Help!!..Sweat itch!

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vickitrezise

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Hi there,
I have 15hh cob who has developed sweat itch over the summer. She has rubbed off most of her beautiful mane and her skin has started to thicken on her neck.
Today I bought a Saxon fly rug for her with a built in neck cover, I tried it on her and the neck cover nearly strangles her when she puts her head down. Has anyone else had this problem and can they suggest a better fitting rug for a thicker necked horse? As she's a cob (and a little chubby) she has a thick neck. I did look at the Rambo rugs, but can't tell if they would be ok.
Many thanks.
 
try the pagony eczema rug it covers virtually everything. you will need to electric fence off all areas as now your horse is itchy it will itch wearing any rug and rip it.
i have the pagony on mine the neck cover is baggy and stretchy i cant see it being a problem for a thick necked cob.
if your horse has sweet itch then most fly rugs are useless as they don't cover most of the horse.
google pagony or boett and you'll see what i mean don't waste you money on normal rug shaped fly rugs.
and if your feeding garlic stop i did last year after hearing it made sweet itch reactions worse. try a scoop of brewers yeast instead.
best of luck !! her mane will grow back don't worry !!!!
 
Can't recommend a rug, sorry, but I've found something that helps my sweet-itchy mare immensely - Itch Stop made by Nettex.

I rub it into her scabby patches every day, with a Hibiscrub wash every three weeks or so, and it stops her rubbing herself bald.
 
Unfortunatly nothing will really help, as sweet itch is a true allergy. I have a falPro silver technology fly sheet for my connemara, she is also slightly chunky and this fits like a treat. It is not a cheaper option but so far has lasted really well and Libby is yet to tear it!

Good luck with the pony :)
 
Not sure about the rug but was recommended a solution to apply years ago when i had my old girl.

Half a pint of (very) warm water mixed with 1/4 pint of baby oil and 1/4 pint TCP. Apply twice a day for a week and once a day thereafter. Obviously make a new solution each time.

Cleared my old girl up completely and she never had it again!
 
my ponys has had severe sweet itch for 11 years, ive found cheap fly rugs have worked better than sweet itch rugs. i also plait my ponys mane from late april to the start of october depending on weather. you shud try avon skin so soft twice a day instead of fly reppellent, i find it keeps more flys away.
 
I have had my mare from 8 months old, shes 11 now, she developed sweet itch at 2. I tried the boett, snuggy hoods and all sorts of cheapy rugs. She now lives in a Rambo Sweetitch hoody, it is fantastic, great fit, one has so far lasted 3 seasons, i pu it on in March and keep it on til October, you can get waterproof liners for them now aswell so even more handy! I agree that the nettex stop itch is good aswell, (there arent many creams etc that are v good in my opinion) You will probably find that now your horse is itching you will struggle to stopit, but next year should be easier if you keep covered up.
Sweetitch hoody is around £100.. Well worth it....
 
My sweet itch boy does do well on sweet itch lotion (really cheap on ebay) and special sweet itch balancer which has yeast etc in it.. He doesn't need a rug as long as I start the treatment before the midges start to bite. He keeps his mane and tail reall well now.
 
i had a pony with really bad sweet itch (he was practicly bald when i got him), all we did was put him in a field with electric fence round it, brought him a cheap fly rug that lasted ages, and we treated his bald patches with cold tea and sudocrem. cheap and effective, all his hair grew back and he looked lovely. also i find that finding a recepy for a fly repelent and making it yourself works a lot better then buying it.
 
I have found a good product and I also use it when surfing called Rash Guard it is designed to stop sweat/salt rash from wetsuits, i bought mine from a surfing shop and it works well on sweat itch. Not cheap though about £9 for 100ml but more waterproof and longer lasting than sudocreme although sudocreme is excellent.
 
rambo sweet itch hoody. Go through one a year, although this one is still intact! I also have a cob (who also needs to lose weight!) but I dont think it gives enough room at the front, so you might want to go a size up.
Going to have a go a snuggy hoods next year as they seem to have a snug all-over fit, which seems much better!
but I'd still recommend the rambo, also comes with fly mask :)
 
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