Sweet itch and clipping

[Kezza]

Does anyone have any experience of clipping a sweet itch sufferer all year round, good or bad? For both mild sweet itch sufferers and severe? I've been told by previous owner that my new boy suffers mildly and he's had 2 clips over winter but is looking like he's gonna be a course haired beast (he's Welsh) so I'm considering clipping him again but don't want to make him more prone to itching when the midges come out. I'll prob use a fly rug regardless.

 

[debby1]

HIs coat should give him a bit of a barrier between the midges and his skin, so wouldn't clip him just to help his sweet itch, but if you need to clip for other reasons sweet itch shouldn't stop you

 

[easypeasy]

my friend has a pony with sweetitch that lived out all year last year with no ruggs and didn't rub at all! Theres a American fly spray called Tritec 14 now in britain that keeps on the hair for up to two weeks and stops the midges going anywhere near the pony. her pony has sensitive skin too from years of scratching and didn't have any reaction to it. Gonna get some for my horses just as general spray if the flys are bad this summer

 

[Barehooves]

I clip my Shetland who is a servere sufferer in the spring as I find she gets too hot and that makes her itch more, the hair doesn't seem to give any protection. Once she is clipped she is so much happier plus it's easier to see and treat where she is itching. I do use a sweet itch rug too x

 

[daisalph]

I clip my Shetland who is a servere sufferer in the spring as I find she gets too hot and that makes her itch more, the hair doesn't seem to give any protection. Once she is clipped she is so much happier plus it's easier to see and treat where she is itching. I do use a sweet itch rug too x

As long as I get my little boy's lotion on before they start biting - anytime now - I don't have to worry about clipping (I couldn't bear to anyway -he got a gorgeous coat) and I don't use a rug. He has a shelter if he wants and I use biteback sweet itch lotion every day at late afternoon and he stays fine! he's been in full mane and tail for 5years.