Itchy horse

[Hormonal Filly]

My mare is clipped, but when I take her rug off she’s been very itchy. Both sides, over her back, sides.

She is mild sweet itch but she hasn’t been itching her neck or head which is the usually her worst areas for that.

She has been on alfalfa for over a year now although never had itchiness like this before, same as the micronised linseed.

Any ideas? Any other itchy horses? She isn’t too hot in her rug.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My cob had been fed ForagePlus Winter balancer, then their Summer balancer, then we started Winter Balancer again last November, both versions contain linseed. Cob started having itchy legs, hair falling out sore bald patches on legs, looked like mud fever but pasterns were fine. We gave her extra linseed per FP directions, skin started bleeding - like eczema sometimes does. We stopped all linseed. Legs started to clear up.

 

[Surbie]

My cob had been fed ForagePlus Winter balancer, then their Summer balancer, then we started Winter Balancer again last November, both versions contain linseed. Cob started having itchy legs, hair falling out sore bald patches on legs, looked like mud fever but pasterns were fine. We gave her extra linseed per FP directions, skin started bleeding - like eczema sometimes does. We stopped all linseed. Legs started to clear up.

FP are bringing out a version without linseed soon - am looking forward to trying it. I don't have the itch issues so much, but mice turn my horse's poo into shrapnel looking for the seeds.

 

[Cowpony]

My mare gets itchy with anything containing soya. She was fine with Calm and Condition......until she suddenly wasnt!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

My mare gets itchy with anything containing soya. She was fine with Calm and Condition......until she suddenly wasnt!

Ahh. My mare is definitely soya sensitive, in summer I tried her on a sample feed with soya in and she was itchy mad. She isn’t quite that bad this time but a bit itchy.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Ahh. My mare is definitely soya sensitive, in summer I tried her on a sample feed with soya in and she was itchy mad. She isn’t quite that bad this time but a bit itchy.

I would suspect both the linseed and the alfalfa and stop feeding them both. If you want to reintroduce them, give it a few weeks and then reintroduce a small amount of one of them and monitor carefully for at least 2 weeks before trying the other one.

 

[Jambarissa]

Is the clip recent? Any chance its grazed her skin? That would make her itch and will resolve itself soon enough.

Agree with above, feed might be an issue and easy enough to try without.

You could try jock itch powder to give her some temporary relief.

When anyone raises itching I feel the need to point out that it is a sign of liver damage after a horse on my yard being treated for everything going before getting a blood test. If it goes on a while do consult vet.