Managing sweetitch - tips and advice please!

J

Jericho

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2008
Messages
2,568
Visit site
Hi all - I have just taken a 22 year old pony on who has sweetitch. Its not bad in that he has both his tail and mane in tact (at the moment!) but his old owners said he is fine as long as he has his fly rug and hood on 24/7. I was hoping for some advice/ tips as I really would like to get him rug free at some point during a 24 hr period but hoping for prevention rather than sorting out sore rubs. I am petrified that if I leave his rug off one bite will start him off (even though I cant see how the rug will stop it as surely the flies can bite his tummy / legs?!!?) and he will rub him self raw in an hour! Can he avoid wearing it during hours of darkness/ very early morning? Is there any particularly good fly spray?

He was on Happy hoof but have changed his diet to a mollasses/alfafa free diet with pink powder senior, minerals balanced to our grazing, linseed and kwik beet to moisten. He is out 24/7, on track system with good grass from 6pm - 7am overnight and in starvation paddock with big field shelter with hay in during the day.

What else can i feed him to help?

Would regular washing with specialist shampoo help? He seems to particularly rub his chest and neck area and he looks scurfy in this area and is having a little trouble shedding his coat in this area (maybe due to his age).

Unfortunately during the day he will have lots of places to rub on - gates, sheds and field shelter so although I have electified round the edges of the paddock I cant do everywhere.

Any tips / advice greatly appreciated ( i have done some research already but often its useful to hear from people managing horses with it here and now!) Many thanks
 
We found with our boy he could go without his fly rug during the day on breezy/cooler days in an open field- the midges tend to be worse on still days or in wet areas, and at dawn and dusk.
Also found tea tree shampoo is good, don't want to bath too often or you'll take out the natural oils in their coat, but tea tree is a natural cleanser/ antiseptic and fly repellant so all good!
Benzyl benzoate (think thats how you spell it!) is very good, you can buy it on its own, or I use killitch which has that as its active ingredient.
I know some people have had success with feed supplements but never tried it myself, I used to add garlic to the feed but don't think it made that much of a difference to mine.
If the can scratch on something try and make it as smooth as possible with rounded edges- I found a huge improvement to my horses mane when he was at a yard where he had rounded metal door frames rather than wood or brick.
Basically just experiment and see what works for you, good luck :)

And get a really, really good fly spray- although expensive I have found phaser to be brilliant (just don't get it in your eyes- trust me!!)
 
i used to use a full fly rug and every night or every couple of days i would use dermoline sweet itch lotion to sooth then a would put vasaline on any cuts or sore spots to help as a barrier so isnt wasnt as sensative. i would also try to use a special shampoo every month and a good scrub. my old meggi had it horrificly it was very bad and this seemed to help. i would also look at herbal products that may ease itching not sure if it will help but its worth a try. also aloe vera gel or cream is good to help wounds heal hope this helps
 
Firstly well done for taking on a older horse :) honestly this forum is full off PTS older horses who get passed on so well done.

Tbh iv found while my sweetitch lad is out he MUST be rugged but I bring in during the day and take his rugs off and cream/spray up and this works for him.

If your minerals are balanced to his grazing I really wouldn't be feeding pink powder senior, save your money and u could out balance things!

Also just on the side off causion, as he's still holding his coat a bit and at his age, watch the grass! It could be mild sign off cushings etc so just watch out for lammi.

And once again well done for taking on a older, iv also done it and there ARE good homes out there :)
 
Apparently a sandwich with marmite on it ?! A woman at my yard has a cob who get very itchy and she swears by it! Seemingly it comes out of their pores? Dont know if there is any truth in it! And also, avon- skin so soft.
Good Luck!
 
Tbh, I would keep the rug on 24/7 where possible.
My girls only comes off when ridden. But even then she can get bitten and the itchy cycle can start.
Google Boett and the sweetitch site should come up, all the info on there is really helpful.

I find mine is better when not in the stable, otherwise she will stand there and rub all day long!

I also use kill itch.

Managed in the right way sweet itch isn't as bad as you might think - my mare has a full mane and table. Only bit she has rubbed is around her forelock but I find that area hard to cover up - she regularly takes masks off!
 
It's all about trial and error. I keep a flyrug on 24/7 (unless working) and he lives out as I find he will rub if he's indoors. No trees to scratch on in the field and the electric tape has plenty of zap to deter him from rubbing on the wooden posts.

I don't know which is working this year as we have a right combination - Alfalfa free diet (as I read that it can lead to itchiness in some horses), Brewers Yeast, SI rug and flymask with ears (both washed regularly), KillItch every other day, Itch Stop cream alternate days, plenty of flyspray and a weekly shampoo in Barrier Anti-Itch shampoo.

He also still has a bit of winter coat to lose so he gets a good grooming every day to help it.

So far this year we've been okay but I find that he usually gets worse around August - perhaps I become complacent and ease off the protection.

Good luck with finding what suits your horse.
 
Agree with the above about trial and error. I think it depends on the horse. Some I've heard of need to be rugged constantly, some supplements and repellents work for some while not for others. It's about finding what works for your horse.

My little pony used to suffer (perhaps not as badly as some) but I could never keep his mane and top of his tail intact. I tried lots of supplements, lotions and potions but found that Global Herbs Skratch Plus is a lifesaver! He's a completely different pony and can now be out without a rug. He has a breezy paddock and free access to the stable (which I find better than the field shelter in the other field as the flies and midges don't seem to hang around in there like they did in the field shelter). He's fed Happy Hoof and does really well on this.

Hope you find what works for your pony!
 
after trying absolutely everything on a pony with a horrible case of SI, someone I know tried Z-ITCH lotion, and it worked !!! You can't groom when it's on, but it worked for this poor pony. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top