Sweetich The Beginning

ibot

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So here we go again another start of the season :eek::eek:

Tell me how you are preparing this year compared to other years? are you trying anything new?

I have brought a new rug that took 2 of us to put on as it was in 3 parts :eek: but its totally amazing so far lol
Paddy is on brewers yeast and i got some bits from HOYs that might work??

so tell me what are you guys doing??
 

Cahill

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no midges here yet due to the cold wind we have had and the breeze the last couple of days but I am keeping my eye on the weather forecast.
I have managed quite well the last few years with an ordinary fly sheet and pig oil.
I think the secret is to use it before the itchy symtoms start.
 

Moomin1

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My girl's sweetitch/fly rug has gone on for the first time this evening, and will remain on rain/shine/snow/wind now until October. :(

I don't waste my money on any fly repellants. Useless.

I just buy Killitch and apply that on her mane and tail twice a day in the depths of summer.

Cahill, could you enlighten me a bit more about the pig oil and how you use it?
 

flaxen tail

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Neem oil,zinc oxide cream,pig oil ,Bio Eos capsules and a sweet itch hoody which rarely gets used works well for us , if only midges wern't attracted to horses .
 

kellybee

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There were midges on my lot yesterday. I fed superskratch last yr to the SI horse but he's a swine for not eating it so I put a few spoons of superskratch in some hot water and wiped on with a cloth. Not the best idea on a white horse (superscratch = dark brown) but the flies scarpered sharpish! Was really weird to see flies on only two of my three!

Must go buy some extra strong mint multipacks. I melt two in a bit of hot water and mix into his feeds. He guzzles it down then!
 

WelshD

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I bathed my sweet itch boy today and put his snuggy set on. He has been getting increasing amounts of brewers yeast all winter. I have neem oil and Benzyl Benzoate if needed plus some steroid tablets from the vet which I will give as a last resort
 

ibot

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i have been feeding brewers for 3 year but not sure if it is doing anything.
Maybe this is the year i get pig oil out where do i get it from and how to use? is it a paint brush thing??
I hate SI it is the only thing that reduces me to tears with this season :eek: i saw midges yesterday for the first time just hope i have got his rug on before the cycle starts.
 

ibot

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There were midges on my lot yesterday. I fed superskratch last yr to the SI horse but he's a swine for not eating it so I put a few spoons of superskratch in some hot water and wiped on with a cloth. Not the best idea on a white horse (superscratch = dark brown) but the flies scarpered sharpish! Was really weird to see flies on only two of my three!

Must go buy some extra strong mint multipacks. I melt two in a bit of hot water and mix into his feeds. He guzzles it down then!

can you tell me about superscratch?
 

Cahill

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pig oil comes in a big can for less than £20.it looks like baby oil.
I pour some in a small sandwich box and apply with a little sponge.
it is great for mane tail and feather and makes the hair soft and manageable and can also be wiped onto the coat not leaving a dusty film like baby oil does.used over winter,mud just falls off.

it is called pig oil because it used to be used on pigs for showing pigs to keep the skin soft and does not cause burning in the sun.

it can be mixed with flowers of sulphur to do white feather and prevent skin problems like mud fever. (has stopped my hands cracking up over winter too)

it is one of my `cant do without` items.
 

ibot

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pig oil comes in a big can for less than £20.it looks like baby oil.
I pour some in a small sandwich box and apply with a little sponge.
it is great for mane tail and feather and makes the hair soft and manageable and can also be wiped onto the coat not leaving a dusty film like baby oil does.used over winter,mud just falls off.

it is called pig oil because it used to be used on pigs for showing pigs to keep the skin soft and does not cause burning in the sun.

it can be mixed with flowers of sulphur to do white feather and prevent skin problems like mud fever. (has stopped my hands cracking up over winter too)

it is one of my `cant do without` items.
how does it stop the flies does it smell bad or is it the oily texture??
 

Ellies_mum2

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Just noticed yesterday the flies are bothering inside madams ears and making them bleed :( Will the pig oil be ok to use? The only place she is bothered by the flies is her ears :confused: How does it work?
 

stargirl88

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Think I'm going to get me some pig oil :D

Digging the rug out this afternoon :( I don't think we've done too badly this year though, it's usually on in March!!!!

