Itchy horses, clipping and neck rugs... thoughts?

[Gingernags]

For a few years I've had "issues" with Asti being VERY itchy. We've de-loused her though she didn't have lice, all rugs have ben cleaned, she's had Ivermectin wormers etc and we've never found the cause. She was grazed at one point opposite a chicken farm and there was a possibility of mites, but nothing ever found.

Its turned out to be very simple as it happens. When she was younger and clipped in winter and turned out, she never had a neck in her rugs. Well, we just didn't have neck covers then!

But now, being a soft owner and liking keeping her clean, she has a combo turnout rug and a seperate neck one. She comes in from the field and you have to fight to get the rug off before she throws herself on her haynet for a mad scratch of her neck and shoulders.

So I put her out in a standard neck rug all last week and

itches are now gone. All this time thinking it was mites or something and its not, she just doesn't like neck covers! She doesn't overheat in them but I think she just hates things round her neck.

Does anyone else have this? I know we never used to have neck covers, and maybe they are for softies, but I feel guilty if she's out in rain or snow with a full clip but only a standard neck rug...

My only other thought is for really wet days, get a heavyweight turnout with a standard neck, but buy the summer weight neck cover - ie no lining - to make sure its as thin as possible.

Or do I just let her neck get wet and cold? After all she's only out during the day at the moment...

 

[dressagespain]

I'd Let her get wet. Sounds like it irritates her. I mean if you think about it, some humans don't like roll neck jumpers!!

 

[Gingernags]

PMSL - I'm one of them!!! Can't believe we didn't click before that it was neck covers!

 

[dressagespain]

LOL!! Dunno It was just a guess, never used a neck cover before - bit too warm out here!!

 

[pottamus]

I would let her get on with it without a neck on as she is obviously so much happier. I bet she is not even bothered about having a wet neck...it will be you that worries!!!!!

 

[rcm_73]

Hmmm I've had a similar problem this year..my mare is MEGA itchy when her rug is removed, she has some v small lesions on her neck (tiny, would be hard to see if she wasn't clipped) so had the vet out and vet said possibility of ringworm from the nearby cows, so am treating for ringworm and have also started feeding d-itch supplement, as the days go on she doesn't seem to be as itchy.

 

[Tempi]

When i take Blossy and Archies rugs off to groom them in the evenings they both love having their manes scratched. The neck rugs must make them a bit itchy. Altho they dont ever want to scratch in the stable when they have them on, and they wont try and scratch once ive taken them off, they just like me scratching them!!