What to do?

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Bespoke1

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I have a 7 year old Fell pony that has developed an allergy to midges ( vet did blood tests and environmental tests) been on a desentisizing vaccination programme since august. Initially broke every fence gate etc rubbing. Currently still rubbing bald patches anywhere I don't have electric fencing. Having to live out as he cannot manage even an hour inside his stable without taking it to pieces rubbing. He doesn't cope well with change, became very aggressive when I bought him and moved him home a year ago ( he was previously a rescue) . Vet wants to try him in a different Enviroment to see if its here causing the problem . Have arranged for him to go to a friends where he can live out with sheep , worried he will become aggressive again, and break the fences and be a nuisance.
Don't know what to do for the best. I have spent more than I paid for him in vet bills. if he goes my mare who is currently living out with him will be able to come in at night. But what if he trashes my friends place then needs to come back. Thought about putting him down, but he is so good when ridden. Offered him back to previous owners, they are not able to make a decision until february due to job commitments. No longer know what to do for the best . Any ideas or advice?
 
Send him to live by the sea. No midgies or flies there! So many sweetitch ponies never have a problem again once they live by the sea - not lakes or streams or the likes but by the seaside.
 
Have you still got midges just now?! There are midge free areas, I live in one (no I don't want a fell!) it's very unusual for us ever to have midges here and I have one SI pony who hasn't had an issue since I got him. Moved him else where on loan and he was a bit itchy but not as bad as when he lived on the West coast.
 
I have offered him on loan to previous owners, they are not able to make a decision until Feb due to work commitments .just don't have a solution at the mo, its bothering me .
 
If you keep him you are going to have treat him like a pony with sweet itch and buy the rugs and electric fencing he needs. Once you have the set up correct and are used to dealing with it the problem will seem less. If for some reason you aren't able to do that then you need to find him a new home where they can. If he is a nice pony otherwise you should be able to find the right place for him.
 
If he was a rescue can you contact the rescue centre and ask if they can find a suitable home for him?

In the meantime you need to control the environment - don't let midges anywhere near him (so fully rugged in sweet itch rug is usually first thing I would do), soothe the itching with appropriate lotions (I use benzyl bonzoate), use electric tape (can't fathom why this can't be done it's inexpensive and easy to get hold of and takes an hour to set up).

If your friends are aware he may be aggressive and destructive then I wouldn't overly worry about them but there is no point putting a very itchy horse in an environment where they can rub on anything (ie fencing) - he will continue to rub and WILL destroy fencing and himself. Even if no midges at your friend's place at first he will still be itchy and the more he rubs the worse he will itch.

Hope you manage to sort something out for him
 
I feel your pain, I have a Shetland with sweet itch and it's a real pain to deal with. Are you on the fell pony group on Facebook? If you put a post up on there somebody may be able to offer him a home for a while to see if he improves.

In the mean time a couple of things I would suggest are feeding him a high dose of Brewers yeast and also making sure he is on a good quality mineral supplement like forage plus, progressive earth or equimins. These two things combined make quite a big difference to my little mare.

Also there is a sweet itch support group on Facebook, lots of good advice on there :-)
 
I had a show pony who I was told when I got him had horrendous sweet itch. Most of our grazing is within walking distance of the beach and he barely rubbed. The rest is on a sort of tidal plain. Though last year I used alot of mountain land. My big mare who itched herself silly last year at a friends is actually growing a mane again now :) Sea or mountain air seems to be great for it.
 
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