Highland pony keeps itching hind Quarters advice please!

[Blueskytoday]

Our 20 year old highland pony, is on loan with us, we have have had him since September.
Since we have had him he’s always scratched his back end against fence posts etc
It looks awful, rubbed top of his tail , has had a couple of small areas on his quarters bleeding, they’ve healed with antiseptic powder on.
He’s very happy in his self -turned , out with other ponies, I don’t think he’s doing it as a stress relief .

He’s been wormed, his trimmer thought his sheath looked swollen and smelled nasty, she advised giving activated charcoal , which we’ve been doing, it’s no better.
It looks really awful at moment because of his winter coat with 2 big bald patches , looks likes he’s been clipped in a crazy pattern .
Any ideas of anything else to try? Hate to think of him being uncomfortable
I don’t know if it’s just habit ?
Thanks for your thoughts

Sweet itch?

have you had a vet look at him?

I take it you have cleaned his dock and sheath? Any changes in food?

Sounds like pin worm. Can be a bigger to get rid of. You need to use a wormer for tape worm monthly for 2 or 3 months and wash his bum daily and slap vaseline generously around his anus daily. You can get an invermectin wash from the vet that helps. The itching is caused by the eggs being laid just outside his anus. The baseline stops the egg sticking and you need to break the life cycle.

Baseline = vaseline

He’s not itching anywhere else at all , which I thought they did if sweet itch?

Yes vets seen him, but not recently.

Dock cleaned

Food is grass , haylage, thundebrooks chaff, balancer, joint supplement not much as very good doer. In previous home just had grass and was hugely overweight.

His stools are fine, normal colour , solid, no diaarohea etc

I think the pin worms sound most likely , is there any way to test for them? country girl thanks for that, will try it

WHy hasn’t the vet seen him recently for the obvious medical problem he is having?!

Vet.

Pinworm would be my first thought, but worth checking for lice and making sure he isnt getting too hot. At twenty Id also keep an eye in case of possible cushings, if he continues after treating for pinworms Id probably get him tested in case.

Lice is a possibility as they can occur right up between the hind legs. They are incredibly it itchy. (Not that I’ve got them!) They also cause bald patches. They’ll probably be too tiny to see but treatment is cheap and easy to do.

vet - could be lice, rain scald, pinworm, sweet itch, ringworm - if you are not very experienced get vet advice on what is it and best way to treat.

Our vet said he'd seen two cases of lice in the past week

Definitely get the vet. Whatever it is, it has the potential to spread and/or become infected, which will be a hell of a lot worse headache.

Get vet to check but sounds like pin worm. Mine had it vet didn't find anything but one day I just happened to see one. Is a bit if a pain to sort but working with the right wormer twice 6 weeks apart, daily Vaseline and scrubbing all walls/fences he rubbed on worked. Much happier pony now.

We’ve tried some stinky stuff ointment and fingers crossed it seems to have stopped the itching , stinky stuff.co.uk
Medicated shampoo and then ointment seems to be working so far, it’s got good reviews, herbal stuff.

We’ve not got vet out as he’s fit as a fiddle, galloping around like a loon today because the wind was blowing stuff about so he’s spooked and charged off in opposite direction to his stable!
He seems absolutely fine every where else

I am sorry but that is a ridiculous reason not to call the vet. Horses have to be at death’s door to stop moving but they certainly don’t need to be at death’s door to need the vet! You are allowing this animal to suffer, if I was his owner I would be furious with you.

Doesn't matter if he's fine everywhere else op, he needs the problem addressing and with horses you often find it's cheaper and easier just getting the vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment from the start rather than using herbal stuff and not knowing what you are dealing with. If it is pinworm then ointment on the sores and shampoo will do nothing to resolve it.

Vet, ASAP.

If I were the owner and I stumbled across this thread, I’d be livid that you waited this long.

Yes I'm with those who simply don't understand why you haven't called the vet. This is a medical and welfare issue and it is not fair to the pony to deny him proper treatment.

Has his sheath been cleaned? One gelding I looked after had the biggest bean I've ever seen. It was making him so itchy.

Second thought was pinworms.

I'd get the vet out and find the cause before it gets worse.