Paddocks near woods and midges / itchiness.

[doonrocket]

Does anyone have experience of keeping their horses in paddocks next to woods. Are midges worse in this environment and is sweet itch worse in this kind of grazing?

 

[marmalade76]

My ponies are in a woody area and the midges are quite bad. My sec B rubbed her tail quite a lot (although not raw) so last summer I gave her brewer's yeast ina bit of hifi and the rubbing has almost stopped.

 

[WandaMare]

We live near woods and I think a higher than average number of horses suffer with various skin issues.

My neighbour is closer to the woods than I am and both of hers wear sweet itch rugs virtually all year. One of mine rubs badly and wears a sweet itch rug and my other was not an itchy horse in the slightest when I first got her but now she does a lot of tail rubbing in the summer months. I go through bucket loads of various gels and lotions trying to keep them comfortable....

 

[doonrocket]

It's fairly midgy where they are now - quite low lying with lots of water and my chestnuts end up with a little rub under their forlocks. Open to any ideas to reduce the effects, What about horse flies - are they more prevalent?

 

[Foxhunter49]

Try a solution of Neem oil, mix 5 ml Neem with 3 ml of shampoo and make up with 1 L of hot water and swab that over the horses. Keeps flies and midges away.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

My yard is right next door to a woods and last year was the worst I've ever known for flies. It was horrific, not midges, proper big fat buzzers, massive clouds of them. All my 4 horses ended up with eye infections despite them wearing fly masks. Good shout re the Neem oil!!