HELP PLEASE.... Sweet itch questions

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Michelle73

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Mum's just bought two Welsh C fillies and one has sweet itch which she knew about and the other is scratching at the moment.

Mum's question is Rambo Rug: http://www.robinsons-uk.com/products/ProductDetail.asp?productcode=52509

or BOETT???????? I have friends who swear by the Boett and wouldn't use anything else. What do you all use? I know there's another rug on the market that I think begins with a P but I can't remember what its called?????????

Also what do you use in the way of medication if any? Who uses the vaccinations? Are they any good? Who uses Naf or Netex Itch Relief etc etc.

Any info appreicated thank you.
 
A friend of mine has a horse who was badly affected by sweet itch. He was used in the trials of the vaccinations and as far as I'm aware he is now pretty much trouble free. I think she has used both the Rambo and the Boett and the Boett ripped more easily, but I'm not certain! This horse was so bad that none of the "usual" sweet itch medications made any difference at all.
 
i use skratch from global hers in his feed and put stop itch salve all over his mane and tail it acts like a barrier stops them from itching and if the do itch they do not make then self sore coz it is protect by the cream and it is water proof so need to keep on applying all, the time!
 
Another vote for Skratch! Can now leave my boy in the stable uncovered for the first time in years without him rubbing!

I think the other rug you are thinking of is the Pagony - I have one which I don't need any more due to the skratch, it seemed to work but I find adding a supplement to feed far easier than keep putting rug on!!

Beware though, skratch makes your horse smell of cat pee!!!
 
Boett is a complete lifesaver. My horse is happy and completely itch free, I don't use any other products now either.

If Im going out for a long ride in the evenings, and I know they'll be flies about I spray with some NAF and rub a bit of Stop Itch salve complete (Nettex) which as babybells says, it acts as a barrier and is also waterproof so it only needs applying once/twice a week if at all.

Killitch by Carr and Day and Martin is very good - but as the active ingredient is just benzyl benzoate, so if you can just get hold of some BB its much cheaper. There was a place online that you could get it but I cant find the site now!
 
I've always sworn by the Boett but TBH I think any SI rug will do as long as you use electric fencing to fence off any area where the rug can be ripped. The Boett however does stand up well to mutual grooming sessions and if it does rip its extremely easy to repair. The fabric does not run either so rips usually stay small..My Boett is years old. I have a severe SI sufferer and in 9 yrs I've used 2 Boett rugs. They have patches and are sewn up in places but still do the job. Having said that my cob is currently in a cheap Masta ordinary fly rug and is doing well but thats more to do with his environment. He is an exposed field, high up where its always blowing a breeze and well away form water sources and muckheap and trees..
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The rug you've heard of is probably the Pagony and I've heard on here that its pretty good at less than half the price of a BOett..
http://www.divoza.co.uk/product8233.aspx
 
Boett! I have a pony with severe sweet itch who is also grumpy in the field and difficult to catch! We tried a Boett last year and he had a personality change! Same again this year, he has a mane and tail and is a much happier pony
 
For mild SI sufferers like my cob, I have found feeding him brewers yeast, skratch (though he pongs of pee) and a normal fly rug with lots of my homemade spray containing a lot of avon skin so soft works.

I also put sudocream on his belly where he rubs to soothe and provides a protective barrier.
 
Thanks everyone, its all very interesting! Mum's not had a horse for 16 years and everything has changed so much for her and I haven't had any dealings with SI sufferers luckily!!!

Keep all your info coming its very much appreciated. Thank you.
 
My youngster who has mild sweet-itch came with a Boett which didn't even last one summer. I then moved to a Rambo Hoody, and liked it so much he's now on his second one - the first lasted 3 years. I find the Rambo has excellent coverage, doesn't make him hot, and is quite tough and quick-drying.

He's also on NAF D-Itch from March-October, and the exposed bits are liberally smothered with diluted Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil.
 
I'm on my second sweetitch suffer and have found with both of them that covering up as much of them as possible with a sweetitch rug really does make a difference. Using lots of fly spray on the uncovered bits is also important and you can spray the rug with one of the sprays designed to remove fleas from indoors. Both of them still rubbed a bit but TBH I think part of it was through habit as they did not have scabs or sores. The first one had no access to anything to rub against the current one comes indoors at night (which I would recommend) and has not rubbed any more than the other. I think that the really important thing is to stop them being bitten as once they have a bite they really want to itch it! This can make rug washing a problem though! I also feed a mineral and vitamin supplement and some oil to try and maintain good coat condition and have found that bathing regularly helps. Someone has also given me some products (shampoo and lotion) designed for itchy skin and dermatitis in dogs, which has helped.
 
I would normally say BOETT all the way, but since then I have met 3 Welsh D's that would trash a Boett - and have seen impressive results on a very playful Sec D 2 YO colt with the rambo one, which is infinetly tougher, but IMO not as midge-proof as Boett, so swings and roundabouts. His ears don't stay in the holes, either!!

My gelding was in a field with hawthorne hedge (no electric) and we reckoned a new Boett every other year for him, as a saturday afternoon often involved a sewing session for me! (apparently copydex glue also works just as well though) BUT his SI completely disappeared.

When I rode I found ordinary sunflower oil with lavender, tea tree and citronella in was the best fly repellant, and smoothed on to a hogged mane (he was a cob!!) and around sheath gave a good oily surfact that midges didn't want to land on. I understand Pure gold does the same.
 
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