have the best chance of a really good quality of life.

Sweet itch is a horrible thing for any horse to suffer from, i know i have really hated seeing my little shettie driven to distraction with itching and really wished i could make it all
better :( perhaps they will come up with some sort of control / cure in the near future and all the poor horses who suffer can at last find peace from the itching :)

best of luck with your boy, i'm sure he's a very handsome dude !
 
I bought a filly by a connamara stallion who had sweet itch. she did not have it, she competed rather well as a shp, then evented, same stallion has bred show, whp and international sj ponies, would have been a loss if he had been gelded.
 
Argh! You lot were supposed to give me a definitive answer lol
I have a dream to breed attractive, flashy but quiet competition horses which this guy is perfect for! And that type is always wanted but not readily available. I would probably only have a max of 4 mares myself to begin with so it is a consideration as to whether other people would use him or not. I can leave my decision for another year or so as my boy is in no way coltish and is happily living with his gelding buddies. Think i'll do more research before I make my final decision!
 
someone else already mentioned this aspect, but it would be worth contacting some of the studbooks and asking if they would even look at grading him if he has sweet itch. that could then help you with your decision.
 
JanetGeorge said:
I do too
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Yup me too - although by accident. Fortunately her son doesn't have it.

Like the others have said I doubt I'd choose a stallion with sweet itch.

I know absolutely nothing about this but wouldn't it be possible to have some semen frozen. Then in later years if he turns out to be a star and you may have people wanting to take the risk, or you may want one from him yourself, then you could still potentially have a few foals.
 
We bought a mare in foal who had sweetitch and the foal has sweetitch too. He is now 15 years old and is covered up 24/7 has de-sensitising injections and still suffers all be it much less. I would never breed from a sweet itch sufferer even if there is 0.00001% of it passing it on it is one of cruelest things for a horse to live with and it breaks your heart to see them suffer like that. Hopefully someone will find a cure.
 
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