Scrubbing tail, how to stop it?

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myfatpony

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My pony scratches and scrubs his tail (and sometimes his mane) like billio. He hasn't got sweet itch and it only really is a huge problem in the summer as in winter hes rugged up so his tail isnt scrubbed out. I've tried fly spray, bathed and washed him in a few different shampoos and he still does it.

Anyone have a solution? I'm debating about supplements as knowing my luck i'll spend loads of money on one and it won't work, but does anyone know of one that REALLY works?

:o
 
Have to agree it sounds like sweet itch to me if he is rubbing mane and tail.
If it was just his tail I would be thinking worms? Maybe pinworms?
 
My lot are constant money pits but wouldn't be without them :)
iv also got a yearling who's started rubbing his tail and mane out at any chance in the field. So next year it's rug time which has really annoyed me tbh as he's so young it's a dam shame but he's with me for life so will cope with what he chucks at me.
 
Mine's got sweet itch and your symptoms sounds very similar to it: i.e. summer months only.

What I'd do is to get some mild shampoo such as (supermarket) Tea Tree Oil and wash his tail in that & rinse thoroughly, then when its dry get a sponge or something like a hairbrush and brush/sponge in some Killitch into his dock area. What I do is to lift the hair and apply against the growth, if you see what I mean, in order to get the solution onto the skin.

Killitch is a brand name - you can also use Benzyl Benzoate which will be cheaper; its just that I always use Killitch. You can get it from places like tack shops, farmers shops, or on-line.

For a day or two I'd apply twice a day and see how that goes; but would deffo get a fly/sweet itch rug for another year (tip! - you can often get them in the sales now, whereas come March next year they'll be double the price, IF you can get one anywhere).

The other thing you could do, additive-wise, is to feed linseed and Brewers Yeast. IF there's any doubt whether its sweet itch or not, then do not feed Garlic, coz what Garlic does is to kick-start the immune system; and if the horse HAS got sweet itch (which is the immune system over-reacting to the cullicoides midge bite) then garlic will only make it worse. I think that's the science anyway!

Also, for sweet itch, I've heard that Clivers is good (the sticky stuff that grows in hedgerows) - horses will pick it out of hedgerows.

Personally I think as far as brand-name supplements are concerned they're a total waste of money - I've been there, done it with them.
 
If it works after a few days should i continue to do that or should i reduce the ammount of times i wash it and use the Killitch?
Thank you :)
 
myfatpony said:
If it works after a few days should i continue to do that or should i reduce the ammount of times i wash it and use the Killitch?
Thank you :)
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Sounds like sweet itch my lad rubbed his tail and mane off last year and in the space of a few hours!!! suddenly started and then never stopped ... You have to use something before it starts!!! once the skin is damaged and they feel sore and ichy alot of things make make the iching worse including benzo bezalate this year I ve been using
a fly spray with premithin in it, coopers is one but there are also others with this in it..do not use ANY OTHER!!!! forget deet or other formulations non are worth a dam and a waste of money .... useing a premithin based fly spray no problems so far ..... Its got to kill midges other wise they get into the mane and tail and in some equines cause a reaction which causes the pony or horse to sweet itch.....
 
My mare rubs her tail and makes it look like a bog brush! It's definately not sweet itch (had the vet to check and it's only her tail) and we have found the only way to stop her doing it is to pull her tail with a rake. We do it once a month at least and after we bathe it. This has completely stopped the itching and she now has a nice pretty tail which doesn't look scruffy! Just a thought :)

If he doesn't rub it when he wears a rug in winter then try a fly sheet/sweet itch rug.
 
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