sweet itch

[little_pink_piggies]

event horse is trying to hog himself even with hoods etc on

any remedies?

getting desperate....!

 

[Oldred]

Have you tried benzol benzolate (sp??). Its the only thing that works on my mare and I have been able to get it at chemists okay.

 

[little_pink_piggies]

thanks, what do you actually do with it?

 

[Oldred]

Its a thick lotion which can be poured onto a sponge (keep sponge for this use only) then sponged into the mane and tail head area til its quite greasy and well covered. Leave it on and put fly rug back on. Repeat daily if necessary though I find it lasts at least a couple of days. It seems to have no side effects on the horse but be careful not to get it on your fingers and then touch your eyes - its really stings I am told.

 

[carthorse]

What hood have you got ,I believe you have to cover every thing. We have a snuggyhood sweetitch one and that has helped but the other horse chews it around the nose and I have to repair it every other day!
Of course boett are also good but a bit more expensive

 

[Honeypots]

www.sweetitch.com

A sweet itch blanket is the best you can do for your horse.
Feed marmite...a spoonful mixed with water in the feed each day or Brewers yeast daily can help.
Net Tex Sweet Itch Salve complete is great but messy.
Stable/field away from the muckheap and streams/rivers
Midges are poor fliers so a stable fan would help
Barrier Fly repellent is good
TCP/water solution is also good as a repellent and healer but avoid eyes and face

alternative cheaper rug:http://www.divoza.co.uk/product6981.aspx

allow a week or so for the reaction to die down if you are using a rug for the first time.

good luck

 

[ru-fi-do]

Try feeding brewers yeast. Keep the mane clean and apply a barrier cream, like camrosa or Benzl as already suggested but make sure your horse isn't allergic first, also camrosa works fantastic. The only way to go is a boet rug really, expensive but worth every penny saves you buying all the lotions and potions, here's the alternative Alternative to Boet, just as good!!

 

[MagicMelon]

I have been using a Boett for the first time this year on my sweet itch sufferer. Every year he has taken out half his mane, so far he hasnt been rubbing it. But sadly he has moved onto his face instead!! But I have a face cover coming this week so Im hoping that'll help. He has however ripped the Boett today..... so its not on him while it gets fixed which doesnt help!! I try to wash him every second week with Tea Tree shampoo. I also put conditioner on the mane to try and make it less scurfy. I feed Brewers Yeast but havent seen any difference TBH.

 

[keeperscottage]

My daughter's now outgrown 14.1hh Section D suffers from sweet itch - in fact, I very nearly didn't bother to go to see her when her previous owner told me over the phone that she suffered from this problem (so glad I changed my mind!). Since we bought her in 2001 as an 8 yo, I've found there are only two things which really work (forget all the expense branded products - they're useless, or at least, that's what we've found) and they are (a) Benzyl Benzoate and (b) Boett blankets. The forner is more difficult to get hold of these days because of EU regs, Benzyl Bezoate being a human medicine and therefore I've had problems getting it in large enough quantities for a pony (and it's SO cheap, too!). The Boett really worked and we used it for a couple of years until our pony managed to get caught up in the field and literally ripped it into two! Luckily, her sweet itch isn't too much of a problem and is controlable, and I'm so glad it didn't deter us from buying her!

 

[conniegirl]

MM i do my own repairs on my boett, plaiting thread and a plaiting needle are very useful, but ive just bought an industrial sewing machine, will still use plaiting thread though