Pictures Very itchy cob and preventing wind knots!

[TreeDog]

Mini cob has really come out of his shell and is such a sweet little guy

However he really, really enjoys scratches and loves to rub on things, I expect some itchiness with coat change but I'm not sure if it's a bit too excessive, his coat is a little scurfy too. We have a lot of midges but I didn't think it's sweet itch as he's not rubbing raw anywhere or seem distressed about scratching, he just seems to really enjoy it, mostly on his back. Could it be mild sweetitch? When we had nice warm weather I gave him a bath (just water) but it didn't help much. I've had deosect recommended, would this help for general itchiness or just as a fly repellent?

Also, his mane and feathers are growing out beautifully, but his mane often gets wind knots that I struggle to untangle! Can anyone recommend a product/method to prevent it?


And another photo from a few weeks ago in the sunshine before the return of rain and mud...

 

[laura_nash]

He is lovely. My two both get itchy if they are getting too much sugar, including from grass. No idea on the wind knots though, I just untangle them with my fingers but it can be a pain.

 

[Melandmary]

For my itchy pony I have started using brewers yeast on the advice of this forum. She was also itchy all over. I definitely see an improvement. I use a mane and tail coat conditioner regularly in my cobs manes so they are easy to brush out.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

It’s most likely the humidity and coat change making him tickly (mine are really enjoying scratches currently), if he’s scurvy I would be picking a warm day and giving him a really good bath with shampoo. For his mane, I’ve tried pretty much most things on the market but have recently stumbled across leovet 5 star detangler (there’s little choice over here) but boy, it is the best product I’ve ever found, leaves the mane and tails soft for days and no chance of knotting in the wind.
He’s lovely by the way.

 

[planete]

To stop tangles I sprinkle a few drops of baby oil on the hair when grooming, it seems to be working so far.

 

[Squeak]

Mine were also getting itchy from sugar. I only realised in the autumn so cut out all carrots etc. and have them on low starch and low sugar feeds which has really helped.

They're starting to get a bit more itchy with the grass coming through and so they're also on brewers yeast following advice from this forum. So far it seems to be helping but it still feels fairly early days as it doesn't feel like we're properly in to the summer yet.

 

[Casey76]

If he’s getting a bit too hot under his mane, that would exacerbate any itchiness/scratching too.

‘I’ve found the only way to prevent wind knots was to keep the mane lightly plaited

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Baby oil can help, but the likes of Show Sheen sprayed on the mane twice a week once the tangles are out should do the job.
Be very careful if you do plait an itchy ponies long mane, it's been known for them to scratch hard and remove entire plaits, hence why I suggest teasing it all out by hand and then spraying. This has worked well on ponies even with manes to their knees.

A bath using Head and Shoulders shampoo ought to help if no other reason for itchyness, but don't do this if its sweetitch.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Red Horse Sweet Oil can help with scurfiness and itchiness.

 

[TreeDog]

Thanks for all the replies, I hadn't thought about sugar, he's not on any feed and until recently he was in a small bare winter paddock eating hay as the vast majority of his diet, it was very nice hay though. He's now in the summer paddock with mini Shetland companions, short grass eaten right down by the bigger horses before they went in but what's there is definitely quite rich. I can't change the grass and don't want to muzzle as he's only a baby and his weight is good so don't need to reduce how much he gets. Maybe I'll try a good bath with a gentle shampoo and if he's still bad try the brewers yeast

 

[Gloi]

I would certainly give a dose of deosect. It will help with the flies and kill anything that might be living in his coat.