How much does sweet itch affect sale-ability?

ktj1891

ktj1891

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As title.

How much would you expect to reduce price of horse with sweet itch for re-sale?

Asking as potentially looking to get Welsh D that has it but would be a project to sell on.
 
I wouldn't consider buying a project with a known issue tbh, and I am always shopping at the bottom of the market. I think you will automatically limit resale value.

It's easier to manage these days with rugs etc than it used to be, but I still would expect it to make quite a difference to the price of a horse due to the extra hassle and expense of managing them (and some livery yards would be ruled out if they were in midgey areas).
 
The more proven the horse is, the less influential things like sweetitch are.
I’ve known plenty of 14.2hh pass hands for big money with a whole host of different issues, including sweetitch - because they are safe, sound and jump for kids.
But it takes years to get them there.
A project with sweetitch is never going to be financially viable short term and you will severely limit your market unless you have stumbled across that one in a million saint
 
Another who would avoid it as a project to sell on, it is something most people will be wary of, however mild it is supposed to be, unless the horse has really proven itself at a decent level, I have sold on a few with it and all were less than they would have been without sweet itch, one or two significantly less.
 
Unfortunately having had a horse with SI in the past, I would say that your selling-on value is going to be practically zilch.

Sweet itch is a curse all year round and needs constant viligance (and rugging) and if you're buying a project purely for selling on then you are going to be putting in a lot of work, for practically nil reward; you'll hardly be able to give away a horse with SI.

Sorry, but I'd look elsewhere.
 
I would never knowingly have another one. Its a horrible thing to see and manage. Welshies are ten a penny in the project category, I'd keep looking. TBH I wouldn't be looking at a welsh as a project either. Look for something that will be quick and easy to sell. The mythical 16hand bay gelding for RC stuff, or the 15hand happy hacker cob or native cross. Make it as easy as possible
 
You could not give me a horse with sweetitch. I bought one in ignorance being told it was 'mild' and he was fine in his Boett. Never again!
There will be people who are willing to manage it or who don't know enough to know to avoid it (like I was) but finding those people will be hard so no matter how low you drop the price, you are selling to a small population.
 
Another that wouldn't knowingly buy one with SI.
I've owned my ridden youngster since she was 7 months old, and she developed SI as a yearling. We've kind of got into the groove of it now, it's just normal to us both. But that doesn't mean it isn't a pain in the ass. Rugging, spraying, cream-ing, mane itching out-ing, fencing off all potential itching spots-ing. It really makes me appreciate how much easier life is for/with my non-ridden, non-sweetitch youngster.
 
I'm one who would buy one with "mild" sweet itch but not at much of a price.

To give you an idea, my current lad has very mild sweet-itch, he only needs a normal flyrug in summer, he has been to HOYS 4 times, won his class at RIHS, is an angel on legs, can be ridden by anyone from toddler to granny, jumps, XC's, hacks, does everything and is 100% in all ways.
I paid £1500 for him.
 
Not sensible to buy known uncurable issues if you want to sell on. I suspect you are asking because the horse is already a bargain? Isn't that your answer?
 
Of the ones I've had with sweetitch , one was given me for free and the other I sold for maybe 1/3 of what she would have been otherwise.
There's no way I'd deliberately buy one I wanted to sell on.
 
Last edited:
Leandy said:
Not sensible to buy known incurable issues if you want to sell on. I suspect you are asking because the horse is already a bargain? Isn't that your answer?
Click to expand...

No idea on price.

The mare is on my yard and I have known her since a 2 year old.

However, I think you have all answered unanimously as no for a project so I will not proceed with even entertaining the idea.
 
We had a horse with SI and we managed it quite well, but I would never have another. I found it distressing at times when whatever we did didn't seem to help him.
 
I have a pony with very bad sweet itch. I spend a fortune over spring, summer and early autumn on lotions and potions. I wash his rugs every week and always try the next new miracle cure. It drives me mad. However, in every other way he is perfect for me so I put up with it and try my best to make his life as good as possible. It is an awful thing but I'd rather have a pony with sweet itch than one that's laminitic or is bad to catch or bolts. I won't have another horse after this one but if I was going to and I found one that had sweet itch but was pretty perfect apart from that I would go for it.
 
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