Itchy Cob

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Hi i have just joined and just wondered if anyone had any tips for my itchy cob.

I have had him nearly a year and when i got him he had a full mane and feathers which i have taken off with scissors as he was very scabby under the feathers. His legs are now quite good as i keep the feathers off and use pig oil & sulpher. However he isn't keen on me trying to use the clippers to take his feathers off. Im not sure if the vibration of the clippers is making him itch? He isn't scared of the clippers as i have clipped his body.

Also in his mane there are small bits almost like the scabs he had on his legs, im not sure if this could be some sort of mite in his mane? There is blood when you pull it off. I keep his mane hogged with scissors as i have the same problem in trying to hog him with the clippers. He is very itchy and as soon as i go to put the clippers on his neck he starts shaking his head and is obviously itchy. I have been using camrosa and that seems to get rid of the scabby bits but he is still itchy. Im not sure if he's trying it on but i would like to try and rule out possible irritations before putting it down to him just messing about!

I don't want to have him sedated which his previous owner did to clip him. However a friend has suggested using 'so calm' just to relax him, has anyone tried this?

Any suggestions will be greatfully received!
 
My cob had feather mites but it only affected her legs, classically they show it by stamping their feet.

I honestly don't know if it would go to other areas but it's possible I guess! I'd get vet out, sedate (fairest way for everyone), clip feathers off short to expose skin and treat. Once the scabby sore bits have gone your horse will be much less sensitive to getting them clipped xx
 
Thanks i will speak to the vet coz i know they can also give the injection for mites or possibly use the spot on flea treatment are other options too.
 
Sounds like mites to me, my cob has exactly the same when I brought him. His legs were that sore he wouldn't let me touch them. I had the vet out and had him injected for them. He stopped itching within days and his legs are healing nicely. He had to have a second one two weeks later. I would highly recommend it.
 
My fell had feather mites and he had the dectomax injection (twice, 10 days apart). It's worked really well so far, I've been treating with pig oil and sulphur weekly as well since then. If I was you and I was getting the vet out for the injection I would also take the opportunity to get him sedated and just clip off everything so you can get right down to the scabs and treat them.
 
Thanks for your suggestions. Do you think that once i hopefully stop him itching in his mane and legs that he will then be ok about me clipping his feathers off and hogging? I just don't want him to have it ingrained that he'll be itchy and therefore he wont let me do it. I really want to get him to a few shows this summer and i can't do that without clipping.

He is quite a nervy person for all his bull in a china shop antics and i have been clicking training him which is how he let me clip his body. Previous owner sedated him. As anyone else had success with clicker training their horses?
 
I couldn't even touch mines legs with my hands, now he let's me brush them. You don't have treat the scabs just have the injection, once they start to heal and your horse stops stamping and scratching just remove the dead skin with a fine tooth comb. You will then be able to clip him.
 
Could be mites, especially if he's kept on straw. I can clip my lad except his legs: he would rather kill me than allow me to clip them, even though I can do everywhere else, including his sheath area.

I recommend a Dectomax injection-about £10, obviously include call out visit on top. It stopped mine itching within a day.

If yours has feather, you have to get the pig oil and sulphur down to the skin, no point in putting it on the top layer of hair only. Funnel in into an empty washing up liquid bottle, squirt on and brush through feather then massage to skin if you can do his legs without him trying to kick the crap out of you like mine does:rolleyes:.
 
Ditto the pig oil and sulphur I use latex gloves and rub in in, also a nice massage for him :D


I have had the injection for my cob I found he got mites 1)when on straw 2)when the summer grass was long 3)if I rode through any fields that were being cut for hay(there is a bridle path nr us that goes round a hay field)
 
Ooh, thank you for posting this. I was thinking about the injections today as my cob has rubbed her leg raw this week but I'm not sure. How long do they last for, are they needed on a regular basis? Are they more effective than double dosing with an ivermectin wormer? Thank you and sorry for jumping into your post.
 
mitey cobs often need full iv sedation to clip the legs off. memory is a long tern thing, and the fastest way to make a horse bad to clip is to take his legs off,.
 
ofcourseyoucan said:
mitey cobs often need full iv sedation to clip the legs off. memory is a long tern thing, and the fastest way to make a horse bad to clip is to take his legs off,.
Click to expand...

and that is why i don't touch his with clippers - he's fab to clip elsewhere would hate to ruin that.

I'm going to add some neem oil to the next batch of pig oil - have patch tested it - as it's good for all small crawly things.
 
My boy has this- def feather mites. He won't let me clip his legs despite being clipped on his body. You'll probably find that he'll never like you clipping his legs- most seem to have very sensitive skin on their legs when they're prone to this. I've had success treating it with frontline and washing his legs with hibiscrub- but I think dectomax will work out cheaper and more effective long term so will be trying this next.

Finn was also itchy on his neck and flanks but this seems to have subsided since I've treated him

Hope this helps :)

R
 
Hello,

I have a traditional cob that has been an itchy cob, and we tried everything and eventually found a few simple "old horsemen" tips that worked a treat, and i hope this will help you ....

Firstly, Pig oil and Sulphur - if your using this your horse will NOT have mites - the reason for this is that mites and lice breath through there skin, and the oil cloggs the pores and suffocates them - hence why we use the oil with the sulphur. The sulphur is a good skin conditioner, so will help to heal the skin. So do keep up with the oil and sulphur.

Feathers - they are there for a reason and i would encourage you to let them grow back, they will protect his legs in the long run.

Along with all that you need to support his system and in turn his skin from the inside - try feeding Linseed oil - the super oil!!
Linseed oil is the only oil to contain both 3 and 6 omega oils (healthy oils) and they will help to support the immune system, support healthy skin and hair growth and commonly it's proven to help with itchiness - comes up recommended in cases of sweet itch.

I feed 2 tablespoons of Linseed oil (I buy mine from Falcon horse feeds as it's £10 cheaper than the NAF one for a 5 liter container) I feed this everyday in my cobs evening feed.

Brewers yeast is another age old supplement and again this is excellent for itchiness - again comes highly recommended for sweet itch and is the active ingreadiant in the vets supplement for sweet itch "Cavalessa".
Brewers yeast contains the B vitimins (it's what also makes up Marmite) and must be fed at the same time everyday as vitimin B only lasts for 24hrs in the system.
Brewers yeast is great for fending of flys as it leaches through the skin making your horse smell like a vegtable - to flys that is!!
This is a product that i recommend you introduce gradually, as it does have an aquired taste.

I've been feeding these simple supplements to my cob for a while now, and he is itch free at last - no mites, no injections, no vets bills and one happy healthy cob!!

I hope that is of help to you and anyone with an itchy horse, and also provides a refreashing approch to remeidies compared to the usual.
 
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