Ideal pony but sweet itch?

[Bobthecob15]

Hi all, we're seeing a pony this weekend that sounds absolutely ideal for my daughter as first ridden but she has sweet itch. She's older, 16, so I appreciate there may be some issues with more elderly ponies but I've never had first hand dealings with this. Apparently it's well controlled with a combination of fly rugs in summer, sprays, regular baths and some sort of supplement....from the summer photos it looks like the bottom of the mane has been rubbed away but the rest is there. Can't tell what the tail is like. If the pony is ideal in all other ways would you still consider it? It's priced accordingly I think considering this and her age.

We'd anticipate a 3 or 4yrs before she's outgrown in theory....so the age is also a consideration for when we move to the Next pony.

Many thanks ?

 

[Cortez]

I have had horses with varying degrees of sweetitch for going on 12 years. I would never buy one with the condition, it's miserable for the horse and a complete pain in the rear for the person looking after. The cost is also not inconsiderable.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

It would be a no from me. Before buying number 2 pony I went to look at a welsh pony that appeared perfect on paper. Having seen him I walked away.

 

[exracehorse]

I have one with sweetitch. He basically lives in his sweetitch rug 24/7 and in winter has a turnout rug on over the top. When it’s cold and no midges then just winter rug. It’s always prevention with SI. He’s absolutely fine. Doesn’t bother him being rugged up. I do have to spray up under his belly when it’s mild as he hates being bitten there. It’s a pain yes .. but he’s perfect in every other way. Good legs. And feet. Pleasure to ride. So .. I’d still buy him again.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I have one with sweetitch. He basically lives in his sweetitch rug 24/7 and in winter has a turnout rug on over the top. When it’s cold and no midges then just winter rug. It’s always prevention with SI. He’s absolutely fine. Doesn’t bother him being rugged up. I do have to spray up under his belly when it’s mild as he hates being bitten there. It’s a pain yes .. but he’s perfect in every other way. Good legs. And feet. Pleasure to ride. So .. I’d still buy him again.

Thank you, its so hard to predict, I've been walking away from any ailments but it seems so hard to find a first pony without an issue!

 

[Maryann]

Where you keep them can make a difference - a friend of mine bred a very good pony that had sweet itch. their land ran along side a river and the midges were awful in the summer. The pony was sold to someone who kept him on a hillside and it was much less of a problem.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Another factor is where the pony will be kept.
My yard is utterly horrible for an SI animal as there are midges virtually all year round due to low lying marshy fields adjacent.

I'd not have a SI pony nor advise a client to have one. Sorry.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Our boy developed sweet itch for the first time this summer at the age of 12 - it was miserable for him and for us .. I wouldn’t choose to have a horse with it. Our vet has had good results using the ringworm injection as a ‘vaccine’ against sweet itch so we’ll try that this spring so it might be worth asking about that if the pony is perfect in every other way

 

[Bobthecob15]

Thanks all, I think we'll pass then!! Resounding no! ?

 

[Chianti]

No- don't do it. I bought mine knowing he had bad sweet itch. I love him dearly but it's so trying. I spend a fortune on supplements, lotions and creams - which I'm never sure actually do anything. You think you've got it under control and then you go the next day and there's a nice big rub somewhere.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I have had one with sweet itch - I bought him with the condition after he came on loan from a trekking centre and I'd fallen in love with him and just couldn't bear to send him back - and whilst he was a lovely sweet boy, I would never ever want another with it.

I kept him at home so didn't have any problems with being turned down by livery yards (which apparently can happen), but I have the most poignant sad memories of him having to be wrapped up like a cocoon during a heatwave (and me feeling just awful doing it to him) because if he wasn't protected, he'd have rubbed himself raw.

You have to be on guard all the time: ONE day when you think it's ok for them to be out without their Sweet Itch rug is enough for them to be bitten to glory be, and they'll end up raw and bleeding. You cannot relax, not ever.

Keep looking for another pony would be my advice.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I have had one with sweet itch - I bought him with the condition after he came on loan from a trekking centre and I'd fallen in love with him and just couldn't bear to send him back - and whilst he was a lovely sweet boy, I would never ever want another with it.

I kept him at home so didn't have any problems with being turned down by livery yards (which apparently can happen), but I have the most poignant sad memories of him having to be wrapped up like a cocoon during a heatwave (and me feeling just awful doing it to him) because if he wasn't protected, he'd have rubbed himself raw.

You have to be on guard all the time: ONE day when you think it's ok for them to be out without their Sweet Itch rug is enough for them to be bitten to glory be, and they'll end up raw and bleeding. You cannot relax, not ever.

Keep looking for another pony would be my advice.

Thank you, we are now! ?

 

[hobo]

I just want to say I have had two ponies with sweet itch and we are in a terrible area for it but unlike most of you neither have been a problem. I find it one of the easier problems to deal with. Now if you said found a great pony but it has had laminitis (sp) that would be a big NO for me.

I hope you find the right pony for your daughter soon.

 

[saddlesore]

My very helpful answer is ‘it depends’ ? I got my lad at around 18 months. About a year later sweetitch or some other summer allergy appeared. The cost definitely needs to be factored in and if on full livery I imagine it would be very difficult to secure the level of care required to manage the condition effectively. That said my boy has a full (and very long) mane and tail, full feather etc and he’s controlled enough to come into his stable and be left unrugged etc. A full and honest discussion with the current owner is needed, good luck

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I’ve had 2 with sweet itch over the years, and if it were the right horse I’d absolutely do it again. Yes they require specific maintenance, but I’ve found it’s very much about prevention and staying on top of it. Generally once I’ve found a system that works it’s not been overly onerous to manage.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I have a huge ID youngster who developed sweetitch as a yearling. I basically live in a bog and I think I have developed sweetitch too as the little blighters can really torment me. He has two PE sweetitch hoodies, one in the wash and one on, and a selection of fly masks with ears and it is well under control. On windy days during the midge season he can go naked and I thoroughly wash his mane and tail at the first sign of scurf. For ridden work I use this recipe on his mane and dock: 300mls cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon eucalyptus oil and 1 tablespoon cedar wood oil in a 500ml spray bottle. It is cheap as chips and really works because I often spray my own head when poo picking and get instant relief. When he was diagnosed I thought it a disaster but really I find it very easy to manage. He is a very sweet horse and I would buy him again in a heartbeat even knowing he had it.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Where you keep them can make a difference - a friend of mine bred a very good pony that had sweet itch. their land ran along side a river and the midges were awful in the summer. The pony was sold to someone who kept him on a hillside and it was much less of a problem.

It can also be a reaction to feed. It's called 'sweet itch' for a reason.

 

[Clodagh]

Not sweet itch but I bought a 20 year old pony with EMS and recent laminitis. My vet said I was nuts. She wasn’t cheap either.
But how can you value your child’s safety? She was the most amazing pony who needed incredibly intense management but she was 100% safe yet fun and responsive and jumped anything he pointed her at.
We only had her for 2 years then her complaints caught up but yes I’d buy her again.

 

[Red-1]

Charlie Horse has sweet itch, got it the first summer he was here. We re on flat land, with a pond and ditches round the field. A bad area for it.

We liveried him one summer high in the hills near the moors. It disappeared. After that break, it never was quite that bad again.

Although it was a pain, it was manageable. Horrid to have to wear rugs and masks in the stable even though.

While we live here, I would discount another. If we move to somewhere more breezy though, I would.