help for itchy horse

[Willow2]

Hi, does anyone have any advice about helping an itchy horse. It's not sweet itch, although it is worse when there are flies around and when he's hot - he just seems to be itchy by nature. Are there supplements you can give to help. Many thanks.

 

[jumpthemoon]

My TB mare gets really itchy if she isn't groomed really thoroughly every day. She gets flaky skin - does this sound anything like yours? If she is really bad I give her a bath in something none irritating and make sure i give her a good brush each day. I think there are supplements out there, but I suppose it depends how severe a case it is.

 

[Theresa_F]

Cairo is an itchy horse. This year he has been a lot better as I have been feeding him brewers yeast, black sunflower seeds and instant linseed and seaweed. I also stopped feeding garlic end of March. His tail still looks beautiful and not like a bog brush and his sides are not scrubbed.

He has a hairy coat (clydesdale) and whilst I have not yet, as soon as it gets very warm he will be fully clipped out. He itches more when it is hot and he has a full coat. He also is liberally sprayed with my fly spray which contains a lot of Avon SoS to keep midges off.

Equidermis from Feedmark, though expensive is excellent.

I always hose/sponge him down if he is sweaty and he gets a good brush down most days to get the skin circulation going.

 

[tinker512]

When the two ponies where itching, I only had Gold Label Louse powder handy so I just used that, and it did clear it up, and I am pretty certain that they didn't have lice, so not sure how that one worked, but it has been a god send!

 

[Happy Bird]

My old boy gets really itchy too. My vet said he simply has sensitive skin (we have already gone down the blood tests and skin scrapes route). I find him better if I don't clip him (he's retired now so that's easy), then keep him as cool (not cold !!) as possible (not too many rugs to overheat him). I use either coconut oil or D-Itch lotion to combat flaky skin. I find if I bathe him during the summer months using tea tree shampoo, that also helps. I didn't find any feed supplements particularly beneficial.

 

[Halfpass]

My youngster gets very itchy. Though it was sweetitch but now i'm not so sure. I was putting benzylbenzoate on the worst areas but after reading that it can be a skin irritant stopped. I have started bathing the bad areas in Tea tree shampoo. Leave on for 10 mins then rinse off, when dry I then apply a de itch cream (can;t remember who makes it) which contains deet. Its working a treat and she no longer has flaky dry skin and her mane is growing back. All this combined with a devoza exzema rug and she looks lovely!!