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Post by melons on Dec 6, 2009 17:42:02 GMT
just been to see a lovely pony for showing that very keen to buy its mane had a couple of breaks in it not rubbed to the neck by any means and its tail is a bit scruffy at the top but certainly no bald patches or open sores the owners assure me it has no sweet itch and have seen photos of it competing last summer i know summer to late autumn is the worst time especially with all the mild weather so would it be much more obvious??
will have pony vetted - and people did seem very genuine but it is concerning me. Any views ??
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Post by lollipop on Dec 6, 2009 21:57:43 GMT
Hi, not had ponies with sweetiitch & think now isnt the time they get it but know there are times with midges that normal ponies can itch if niot rugged etc so would take vets advice
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Post by dancer on Dec 6, 2009 22:49:58 GMT
One of ours has sweet itch & he has bald patches at the top of his tail & ridges in his mane so no hiding it even at this time of year!
Having said that he still had a full mane & tail in the summer of the year we bought him (I knew he had I before we got him) & you wouldn't have known to look at him then.
A lot of ponies itch when they change coats so could the scruffy tail be from that? Does the pny wear a rug with a neck? could that have damaged the mane?
I think sometimes you have to trust the sellers / take a chnace if you really like the pony as even SI can improve / worsen in a new home depending on the surroundings (trees / water etc).
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Mari
Full Member
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Post by Mari on Dec 7, 2009 15:36:31 GMT
My pony has sweetich. - I have had him 14 yrs now.
In the summer he is very itchy and sometimes has nocticable bald patches were he will just stand and scratch himself even through he is fully protected with a made to measure rug and has all the preventative possible. including washing the mane and tail 3 times a week to keep it clean,
Come the winter he is alot better but still will have an itch, were he rubbs his mane in the summer he will have very fine regrowth, the mane and tail is often brittal (were they rubb) if they have sweet icth. My pony has a spot on the base of his manem, cos when i first got him he was really bad and had red sores sweeping in his mane, this excessive rubbing and sratching cause damage to the roots and the hair doesnt grow there strong any more and if it does it feels brittal and fine.
But the last few years he has been great and you wouldnt know he had it at all. full mane and tail.
Most ponies sweet itch is caused by there surrounding, i.e - to much watery ground, trees and hedges were flies and midges love to live. Also certain foods can increase itching.
If you like this pony and are getting it vetted then the vet should be able to see weather there is signs of sweet itch or not, personally it doesnt bother me having a pony with it as long as you keep them clean and apply fly sray and sweet itch supplments they are fine.
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Post by melons on Dec 8, 2009 15:38:01 GMT
thanks for your help comments were very useful i agree there does have to be some trust in the horse world not everyone out there is a rogue and we do love the pony ! x
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Post by sageandonion on Dec 9, 2009 17:48:37 GMT
melons, if I had any concerns about a seasonal disorder like sweet itch or, say, head shaking, I would ask the owners outright, explain my concerns and ask for a warranty to that effect. I would also explain to my vet my concern and ask him to also ask the vendor about any such history.
I always ask to speak the the vendor's own vet for a veterinary history and ask to see the pony's insurance policy to check for any exclusions.
This might sound fussy, but I have most bought expensive ponies and I intend to keep them for life so it is important I know everything.
An honest seller will not have a problem with any of this.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2009 18:52:38 GMT
I have a mare with sweet itch and yes you can tell at this time of year, their coat has a different texture- almost like a wire brush- there are ridges along the crest- lately the thought is it is a shortage of vit B Hope that helps
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Post by jubbily on Dec 16, 2009 0:03:48 GMT
I went with a friend at the weekend to see a horse . My friend had rang the breeder who informed her that the horse had sweetitch and was given to the girl selling it. The girl selling it says it does not have sweet itch. As I have had a pony with sweet itch my friend ask me to come along with her to view it... And yes it has sweet itch. The owner had 'bathed' the horse mane and tail yet it was still covered in oilly stuff (like baby oil) It had what appeared to be rain scold over its neck and back and scabs in its forelock (where she forgot to wash!) It also had a 'Loo brush' of a tail. Unfortunetely people 'do' lie to sell the horse.
I sold my sweetitch pony cheap some years ago declaring it had sweetitch in the advert. The buyer then sold the pony on in an auction 7months later and didnt declare any sweetitch. (the pony only had mild sweet itch tho and was easy to manage with a boett) so I am afraid everyone is not as honest as you may think....
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Post by dancer on Dec 16, 2009 11:16:12 GMT
I agree that SI is probably something that sellers 'may' try to cover up but I'd be wary of taking anyone else's advise about it, eg, breeders, previous owners etc & prefer to see for myself. I have known horses branded as having SI in the past just because they rubbed one summer but it was never actually diagnosed & never reappeared in their new home? !
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sarahp
Happy to help
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Post by sarahp on Dec 16, 2009 11:24:14 GMT
One problem is that areas vary - some have masses of midges and any pony that might get SI, will, but in others which could be more windy and open, the same pony won't rub at all because there is no challenge.
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Post by dancer on Dec 16, 2009 13:15:41 GMT
That's very true Sarahp - we had 1 bad case that has moved to live on a Welsh Mountain & now shows minimal signs of SI. The problem is that a lot of ponies will rub for various reasons & a lot of owners will assume it's SI but that isn't always the case which is why I'd prefer to see the pony rather than believe someone else's opinion, unless of course it has been diagnosed by a vet!
Did you get the pony vetted Melons?
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sarahp
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Post by sarahp on Dec 16, 2009 16:50:32 GMT
Quite agree, there are many other possible allergans apart form parasites, skin conditions etc.
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Post by jubbily on Dec 30, 2009 13:08:43 GMT
I agree that SI is probably something that sellers 'may' try to cover up but I'd be wary of taking anyone else's advise about it, eg, breeders, previous owners etc & prefer to see for myself. I have known horses branded as having SI in the past just because they rubbed one summer but it was never actually diagnosed & never reappeared in their new home? ! probably best to take the advise from previouse owners/breeders AND see for yourself. The horse we viewed was in Wales ~ Wrexham to be precise. Shame cause it was a very nice Arab.
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Post by tillergirl on Feb 5, 2010 11:19:34 GMT
there is a great insect repellant called Barricade that is marellous for itchy horse, I had a pony who won at Dublin horse show, and he had sweet itch, had him for 15 yrs, hunted him, showed him, he was marvelleous. just kept control of it with protective rugs in the summer and a good fly repellant. - If the pony is good enough, it wouldn.t put me off, as I found it manageable, - however it could reflect the price.
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Post by sarah00000 on Feb 5, 2010 17:09:26 GMT
I travelled miles to see a very expensive WB mare - owner told me she wore a boett rug. I said "Oh she has sweetitch then?" - I may be wrong - but am led to believe you are law bound to declare sweetitch in an advert?
Anyway seller - very nice lady - posh, ladylike, well off - lovely really - said NOT SWEETITCH NO - just a little bit itchy at times.......
Went and tried this beautiful horse - who was real stunner and very talented.
Had a long chat with the dressage trainer, who merrily told me all about her "CHRONIC SWEETITCH" and how terrbily it affected her.................
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