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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 14, 2018 20:31:50 GMT 1
Sunshine, mini horse suffers from sweet itch, we are only into march,and this year she has started to be really bad with it, she stated to lose her hair, bold on her mane and other places. I didn't think it was sweet itch or wasn't sure,so got the vet out, who confirmed it was sweet itch I couldn't understand why it was so bad this year so soon.
everything I read about sweet itch said its in the name "sweet" so cut out the sugars in the diet. I thought I don't feed sugars but the hay lately smelt sweet so I went today to the place I get the hay from to see if they had any other hay that doesn't smell sweet. well because I went there in person I have only found out today from a man working there where I get the hay from, they have been opening big bales of haylage and making hay bales out them and selling them as hay. so full of sugars. so I am not happy!!!
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Post by cobby on Mar 24, 2018 21:20:55 GMT 1
Hi Veronica, sorry to hear that Sunshine is having sweet itch. It does seem ridiculously early in the year to be suffering from it. Your hay/haylage might not be the cause though. Generally speaking haylage should be low in sugar because the sugars will have been used up during the fermentation process. I got my haylage analysed as my cob is on a low starch/sugar diet due to EMS and the sugar was 9% which is ok for her. You could try soaking your hay/haylage in water for an hour or two to dissolve any sugars and wash them away and see if it makes any difference. I've never had to deal with sweet itch but isn't it caused by midge saliva although I wouldn't have thought there were too many midges about this time of year.
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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 26, 2018 19:53:54 GMT 1
Thank you cobby, it was midges,I had the vet out who confirmed it, we have midges all year round. sunshine has always suffered from sweet itch but she hadn't been that bad reaction for a few years now, but the haylage I had was very very sweet anyway the vet gave me steriods to get on top of it and suggested I got her a boett rug, that I did and I changed the supplier of hay, which is now beautiful hay, she is doing fantastic, her hair has started to grow back, and she isn't itchy, and so much happy again
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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 26, 2018 20:49:31 GMT 1
your know this cobby but just in case you don't
there is a new feed for cushings, called cushcare by D&H
I only know this because I saw a bag and the pony on it looked like my old April who has passed in 2014. and I had a lovely thought that she might had done that,when she went to rainbow bridge, I think she suggested there should be a feed like that. its a lovely thought, but it does look the double of her on their bags.she also loved food and I am sure she would have loved it
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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 27, 2018 10:59:27 GMT 1
her boett blanket,its working,she did have another type called a bug rug but this is the best type,only thing is they are very expensive and you need two one in wash one on, the insurance could have paid but we brought the first one in a hurray and our exs is a 150 pound so not worth claiming for second one,plus when we brought the first one we didn't know we could claim for things like that. and vet bill was 70 pound, those blinking midges
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Post by hislordshipsmum on Mar 28, 2018 9:00:25 GMT 1
Hi Veronica, sorry to hear you were having problems with Sunshine's sweet itch, but glads she's improved. I do think the midges have increased over the years, before I lost Harry he was getting very itchy and I noticed the the midges were getting worse even in weather you wouldn't expect them. We'll have to start blaming global warming !! I don't come on here much now, but occasionally have a catch up
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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 28, 2018 18:25:50 GMT 1
Ahh thank you, hislordshipsmum, I think your right, I wish they come up with a cure for it,so many horses and ponies with sweet itch, but there is a pony on snuggles hoods called sooty, same sweet itch as sunshine, and it won horse of the year last year, and with their rug and hood, and bathing the pony every two weeks and adding baby oil afterwards they were able to do things like horse of the year show.
I choosed boett blanket over snuggles because researched I did said they can sweat in the summer in those rugs but boett don't. but it gave me inspratiton seeing that pony and how good his skin looked. please excuse spelling
Here is video below, its lovely to hear from you, I miss the DG how it was before, its still my port of call even when its quiet. hope you okay? love Vxx I didn't get a snuggles I got a boett rug which works wonderfully
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Post by hislordshipsmum on Mar 29, 2018 16:02:00 GMT 1
Hi Veronica, I miss the DG too but it seems to have moved on and not a lot happening. I miss Harry and all the challenges he gave me, can't believe it's over a year since I lost him I'm riding a friend's little pony 2/3 times a week, she's called Moomin, a Piebald Gypsy Cob and the total opposite to Harry!!; she's totally safe and given me loads of confidence with my riding, which I must admit I had lost as Harry wasn't the easiest to ride I've been helping another friend with her ponies, one of which Misty (Welsh Section A) I've started her long lining and have progressed to working her in a driving harness. My friend has said I could have her, my heart says yes but my head says no!! I do love her and totally my sort of pony challenge, but I don't want to make the wrong decision! Wish I was younger and have my own land and it would be a no brainer, but unfortunately not the case!
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Post by VeronicaF on Mar 29, 2018 19:23:47 GMT 1
could you not loan her off your friend? then she will be yours but if anything happens she can go back, or a rescue, you always have a safety net then.then you can listern to your heart.
I know how you feel I still miss Zulu, ollie and April who passed a few years now the time helps with the pain but you always miss them.
well done with all your doing, because of all you have been through your have a sensitive understanding with horses and people.
I think you have a lot to give horses and them you,look at montys age, it doesn't stop him. don't let age define you.
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Post by hislordshipsmum on Mar 30, 2018 11:19:56 GMT 1
Hi, thank you for your kind words, it's such a difficult decision to make and we've gone through loads of scenarios, my friend would be happy to have her back etc and my IH trainer has said I can keep her at her yard - so we've looked at different ways of keeping her etc and am still working with my IH trainer to see if we can come up with a way of doing this but it's getting a bit complicated and Misty is quite a high strung pony (being a rescue) so don't want to put her through any stress of changing stables and then having to send her back if it doesn't work out - so want to make sure it's the best thing for pony. If I felt 100% and didn't have any doubts I would do it, but there's days I think yes and then I have my doubts and think of the reasons not to!! Anyway, I'm still pondering, so we will see
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Post by cobby on Mar 30, 2018 23:21:58 GMT 1
So glad to hear that Sunshine isn't itchy anymore - that rug looks ace. I know what you mean about this discussion group dwindling. Its a shame as it was always a friendly and interesting place to visit and learn from.
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Post by VeronicaF on Apr 5, 2018 19:07:41 GMT 1
Good luck Hislordshipsmum, keep me up to date thank you cobby
this video has stuck in my head every time I see a puddle I think how many midge eggs are in it
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Post by Furiey on Apr 22, 2018 11:41:55 GMT 1
It also shows the importance of clearing out water troughs regularly. You might not be able to stop the mozzies completely but can at least reduce the numbers a bit.
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