People who own sweet itch sufferers

H

hairymolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2008
Messages
931
Visit site
Hi folks

I was told when I bought me new ned that she had mild sweet itch, was just wondering if anyone elses horse/ponio has started to show symptoms yet?
 
Oh yes, if you have a sweetitch sufferer then you need to start dealing with it now. I have used various ideas to try to help mine and if he's getting anything internally I start to does him in February. You need to build up the immunity or deterrent before the midges start to appear.
A lot of people swear by fly rugs, but they aren't practical in my field, and my pony loses hair around the seams, under his legs etc, because he gets sweaty in the rug. So currently we're on Global Herbs Fly Free, a home-made fly repellant that includes diluted Dettol, and Nettex 3-day fly repellant. If he rubs a bit I treat it immediately with Nettex Stop Itch pink cream. He gets a little bit rubbed in his mane and tail each year, but touch wood we manage to control it enough.
 
hi

my boy has it this will be my first time owning him through a summer.

since i had him he has been on d itch and i am due to get some brewers yeast delivered on fri :)

i have noticed that he has started to rub his tail but only a little so i have used fly spray on it and benzobenznate (can't spell to save my life lol)
 
I have been treating it, she gets yeast and magnesium in her feed and she has been getting that since I git her seven weeks ago. She has also been wearing her fly rug/snuggy hood for about a month and I have been applying nettex itch relief stuff. So far touch wood she dosent seem to be itchy and Im not sure if its because of what I have been doing or because its too early.

I am slightly worried that I will go up one day and she will have rubbed her self raw as all the wee critters have magically appeared. Sorry im new to this sweetitch business.
 
We had mare with sweet itch and hers actually went when we stopped allowing sugar in her diet! We stopped the sugar for other reasons, but got the end of sweet itch as a side effect, we were amazed, but wondered what the old boys who called it that knew that we have all forgotten.
 
My ex's dad has a horse that has really bad sweet itch, and this time last year, well maybe a bit further into the summer, he was raw. (Now, sorry for getting technical, but my ex's now fiancee, is a journalist, and she did an article about this guy in northern ireland. He sent her products that he sells, to try, on the condition that if it worked, she'd do an article). Botanica.ie she got a wash and a cream, used every few days, and i saw it with my own eyes, within 2 weeks, not only was he no longer raw, his hair was growing back. Have a look and see!! He didnt even have the rug on.
 
my heavy used to get it REALLY bad... He used to rub himself raw and become dangerous to handle... A big heavy horse rearing with front legs abovemy head so he could break away and go to a tree to itch.... Fly rugs lasted a day if we were lucky a nd no amount of over the counter or prescription products would even touch it. We had him on steroids at one point.... Have you ever tried to give ur horse 50tablets everyday for weeks????? Eventually a new thing... Immunotherapy..... A reall life saver he now lives happily with no rugs and TOUCHWOOD isnt itchy.... He even lives with unfenced trees!!!! It suprising tho wat can make them itchy as well as the classic midge my heavy is allergic to
Five types of grass
Five types of weed
Oats
Sugarbeet
Carrots
And much much more but i cba to list it all!!!

Sorry not really relevant to ur post but i would have thought he would have shown signs of itching by now as there are loads of midges around since we had all that rain last weekend! Keep a close eye though as he may not just be allergic to midges and may get itchy as different pollens start to come out. X
 
Sometimes moving a horse to a different district can make a difference, possibly because the horse has moved away from allergens other than midges (see moodymares post above) or has moved to a more exposed/windier area.
 
My Andalusian has sweetitch (mild) I tried every potion invented to no avail, tried immunotherapy but that was unsuccessful (he was allergic to loads of types of grass, nettles, wheat etc and the sweetitch midge) then bought him a Snuggy Hoods Sweetitch top to toe cover and since then he's never looked back. I dont even buy any fly spray. His rug goes on early march and comes off when the midges have gone! You would never know he has it. A tip for anyone that doesnt know already is dont in any way shape or form give a sweetitch sufferer garlic, having sweetitch makes the immune system go in to overdrive and the addition of garlic only accesserbates the problem! Garlic helps repel flies but not midges!
 
I have two cobs both bad sufferers from sweetitch.

Over the last 12 years we have tried virtually everything apart from steroids. What works for us is rugging. We always used Boetts but being cobs they were always tearing each others and I was forever sewing. They now wear Rambo hoodies and masks with homemade ears !.

Electric fencing is essential and skin so soft oil for their sheaths. It is very manageable and both of my boys are very relaxed and chilled during the midge season. Stabling was a complete no no, they just rubbed on the walls, drinkers, door frames etc.

Last year I bought a really cheap fly rug for about £30 in the sales, I think its a shires, its worked a treat as a spare, in fact my welshy hasn't had his Rambo rug on yet as the temporary rug is doing the job and is very lightweight.
 
My horse suffers really badly all over her body, but if you horse is only mild it will probably only effect mane & tail. Prevention is the only way, we bath our mare in march using a very gentle shampoo, we get it from
www.sweet-itch.co.uk & then put her boett blanket & hood on, completely swear by it. We have had her for 18 years & have spent £1000's on differnt lotions & potions over the years but have found covering up & the earlier the better works the best. We use udder cream on any exposed areas & use vaseline & baby oil on any area she starts to rub.

Boetts are very expensive & if you only need to protect the mane & tail you can probably get away with a normal fly rug, masta do a good one that has an elasticated neck peice so when they are grazing there are no exposed bits. But if they have already started itching they may carry on rubbing & thats when you get destroyed rugs as they are already itchy underneath thats why you need to catch it early.
 
I have recently bought a hairy, and am paranoid that she has sweetitch - she started rubbing her withers and tail on the gate a lot when turned out. I have now put her on feedmark equidermis, and the rubbing has stopped completely. I have also purchased ten bottles of Avon Skin so Soft, as it was half price last month :)
 
hi, my youngster suffered from terrible sweetitch in her second summer, it was also very sudden as became very itchy and seeped yellow serum within 2 weeks. this year she has been wearing a pagony rug (like the boett, but cheaper!) and a mask since early march. she also has a good helping of garlic in her feeds which she has all year round. this has helped her dramaticly and hasnt shown any signs of sweetitch this year! :) she has also lived out 24/7 since early april.
 
my poor poor horse was going mad in his stable today i thought the wall was going to come down he was itching so much.

i have the brewers yeast coming on friday and a girl at the yard today told me that neem oil is amazing you buy it on ebay so that is another thing i am going to do. i have had him on d itch since last year but i think maybe i should up his dose what do you think.

bless them its not fair for them to be so sad :mad:
 
I know a couple of people who swear by feeding a marmite sandwich every morning, applying Avon's Skin so Soft as a midge repellent (which I completely agree with, it's fab) or if not that the Cooper's Fly Repellent plus, wearing a good fly rug, and applying cold strong black tea to stop itching on the mane and tail. Plus, not turning out at dawn and dusk and away from river etc. Good luck! xx
 
I forgot the marmite, mine has his own squeezy marmite and licks it off my hand.
If your horse is itching all over don't forget to consider mites or lice...
Mine also has no Alfalfa in his diet, and no sugars. Carrots are banned.
 
I use Boett rug and mask, and she's a sort of happy mare. Just remember Sweet-itch gets worse over the years as their immune system starts breaking down and when the midges are really bad don't try and ride said horse as they will rub you off at the next convenitant rubbing post, tree,car
which comes first:p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top