fly rug novice has a question

T

tiggy

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my shettie has really bad sweet itch every year and i have tried everything over the last five yrs. ...except for a fly rug, - i managed to get one second hand for £15 recently and now have my boy in it most of the time, as of about a week ago. - but this is my question. with regards to sweet itch, how succesful have you found it to be, and how long / when does your horse/pony wear it?
thanks in advance
 
I have a Boett and also a Derby House fly rug. TBH last year the cheaper one she didn't itch in anywhere near as much. Yet the previous year my Boett was fab. I think it's trial and error. She'll wear a rug from March - November and only has it removed when she is worked. They advise you to leave rug on 24/7 but I don't feel it is pratical and it's nice for the horses coat to breath
 
For severe sweet itch, it has to be a Boett, as the first midge of spring will set off the condition, so you have to keep the critters off.

For mild sweet itch a standard fly rug is better than nothing, at least because it stops them rubbing their mane so badly.

Marmite sandwiches are supposed to be good for sweet itch sufferers. Garlic is actually bad because it over-stimulates the immune system and sweet itch is an autoimmune reaction.

Carr Day & Martin Killitch is good, and still seems to be on the market despite rumours a year or two back that it was going to be banned for containing benzyl benzoate.
 
i got a rambo hoody.
had it for 4 years horse wore it from march to end of sept/oct and its only just started to pull with the stitching.didnt rub at all or make her hot(its white)
only down side is she doesnt like the part on the top of her head much so sometimes i leave her ears out
smile.gif

she doesnt haqve sweet itch but she is extremely sensitive to flies.
 
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