Sweet-itch Rugs in this hot weather.

[Tracking_up]

Mine is in his Boett Sweet-Itch rug. Brown and obviously tightly woven.

And he's very uncomfortable and hot in it, whilst in today. Had to have a bath to cool him down. (He's in during day and out at night, barn is open and generally cool)

Any recommendations for a lighter/whiter sweet-itch type rug please?

Many thanks

 

[MereChristmas]

My pony wears a Shires sweet itch rug. 2 years ago he almost had heat stroke when wearing it during the day. Shade was available but he didn’t use it. He stood in full sun all day.
Now he is in during the day all summer. I’m never letting him get hot like that again.
I expect like all things some horses will be affected more than others.

 

[smolmaus]

We are using the shires highlander too. I think there was someone (maybe David Marlin? I can't remember) did a study that showed a white rug was better than no rug for hot days and to be fair even though the highlander isn't particularly lightweight, Sadie hasn't been sweatier than either of her two naked companions.

 

[Chippers1]

Mine's also in the highlander and has never really had a problem in hot weather. Even in the 40 degree heat we had last summer he was stood out in the full sun and only had a bit of sweat in his girth area.

 

[MereChristmas]

My pony wears a Shires sweet itch rug. 2 years ago he almost had heat stroke when wearing it during the day. Shade was available but he didn’t use it. He stood in full sun all day.
Now he is in during the day all summer. I’m never letting him get hot like that again.
I expect like all things some horses will be affected more than others.

Adding more information.
My pony began galloping from back and forth across his field. I fetched him in. He was extremely hot. Mr M fixed a fan in the roof of the stable. Pony stood in the draught.
My pony is grey ( white ) I thought he would be less bothered than a darker coloured horse but he is the worst affected I have owned.

 

[Jellymoon]

It’s really hard to cope with sweet itch in the heat, I feel your pain. I find the Boett style rugs do get very hot, and I prefer white cotton/canvas material, such as the Aussie Allrounder or the HW sweet itch hoodie. Mine don’t seem to sweat much at all with these. I also take rugs off and hose horses down at least once in the middle of the day, and then put the rugs back on and hose the fly rugs too!
I also slather in Nettex sweet itch cream on the bits that aren’t covered by the rugs.

 

[marmalade76]

We are using the shires highlander too. I think there was someone (maybe David Marlin? I can't remember) did a study that showed a white rug was better than no rug for hot days and to be fair even though the highlander isn't particularly lightweight, Sadie hasn't been sweatier than either of her two naked companions.

I don't think he said they were better with a white rug than nothing, just that white rugs were better than dark.

As for not using the shade, when it was too hot to bring mine in last summer, I put water bowls and soaked hay in the shade (not that they needed encouraging as they use the shade anyway) but just a suggestion for horses that don't.

 

[saddlesore]

Mine is out in a boett and is no worse off than those who are aren’t rugged in the heat

 

[MickeyFinn22]

Mine is usually in a boett, he also gets a bit sweaty so I bought a big horse shop sweet itch rug (he is very broad!) but they do a regular fit as well. I found he was much cooler in this.
Depending on how bad his sweet itch is (mine is only mild) I have been able to let him have 6 hours or so naked. I cover him in deosect spray and often put killitch on the most susceptible bits. I have been recommended biteback cream which has enabled others to have their horses out naked more, though I haven't tried this myself yet.

 

[tatty_v]

Mine wears a shires highlander and despite being a hot horse generally and our field having limited shade, he’s not been too hot last year or this so far.

 

[Gloi]

If you have a horse with bad sweet itch the worst thing you can do is take the rug off in hot weather when midges are often really bad.
You can hose them down with the rug on if they are sweating badly but I've never had one in a Boett hotter than a naked one.