Just a strange oddity!

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KikiDee

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I have always been allergic to my horse, I have had him pretty much his whole life (he's 30 now) and I have always been allergic to him. It's only his saliva I seem to be allergic to and when he nuzzles/licks me I will come out in a hot, itchy rash and hives. It's not a problem, I've learned to live with it 😁 and the rash subsides after a couple of hours.

But I am not allergic to my other horse, or any other horse I have owned or encountered in the last nearly 40 years!

He also has sweet-itch, so I've always been curious if there is some sort of connection. I've never encountered another horse with sweet-itch that wanted to lick me so I could test the theory 😅

I'm just curious really what people's thoughts are. Is there some sort of connection with sweet-itch and why I have a similar immune response to his own saliva? It's an oddity!
 
That's really odd isnt it!
I'm the same and its only with certain horses, I *think i build immunity to individual horses after time to a small extent. I couldn't come and brush your horse without reacting but I can brush my own. Saliva wise I always get hives and itchy horrible skin. Holding my mare for the back lady is the worst as she nuzzles and grooms me back for an hour 🤣 I look like Ive fallen in a nettle patch by the end.
I also struggle clipping and avoid doing so if possible.
I used to work in racing and did notice I was more allergic to grey horses.
I have never noticed if there is any difference between horses with allergies themselves though.
 
poiuytrewq said:
That's really odd isnt it!
I'm the same and its only with certain horses, I *think i build immunity to individual horses after time to a small extent. I couldn't come and brush your horse without reacting but I can brush my own. Saliva wise I always get hives and itchy horrible skin. Holding my mare for the back lady is the worst as she nuzzles and grooms me back for an hour 🤣 I look like Ive fallen in a nettle patch by the end.
I also struggle clipping and avoid doing so if possible.
I used to work in racing and did notice I was more allergic to grey horses.
I have never noticed if there is any difference between horses with allergies themselves though.
Click to expand...

Interesting! he is dun so maybe I should get up close and personal with my friends dun horse to see if I have the same reaction? 😄

It's just so strange, I have worked on yards and handled 40+ horses every day and had no issue, but my own who I have had all these years I am super allergic to 🤷‍♀️
 
poiuytrewq said:
That's really odd isnt it!
I'm the same and its only with certain horses, I *think i build immunity to individual horses after time to a small extent. I couldn't come and brush your horse without reacting but I can brush my own. Saliva wise I always get hives and itchy horrible skin. Holding my mare for the back lady is the worst as she nuzzles and grooms me back for an hour 🤣 I look like Ive fallen in a nettle patch by the end.
I also struggle clipping and avoid doing so if possible.
I used to work in racing and did notice I was more allergic to grey horses.
I have never noticed if there is any difference between horses with allergies themselves though.
Click to expand...

Ive got a mild allergy to cats but have built up immunity to mine. Other people’s will make my eyes itchy and nose snotty but I’m totally fine with my own.
 
KikiDee said:
I have always been allergic to my horse, I have had him pretty much his whole life (he's 30 now) and I have always been allergic to him. It's only his saliva I seem to be allergic to and when he nuzzles/licks me I will come out in a hot, itchy rash and hives. It's not a problem, I've learned to live with it 😁 and the rash subsides after a couple of hours.

But I am not allergic to my other horse, or any other horse I have owned or encountered in the last nearly 40 years!

He also has sweet-itch, so I've always been curious if there is some sort of connection. I've never encountered another horse with sweet-itch that wanted to lick me so I could test the theory 😅

I'm just curious really what people's thoughts are. Is there some sort of connection with sweet-itch and why I have a similar immune response to his own saliva? It's an oddity!
Click to expand...
So he's allergic to midge saliva, and you're allergic to horse saliva.
I wonder what's allergic to your saliva...

edit - I suggest you don't go round licking people to find out!
 
I’m allergic to horses as well (and dogs and cats) good job we have all of them!
I definitely have a bigger reaction to my mare that has sweet itch than any of the others, I think it’s because she has a more scurfy coat than the others, I don’t let her lick me, she’s more inclined to use teeth instead 😳
 
I'm not allergic to horses so can't really say too much about that. However, if you're ever in my area, I do have a horse with sweet itch that'll probably lick you if given the chance. My mare (not the same horse) will definitely lick you if possible. Not sure why, have never met a horse who licks human as much as her. You're welcome to try them if you'd like.
 
If I rode on my boy with sweet itch and he got sweaty and I let my hands rest on his sweaty neck when riding my hands would come out in pompholyx for some reason. Only noticed it with him although I also got it from newsprint if my hands were sweaty reading the paper.
 
I also have this, and come out in a rash from horse saliva and sweat. Come to think of it, it hasn't happened with the new boy but did with previous lad - neither have sweet itch.
The Shetland has SI and I haven't reacted to him.
Presumed I had built up resistance, but now realise it is just horse specific
 
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