Itchy and stressy pony!!! Helpppppp

[chloih]

HEY

I'm new to this but would be super grateful for some tips regarding my pony with sweet itch!

She's a 13.2 native pony, who holds weight very well!!!, yet is moody and itchy. She suffers with sweet itch in the usual mane/tail areas, and this year has developed an itchy face.

I currently feed her on a small feed of low sugar/calorie chaff and balancer, just with water to get her ration of Oestress in the system to try and sort out the hormones. On bad days she will threaten to kick me, as well as flat back ears and teeth bearing in the field, and is very stubborn to ride. (if anyone has any cheaper suggestions for oestress, i'm all ears!! going through it like water)

I have read that feeding micronised linseed seems to help with sweet itch due to the coat condition properties etc. and doesn't contribute to weight gain?? she definitely doesn't need any more weight! Has anyone tried this with success??
Furthermore, brewers yeast is supposed to be good to help with the coat, as well as the stressy/anxious hormones??!!

She always has a fly rug on throughout summer. I have tried multiple soothing creams yet she is still itching. Biteback seems the most successful at the moment, as she is very sensitive to the smells of certain products (fly sprays are an issue; she also hates the sound of the spray bottle) - anyone had great success with anything?

sorry this is such an essay!! but any advice will be gratefully received i'm nearing wits end.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Take her off the small feed. I bet Oestress has sugar/cereal in some form in it as well. I used to have a mare with SI until I realised that she was intolerant to the feed I was giving her (she seemed to need it because she shivered very easily).

If that is the problem, you will see an improvement within a month.

 

[fatponee]

Hi Chloih

I have a Section C with SI who is also a very good do-er with an itchy face. He is fed NAF Optimum Balancer which doesn't contain molasses, alfalfa or any other baddies, and also has 10 x Ceterizine anti-histamine tablets per day. He wears a Snuggy Hood sweet itch rug, hood and a Horze SI hood which has a mesh veil. I also use Biteback Sweet Relief cream on any sore bits. We seem to be winning the war just about.

Hope that helps?

 

[fatponee]

http://www.naf-equine.eu/uk/products/productDetail.jsp?detail_id=optimum

It also contains linseed oil and brewer's yeast.

 

[chloih]

awesome thanks for the advice guys! will give Optimum a go

 

[DD]

piriton. 10 to 30 a day split into 2 feeds. my vet prescribed this. it has transformed my horses life. I buy it from the vet its only £10 for 500 tablets.