Wanting to buy filly. Potential sweet itch? Pics.

L&B

L&B

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Went with a friend the other day to have a look at two driving mares. Ended up being bowled over by a little filly of 3yo, completely un-intentionally. Not my type of horse at all, but you know when you just 'click'.
I have become very interested in her and I am thinking of putting down a deposit except...

She has a really scurfy mane and base of tail; like clumpy white dandruff. I obviously asked if she had ever had sweetitch but the seller (friendly hobby breeder) said not: said some hay he had put in for them was dusty and he noticed a few crawlies on it (I'm presuming he meant lice/mites).

Her tail had been rubbed and was starting to look a bit 'bog brush' and her mane was spikey as if rubbed. She wasn't itchy when I met her, however, being an unbroken 3yo I couldn't have as good a ferret around as I'd have liked due to her being jumpy... There were no obvious bald patches on her body.

It's December and pretty cold now. Could this be mites and not sweet itch at all? Is there any sure-fire way to tell?

The other two driving mares had also been rubbing their tails but had pretty decent full 'cob' manes.

Obviously sweet itch isn't the end of the world but would be a deal breaker for me as I would like to show.

Here's a pic. Couldn't get any close up so zoomed in & gives you an idea of the spikey/rubbed mane I mean:
w98s41.jpg
 
You could still show with sweet itch just manage it correctly. I'm sure though there would be plenty of things the pair of you could do other than showing, is she a full bred native? If not then would have to be pulled and plaited so as long as you had something to plait I wouldn't imagine it an issue :)

Good luck deciding but having had my gelding who I was told had sweet itch for over 12 years now he gets treated from march onwards weekly with home made stuff and hasn't lost his mane or tail yet :) we did a lot of showing :)
 
My mare has SI but because of the time of year you can't tell she's got it. So I would think it's a bit too far into winter to exhibit signs and it could possibly be something else? Either way I would get it checked out first, you don't want to be buying trouble.
 
NellRosk said:
My mare has SI but because of the time of year you can't tell she's got it. So I would think it's a bit too far into winter to exhibit signs and it could possibly be something else? Either way I would get it checked out first, you don't want to be buying trouble.
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Agree with that, as a rule I don't think it would be too obvious this time of year. Definitely get it checked out though just to be sure :)
 
I recently bought a filly to show, an unhandled 3 year old. Before I bought her I saw several that were distinctly lacking mane and tail and although they were really well put together ponies, I walked away. If you want to show, it would be a deal breaker for me.. yes it can be managed if it IS sweetitch but I just dont want the faff and hassle.
 
I agree sweet itch usually does not show this time of year after we have had a few hard frosts, so probably not however you do need it checked as I would expect to pay less especially for a youngster who hasn't had time for a proven compitition history.

My previous eventer had sweet itch , I got a lot better horse for my money because of it, it was straight forward to manage , and he was the soundest horse I have ever had.

Good luck
 
I think if a pony has bad sweetitch which hasnt been managed in the summer months, then although the sweetitch itself wont be a problem at this time of year - the evidence of a summer of rubbing and scratching can still be seen now unfortunately with scurf and a half grown in mane :(
 
Are you sure they are not grazing each other's manes and tails?

Anyway, if the ponies are as nice as you say, I'd use it to bargain down the price, then tackle the problem of spikey hairdo's -- but be aware that it might be SI.
 
My traddie boy has SI and TBH you wouldn't ever know it, simply because he's managed correctly; there's no one "fix", its basically a mixture of feeding/supplements, appropriate rugging, feeding, and bringing in when necessary.

So it IS manageable, but if you want to show you need to be aware of the limitations this could place on you. i.e. you go to a show on a boiling hot day and/or when midges are biting, and you can't cover up with a rug, and the horse/pony goes frantic. Or - worst case scenario, somehow rubs mane or tail just before and important show!!!

SI IS possible to manage, but if buying something to show, I'd be very careful TBH.

You could ask for some bloods to be taken. If there is an allergen present, it should show up. But there are issues relating to blood tests for SI; the more accurate test may carry the risk for bringing on certain conditions like cushings. I say this as the owner might be hesitant, for this reason.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
You could ask for some bloods to be taken. If there is an allergen present, it should show up. But there are issues relating to blood tests for SI; the more accurate test may carry the risk for bringing on certain conditions like cushings. I say this as the owner might be hesitant, for this reason.
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How? Never heard of this! Ask this because my mare hasn't been tested but was considering it as I think midges may not be her only allergy but obviously don't want to increase risk of cushings!
 
Hi, sorry off topic here, but in reply to NellRosk. I have recently had allergy test done on my mare & there were no risks of cushings, etc. It was a simple blood draw, which was then sent of to York Labs & multiple tests were carried out. We were focusing more on pollen allergens, but she was tested for everything including sweet itch, which shockingly she came out as a level 5 (highest level) despite exhibiting no symptoms! I have also heard of another mare that had severe 'sweet itch' but actually turned out not to have a midge allergy at all, but a pollen allergy. Will have a look for the exact name of the company tomorrow, but as an idea cost about £200 for the testing, plus vet fees for the visit/blood sample.
 
loz9 said:
Hi, sorry off topic here, but in reply to NellRosk. I have recently had allergy test done on my mare & there were no risks of cushings, etc. It was a simple blood draw, which was then sent of to York Labs & multiple tests were carried out. We were focusing more on pollen allergens, but she was tested for everything including sweet itch, which shockingly she came out as a level 5 (highest level) despite exhibiting no symptoms! I have also heard of another mare that had severe 'sweet itch' but actually turned out not to have a midge allergy at all, but a pollen allergy. Will have a look for the exact name of the company tomorrow, but as an idea cost about £200 for the testing, plus vet fees for the visit/blood sample.
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Thanks for this loz9 :) that's what I thought it was!
 
I've just been given a pony who has sweet itch and was left untreated for themost part during the summer. His mane and tail were almost non existent when I got him in September and he was still itching for England.
Now he has virtually stopped and his mane is a couple inches long. His tail is a bog brush and he has big flakes of dandruff in both and on his body.
I would say it is very likely this pony you describe suffers with sweet itch. As you say..it can be managed and I do manage it with my cob and will with this pony BUT it's aconplication I'd love to be without and tbh, I would advise to walk away unless its your dream pony.
 
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