Ideas for keeping horses from rubbing their manes and tails off?

[Rachael42]

My cob has very little mane left, no feathers and a toilet brush for tail, it looks horrible, he has bad malanders on his front legs so therefore has no feathers on all four legs as these were clipped off due to vet advice. Any advice would be great, he has been checked for feather mites. Any products I can use on these areas to stop the itch?

 

[_HP_]

Sounds like possible sweet Itch. The best way to help them is to use a sweet itch rug and use electric fencing to fence off scratching/rubbing areas.

 

[be positive]

There are loads of products and finding the right one is trial and error, what works for one horse does nothing for others, a good rug will help but it really needs to go on before the damage has been done, so get it on early next year.
The other thing to look at is getting the diet right, a supplement aimed at healthy feet will also help the skin and coat, ensure you feed nothing with garlic in as that will make the itching worse not better as sometimes stated, other feeds can make them more itchy so cut out everything if you are feeding and introduce feed slowly one by one and see if that helps.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's pony is in an electrically fenced paddock but manages to rub his mane while he rolls and then sits up and scrubs his tail.

 

[Chianti]

My cob has very little mane left, no feathers and a toilet brush for tail, it looks horrible, he has bad malanders on his front legs so therefore has no feathers on all four legs as these were clipped off due to vet advice. Any advice would be great, he has been checked for feather mites. Any products I can use on these areas to stop the itch?

Bath in a no itch shampoo - lots on the market. A good sweet itch rug - which needs to be washed weekly. Good fly mask - Horseware. Daily or twice daily- apply lotions and potions. You need to try a range. No Rub on mane and tail is good because it doesn't make the mane greasy. Biteback products are good. Netex Summer Freedom cream - use a sponge or skin gets too greasy.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Try piriton?