MITES!

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HaffiesRock

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Now I don't know much about mites so any advice is appreciated.

A new filly came onto the yard about a month ago. It was straight off its mum and very nervous, so was kept in a stable away from all the horses. It took a couple of weeks before anyone could get near enough to it to notice it had mites.

The horse has never been in contact with any other horse, nor has it been within 100 meters of one. But last night the yard owner said 3 other horses had mites, one of which is a mare in my mares field. Each horse in a different field.

How do mites spread? How did the other horses get them to start with? The girl who owns the filly rides another gelding but he isnt affected? The mare with mites is stabled next to my friends gelding and across from my mare? All the affected horses have been clipped and bathed in something the yard owner gave them and the vets coming out today.

Is my mare at risk? If so what am I looking for? where do they like to live? The yard owner checked her over, mane, coat and legs and said shes clear?

How do you get rid of them if she does get them?

Thanks
 
They spread really easily although I don't think it's licensed fir horses the best , easiest and quickest way to get rid of them is with frontline spray make sure you do rugs , headcollers and anything else that comes into contact with the horse, such as brushes ! Good luck hope you don't get any on you because they are grim!
 
Are you sure it's mites & not lice? Mites are extremely difficult to see with the naked eye. I friend of mine brought a foal which was covered in them all over her coat and in her mane and tail. My hairy cob has been treated for mites but they were never all over only in his feathers.
 
As above, mites can spread but generally stay on the legs, sometimes the face and on rare occasions will move up to the belly.

There are two types of mites that cause skin irritation of the legs – the chorioptic mange mite and harvest mites. The most common cause of itching and foot stamping is the chorioptic mange mite. Low numbers of mites are present in many horses, but they generally cause little or no irritation.

In a small proportion of horses mites are carried in higher numbers and cause crusting. Irritation can range from occasional foot-stamping to severe self-trauma with the horse chewing and rubbing its legs.

Harvest mites can cause a sudden onset of severe itching and crusting on the legs and face of grazing horses. It usually occurs in late summer or autumn and it is the larval stages that can be an opportunist infector of equine skin.

In heavily feathered breeds it is most likely to be due to the presence of the chorioptic mange mite. The mites live on the surface of the skin and feed on the skin cells. They are too small to be seen with the naked eye and can only be detected by examination of skin scrape under the microscope.

This problem can occur at any point in the year, but mites seem to more active in the autumn and winter months.

Harvest mites are bright orange in appearance and, although tiny, can be seen with the naked eye. They drop off after a day or two, but the crusting and extreme itching persists; so, unless examined in the early stages, the mites may not be detected.

If you want a copy of the very long email I do, please pm me with an email address and I will send you the note about how to deal with mites and keeping hairy horses legs in good health and show condition.
 
As the others have said they are using the wrong terminology. Sounds like lice which can spread very quickly but some powder should sort them out. Should be the protocol for new horses to be honest.
 
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