youngster kicking at belly

saddlesore

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Hey guys, just taken on a new horse. He's rising two and a coloured cob. Today the midges were out but not too horrendous but they seemed to be driving him nuts. He was kicking at his belly with his back feet and his belly is now pink :-( is this likely to be a sign of sweetitch? He has a full mane and tail with no signs of rubbing. All ideas appreciated!
 
Either colic or very itchy.
It will be a process of elimination to determine which.


Is he eating?
Arw his droppings normal?
Is he itching his tail or mane?

Just as a start!
 
if he does appear to be having an episode of colic, id say it would be some sort of bug, mites etc?

It got some good powder in Robinsons the other week for all types of creepy crawly as I thought my mini had caught mites but he seems okay now!
 
Hey guys, I'm 100% it's not colic - just dead itchy!! He's also due wormed which I will do as soon as he is out of isolation and I can keep him in. Are there any products that keep midges away well? He has pink skin and think very sensitive but I've only had him for five days!
 
It's messy but rub some Sudocreme onto his tummy.... it contains benzyl benzoate so the midges hate it and it will soothe him. We use it in our lots ears and around their sheaths.
 
Mine were doing it s lot a few weeks ago. Now that their garlic lick effect has kicked in they have fairly much stopped. There seemed to be a lot of midges soon as the weather turned nice
 
My boy done this last year, kept kicking his belly & when rolling in the field rocking back & forth on the floor, at one point I actually thought he couldn't get up, it looked like he was rocking to get up but not getting up.. Anyway vet came out & it was midge bites on his willy!! Vet thought it was funny that I thought his back end was failing as he was actually just trying to scratch himself on the ground!!!
 
If its midges then I can highly recommend Nettex Itch-stop! Taff used to get a horribly swollen sheath from midge bites and since I started using it he hasnt suffered at all. Expensive but very impressed!
 
If its midges then I can highly recommend Nettex Itch-stop! Taff used to get a horribly swollen sheath from midge bites and since I started using it he hasnt suffered at all. Expensive but very impressed!

Second this, great for tummies and protects the ears from those horrid little biting flies. Only needs using once or twice a week too.
 
My mare gets very upset about flies and they congregate round her belly and shudders, little blighters!!

I coat her teats and along her navel with sudocreme and the inside of her legs, then spray with homemade spray of watered down vinegar with citronella. Being careful as it can be a bit stingy if there are any sore rubbed bits, but it works well :-)
 
Sudocrem is brilliant for this area, but I recently discovered neem oil does a super job too, and if you have a black pony then you don't end up with white streaks for ever more on the front of their back legs!! Lasts 2-3 days with each application and works really well to heal bites and keep the midges away.
 
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