I wont hope for an early winter :D
 

Greylegs

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Sweet itch... AAGH!! ... and so the battle commences for another year. I've had my boy on NAF D-itch supplement for a month now, have got Killitch (benzyl benzoate) to apply, will be using Tritech repellant all over and Avon Skin so Soft on his most vulnerable area (crest) and if push really comes to shove, a Rambo hoody rug. Problem is he hates the rug and tries to rub it off which just adds to the irritation burden so I have to try all other options as well. I bought Pig Oil in the winter as a mud repellant and its been great for that if a bit messy to use. Never thought of using it for SI as well so that's something else in my armory.

I have to admit that I also bring my boy inside EVERY night all year round. The only night he stayed out all night last year he totally removed his mane in one night in spite of him being lathered in all sorts of stuff to prevent it, so its year round stabling for us. (An expensive pain in the neck but it works!)

Good luck everyone. It's a battlefield out there ...!!! Let's keep sharing advice and support.
 

katherine1975

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I use a rambo sweet itch rug. Apply benzyl benzoate to mane and tail every couple of days. Use Nettex Stop Itch cream for face and inbetween back legs/around udders. Feed Brewers yeast and don't feed anything with molasses in.
This year I am going to try Deosect as a fly spray and see if that helps as well.
 

Fransurrey

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It's so cold and windy where I am I haven't done anything other than put muzzles on to control the grass intake, for the first time today!

It's very breezy as I say and we also have mains electric fencing in the fields. This is a luxury I'm not used to, but it means she has nowhere to itch so as long as I do my bit and reduce the itching from within, I have high hopes this year. I still have Neem Oil and BB from last year, so will continue with that, but might try pig oil when that runs out. I feed yeasacc all year round, with linseed, so that will continue.
 

FairyLights

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Please be careful with pig oil as it may burn if sunny.
Benzyl benzoate is the only product which works efficiently in my experience. And please do cover the horse with a suitable sweetitch rug.
 

ibot

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Shameless bump :D

Nothing you do is shameless :D:D:D

I went to buy bedding today and picked up some pig oil, guy in shop tried to sell me some spray but only had enough for bedding oil, salt lick and carrots :D:D Did tell him think i have tried all the sprays and they are all c@@p, when i said that did not realise it was his own spray was not best pleased with me :eek::eek: oops lol
i need to buy some more Brewers advice please can not remember where i got it from as had it for like 3 years :eek::eek:
 

ibot

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Sweet itch... AAGH!! ... and so the battle commences for another year. I've had my boy on NAF D-itch supplement for a month now, have got Killitch (benzyl benzoate) to apply, will be using Tritech repellant all over and Avon Skin so Soft on his most vulnerable area (crest) and if push really comes to shove, a Rambo hoody rug. Problem is he hates the rug and tries to rub it off which just adds to the irritation burden so I have to try all other options as well. I bought Pig Oil in the winter as a mud repellant and its been great for that if a bit messy to use. Never thought of using it for SI as well so that's something else in my armory.

I have to admit that I also bring my boy inside EVERY night all year round. The only night he stayed out all night last year he totally removed his mane in one night in spite of him being lathered in all sorts of stuff to prevent it, so its year round stabling for us. (An expensive pain in the neck but it works!)

Good luck everyone. It's a battlefield out there ...!!! Let's keep sharing advice and support.

Really happy to have some support me and summer its like a love hate thing lol
 

Natch

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Its been years since I had my sweet itch lad, but a boett, and some deet or particularly stinky fly spray for when ridden was all I needed. I'd be tempted these days to create a ridden blanket / hood thing. A good SI rug is the main weapon :)
 

Natch

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Grey legs, does your boy tolerate other rugs? The rambo sweet itch hoodies are horrible imo :eek:
 

ibot

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i would of course imagine oil would burn but would it be ok under a rug?? i have been kind of using baby oil and vinegar this year so far which is great if you are near a chip shop :D:D:D

Maybe we need to invent a new potion and make millions :D

Yep i agree with the rambo rug paddy destroyed it fairly quickly, this year i have got a rug from here.
http://www.cornerstonebrowbands.co.uk/SWEET-ITCH-PRODUCTS.html
hope that works
seems to fit and they give you extra material for repairs
 

Cahill

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no,does not burn,as I mentioned it is used on pigs to keep their skin from cracking.

nasty ear flies- I would not use p.i. for that,i put some sudocream on my thumb and wipe inside the ears.

think midges do not like the oil texture.
 
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