We asked Snuggy Hoods, manufacturer of the original
sweet itch rug to give us their top tips in
dealing with sweet itch. With over 15 years
helping and advising owners of sweet itch sufferers,
they certainly have gleaned lots of helpful
advice and tips, here are a few:
Prevention is always going to be better in the
case of sweet itch, your aim should be keeping
the midges at bay - this can be done in a number
of ways:
investing in a sweet itch rug (early –don’t
wait until the midges are here –plan ahead)
Use midge repellent topical products – (do
a small patch test firstly to check for sensitivity)
The ideal field for turnout is one that is hilly
as there will be more breeze – the worst
are fields near wet areas, low lying land or fields
near woodland – these all attract midges
Invest in a sweet itch rug sooner rather than
later–As soon as a warm spell is predicted,
then pop your rug on and don’t be fooled
into thinking that you won’t need the rug
until March/April time. A warm, wet period before
this can be enough to bring the midges out
Turning your horse out at night rather than early
morning or evening when midges are more likely
to be out in full force, can help, especially
in fields that are marshy or near rivers or lakes.
If possible erect electric fencing around wooden
fencing to stop them becoming scratching posts
– damaging the horse and his clothes
Keep an eye out for any raised, sensitive, bumpy
skin - especially in mane, tail and on flanks
and face and start treating, as these are likely
to flare up as soon as the flies arrive
Wash both the horse and his wardrobe regularly!
Itchy horses will be
scurfier and greasier than normal and with grease
build up, this causes irritation –our hoods
and rugs are fully machine washable and dry quickly,
so keeping them clean is easy
DO NOT REMOVE HORSES SWEET ITCH RUGS IN
HOT WEATHER! Our rugs and hoods are breathable, so
they are fine to be worn even during high summer
(we have many customers worldwide, some as far
afield as Australia and the east coast of the
USA, so using our rugs in our climate is not an
issue!)
Light colours will not necessarily keep your horse
cooler - keep as close to the colour of your horse
as possible. For example if you have a Bay horse
choose a Brown rug
Don’t despair –we have helped thousands
of horses, ponies and donkeys live happy itch
free lives with our rugs and with careful stable
management, the condition can be managed with
success, with many sweet itch horse and pony owners
now looking forward to the warmer brighter future
together!
