Recommendations for sweet itch rugs

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Walrus

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Hello,

Please could get any feedback, good or bad, regarding sweet itch rugs and how people have found them this summer.

I have my lad in a Derby House fly rug which has been ok for his mild SI up until the last 3 weeks when it's all gone to pot and he has bites everywhere , even under the rug. I've been reading and realised that what I seem to need is a specialist SI rug which is tightly woven enough that the midgies can't get through. So I'm thinking about investing in one especially so I will have one in time for the start of the season next year. The Boett is mega-expensive, is it worth the money? Or are there others I should consider? Pony is a wide fell pony with a big mane (hopefully!) so I need one that will suit a big shouldered and necked pony and one that will fit his mane in and not rub it off! Also, he is a warm little person and sweats very easily so one that keeps them a bit cool would be ideas.

Any recommendations (or warnings) welcome.

Thanks

:)
 
I swear by the Sweet Itch Hoody. I even have my non-sweet itchers in them as they are so durable - even though they cost double the price of a normal fly rug, they last much longer - I've had 3 seasons out of mine. Look on E bay etc - we've had them much cheaper from there. They are cooler than they look in hot weather too. All of my horses are good middleweights with plenty of shoulder. Our lightweight cob pony does rub half his mane out with it though, but better than rubbing his mane out due to sweet itch sores. The other two don't lose any mane hair - the rug has a lining to prevent it.. The pony does have a lovley crested neck though.
 
Thank you - is that the Rambo Hoody? I've been eyeing them up as I've seen one on a horse on the yard who is also quite big in the neck area. :)
 
Snuggyhoods, Very much like the boett but much cheaper and they have them half price at moment. I ordered 1 on Tuesday and got it Thursday. Well worth the money. Nose to tail coverage with a tail wrap and tail flap!!
 
My Fell pony has SI and she lives in a Premier Equine rug!! I have to say she did have a Rambo hoody which is still usable after 4 years but is now a spare. PE is favourite because of the price but the Rambo is handy as a waterproof liner can go in - great for Spring & Autumn. The Boetts & Snuggy Hoods are all very well but I found them such a faff to put on and take off, ok if you've got all the time in the world!!!
 
Depends on how bad the sweet itch is.
My mare is really bothered by it and unfortunately only the boett will do. It has to be that fabric to prevent the midge bites. That said if its not that bad as others have said there are cheaper alternatives.

They are extremely expensive and it pained me to buy 2 but fortunately my insurance company are paying out.

Tbh by the time you waste money trying others its worth just going for the boett - sorry probably not the answer you wanted!
 
Rambo Sweet itch hoody. They are brilliant. I've got two wearing them. My dartmoor has a good neck and a huge amount of mane and it doesn't rub the mane out at all. My big old girl has a bit of weedy neck and a pulled mane and hers rubs out slightly. They are really good quality and last for years. We also had a pony in a Boett which prevented his sweet itch but he did get hot in it and it was more hassle getting it on and off than the hoody.
 
luckyhorseshoe said:
Depends on how bad the sweet itch is.
My mare is really bothered by it and unfortunately only the boett will do. It has to be that fabric to prevent the midge bites. That said if its not that bad as others have said there are cheaper alternatives.

They are extremely expensive and it pained me to buy 2 but fortunately my insurance company are paying out.

Tbh by the time you waste money trying others its worth just going for the boett - sorry probably not the answer you wanted!
Click to expand...

have to agree withe above post
boet is the only one thats works for one of our SI horses
 
I havent tried any of the other rugs other than the Boett....I bought 2 rugs (plus hoods) about 6 years ago (when they were a little bit cheaper!) and both rugs (touch wood) are still going even though there are a few patches here and there! I have had to replace the mesh on the hoods about 3 times now but that is in part cos he wears a muzzle and that seems to damage the mesh on the sides...

He has quite severe SI so I dont know whether the other rugs would be as effective as the Boett....my thoughts at the time of buying them was by the time I have bought cheaper ones and find that they dont work, and then have to buy the boett wasnt worth it.....but as a previous poster has mentioned, it would dep on how severe your horses SI is.......good luck with it - I hope you find a rug that works for you and your horse......
 
My friend has a pony who has had quite severe SI all his life.

She used boetts for years but couple years ago tried the rambo hoody and now won't use anything else.

Much easier to put on,safer (he had a couple of 'incidents' in the boett getting caught on fence and pulling over his head and nearly suffocating him!!) and cooler for the pony and his SI has actually been better this year than ever,although that could just be coinicidence or other factors of course.
 
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