When do you start putting sweet itch rugs on?

For now as she is fully clipped it is still cold enough that she is in her snuggy hoods turnout hood, when it gets too warm for that (perhaps just lightweight weather then she will go into her sweetitch hoody - on mild days I have seen midges already arghhh!
 
I started last week. If it goes very cold or very wet in the next few weeks, I may change it for his TO or put a TO on top, but he is already kicking and swishing at flying things, so I'm not taking any chances.
 
Mine has had his on since the end of Feb so about 2weeks now. Started seeing midges around on warmer days and just dont want to risk him getting bitten as he was already rubbing a bit before he had it on.

Even though he's fully clipped he just goes out in his snuggy hood most days unless it's really cold or raining then he has his lightest weight turnout over.
 
Ours tells us when he needs it - as soon as he starts itching. I've put a lightweight turnout on him at the moment, which covers his tail and lower mane - which is where he itches.

Re wet days, we have two sweet itch hoodies so that we can change a rug and dry him off if need be. I've only seen him bothered by being in a wet rug when its summer, pouring down and his coat is fine. Otherwise in light showers they dry quickly anyway. You can get liners, but I've never tried one.
 
my pony is now in his, he has a rain sheet ontop when its really wet but thats it, in summer he just has SI rug on if gets v wet he comes in to dry off anyway to get out of the flies.
 
Better to be too early than too late. Our girl is in hers now - every since the weather went regularly above about 10 degrees and there were signs of insect life. We've just got a normal rug on top to keep her warm at night/dry in the rain.
 
mystiandsunny said:
Better to be too early than too late. Our girl is in hers now - every since the weather went regularly above about 10 degrees and there were signs of insect life. We've just got a normal rug on top to keep her warm at night/dry in the rain.
Click to expand...

This ^^
By the time they are uncomfortbale and itching the itch and reaction cycle has started. Far better to try and rug a bit too early and avoid the irritation to the skin that the first midges cause before you notice the itching.
 
Valentines day - I always use this as a date to rug up for sweet itch - better too early than too late.

He has his TO rug over the top if it is cold
 
Mine's been wearing his ever since the insects came out about 4 weeks ago. He wears a snuggy hoods sweet itch body and hood underneath his turnout rug.
 
ibot said:
so are you ruggin up already??
Click to expand...

Not yet, it has been cold enough for her to have her snuggy hoods turnout neck on which covers her prime itchy spots! I think it will go on this week though as we are due temps of over 10 in the day time, so too hot for turnout hood and warm enough for the horrible bugs!
 
I noticed the midges were out and about in force, early last week... so I'd be doing it now to be on the safe side. Bl**dy things :mad:
 
Spyda said:
I noticed the midges were out and about in force, early last week... so I'd be doing it now to be on the safe side. Bl**dy things :mad:
Click to expand...

oh yes i totally agree i was out walking today and saw a good few :( seems earlier than last year :(:(
paddy is back from the field tomorrow so i will start zapping him when he gets back....... here we go again :mad::mad::mad:
 
I haven't started rugging, but I have applied small amounts of the Neem Oil/Benzyl Benzoate mix on mild days and I'm giving her a rough massage every day. She has so much coat to shed I can't contemplate any kind of rug. It worked this way last year - she didn't wear it at all until September with all the home-made goo and rough grooming!
 
Probably a good idea to start rugging now aided by an in-feed midge repellent. Some people swear by apple cider vinegar, others by a herbal mix My guess is we could be in for a bad year for Sweet Itch. I noticed a report in the Scotsman yesterday which said 800 times more midge lavae had survived in Scotland due to the blanket of snow keeping the blighters alive. Of course it doesn't mean the rest of the country will experience the same conditions, but the north-west might see astronomical midge numbers, especially if we get a wet spring.
Here is the link:
http://news.scotsman.com/environment/Heavy-snow--800-times.6729537.jp
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top