sweet itch remedies :)

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stephstewart158

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heya just wondering if anybody from past experience knows of any sweet itch recipes which i could make and try. i have tried a few but they only seem to work for a short while then he starts itching again! thanks :) :)
 
Hi
heres a thought my shire has had sweet itch for what seems like forever. i've done the rugs, ruggles stuff, garlic and all sorts. So between last year and this year I have stopped her and her mane and tail are coming back. Success (it may not work for yours) was by last year using garlic and Equine America Itchnomore and this year taking her off garlic completely and replacing with NAF D-Itch (bit more expensive but works) and spraying her mane and tail daily with mixed baby oil and water and now she has a beautiful mane coming back and her tail looks amazing.
worth a go
Hope it helps
Gem
 
Remove garlic from feed if on and put a nice big dollop of marmite in feed! Really works for mine, something to do with the yeast! :)
 
I have had incredible results this year from feeding my mare brewers yeast. I started in the winter with a small amount and have built up to 2 60ml scoops, (4 heaped tablespoons). She has been "naked" for the first time in the 4 years I have owned her, and has a full mane which I needed to pull the other day and just a tiny amount of rubbing at the top of her tail.
 
i thought garlic helped. also flax oil is ameant to be great. whats best rug for this time of year, for a horse out 24/7 waterproof and keep flies away with out being too warm.
 
Depends on the horse. Garlic can actually worsen the allergic reaction as it causes blood vessels to widen, and circulation to increase so the "allergic chemicals" spread round the body more.

I would choose micronised linseed over the flax oil (flax = linseed) but you can lose the omega 3&6 fatty acids (important part) during process of oil making.

I use the weatherbeeta summer sheet combo (white with green check and ripstop). She is dry under it despite it being wet though its not meant to be a turnout! Or look at the rambo sweet itch hoods - you can buy detachable waterproof liners for them :)
 
Re. Garlic. I've been told to avoid feeding it to a sweet itch sufferer, as basically garlic does something to stimulate the immune system - and sweet itch is basically the immune system going into overdrive i.e. reacting to the (cullicoides midge bite) allergen. So if you feed garlic, the "science" is that this will do what you basically don't want to happen, i.e. stimulate the immune system. Although its probably good for horses who don't have sweet itch to keep flies etc away.

I feed mine Brewers Yeast; plus Cider Vinegar, and Linseed (oil), also a small scoop of Seaweed. This year, he's been out during the daytime with his Rambo sweet itch hoody rug on which (miraculously!) he hasn't trashed (yet!!). I have left his flymask off quite a lot this year, and have found that Killitch applied twice a day seems to keep midges etc away, so well worth doing as he does get very hot under his mask and that starts him off itching again. I've also used it a few times, occasionally, when I've noticed he's rubbed his tail.

We did try the Pagony rug on him; but unfortunately he was away at livery a few years ago and somehow got himself tied up in it - now he's not too keen on it, especially as you have to put it on over the head. Personally if I was buying this type of rug I'd go for the Boett rather than the Pagony (which is supposed to be the cheapie version of the Boett, although not made by the same people), as the quality of the Pagony is frankly naff.

The other thing I've recently bought, which is absolutely indepensable and I don't know how I managed without it, is a ride-on fly rug. Think its a "Horseware" one - and once you've got the hang of it, its really easy and quick to put on and off. Brill for riding when the midges/flies are biting, although blimmin horse flies still pitch on it tho'. The bvggers.
 
VLHIEASTON said:
I've tried absolutely everything mentioned here but have found the only thing that works is a Boett rug.
Click to expand...

This (or similar rug)

I have had my sweet itch horse for 12 yrs now and tried everything. The only thing thats works long term is covering up and electric fencing (to stop the rug being trashed).Sweet Itch Salve Complete is great for the bits the rug can't protect but messy.
Coopers Plus Fly Spray is the best I've found.
The location of the field is also something worth considering. The best thing I ever did for my boy is move him to an exposed field:)
 
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