Itchy pony

[Eviepeevy]

Hi, I am new to this forum but am desperate for an advice that can be given for an itchy pony. We have a 22 year old mare who has been (virtually) constantly itching for about 6 months. If she is in her paddock she grazes happily, but bring her into her stable, and next to some post and rail, and she will latch her whole body onto them and itch. It has got to the stage where I cannot leave her in her stable unattended (unless she has a rug on) , and she has broken numerous bits of fencing. We have had her clipped and this did help slightly. I have spoken to the vet who has put it down to her age and maybe cushings (although she isn't laminitic ) . Any advise pleeeease ?

[Eviepeevy]

Thanks Frosty. Have Hibiscrubbed her tonight and cleaned up some monstrous bites which she has between her back legs . Poor thing just seems prey to everything out there at the moment. May try and gert her clipped again before pc camp as her coat is coming through again,

[frostyfingers]

Try giving her a really thorough wash with Hibiscrub or similar. It may ease it a bit - my dpony always has a very thick coat, even in summer when he's moulted and is a terrible itcher, although not with sweet itch or anything specific. I give him a deep clean at the beginning and end of his moult, he's moulting now and it does provide a little relief for a few weeks, and seems to help break the "itch/scratch" cycle.

[Eviepeevy]

Thanks both. We tried the Switch formula a few months ago but didn't really see a change but could give the piriton a go !! And have got on strip of electric fencing along the post & rail but maybe too high for bum height (she is only 12hh). Will see if any change at all when this green grass eventually goes. Her stable has a metal bar with a rough edge running from floor to ceiling which is like red rag to a bull, so may see if we can cover it or change stables. I have also heard that marmite helps so am going to try giving a spodge of that in her feed everyday.

[MoreBeta]

Its many years since I had a pony but sounds like it might be the rich grass with all the rain. Has the vet suggested restricting the diet?

We had a Shetland in the next door field that they used to lock in a small section of the field with quite sparse grass to reduce its diet wiothout actually giving it nothing to do. It had to work at getting the grass rather than troughing on great big green mouthfulls.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Try piriton. The vet told us to give it. A 14hh welsh was on 8 at a time. My humungus traditional Shetland was on 6. She had them last thing before bed in her tea. The generic brands are ok but you must check they have the same ingredient.
I'd also recommend lining the stable with something. We have flat spongy rubber mats which we can stick to ours. Also, a single strand or electric wire at bum height around the fence. I know it's mean to remove all the scratching places, but Shettie scratched herself RAW a week or two ago. I knew shed been itchy, but I went to put her out one morning, and she had spent the night rubbing all the hair AND THE SKIN from her ears and forehead. She was a huge nasty weeping open sore from poll to mid face!
There's also a spot on called switch that you get from the vet, it's for sweet itch, but being permethrin based, does any insect or mite related issue. That might be worth a try.