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The tack room
Itchy pony
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:52
New pony - hairy native/cob type seems to be rather itchy. No mites/lice etc. I have left his rug off last few nights (had never been rugged before he came but I have given him a small Irish clip so needed one on on the colder days. wondered if that was bothering him. Clipped hair growing back in a bit now so should be fine again naked). Last rode him on Tuesday and he looked like he wanted to roll when ridden and was waving a hind leg around at times and looked like he wanted to scratch. After saddle was removed he had a good old gnaw at himself and rub on the hay net so assuming that was definitely the issue. Lots of products on the market claim. To help with itching but does anyone have any tried and tested ones they swear by? I know it can be quite common for these types of ponies to be itchy - I'm used to TB's so less experience in this area
Alltheclouds · 19/01/2023 17:54
Mine itches if he eats sugar beet so if you are absolutely certain it's not lice or mites I'd check his diet.
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:56
He gets a tiny handful of speedi beet just to dampen so might try cutting that. Apart from that it's just half a cup of balancer and handful chaff so not a massive amount. I'm praying it's not the hay as that's certainly making me itch atm 😬
Alltheclouds · 19/01/2023 18:01
It's so difficult isn't it? Mine ate speedibeet for years with no problem and then was suddenly really itchy. It took reading a post on another forum to make me think of the speedibeet, but he stopped as soon as I cut it out. Recently somebody who was giving him his feet damped it with their own beet for a few days, not knowing, and he itched straight away. Some of the sugary mixes and alfalfa can have adverse effect on some as well. Natives can be a nightmare!!
Hope you get to bottom of it!
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 18:27
slamwich · 19/01/2023 18:13
Clipper oil? I'd give him some piriton for a week
He was clipped a month ago now and it's the hairy bits he's itchy rather than clipped area
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 18:29
@Alltheclouds definitely something to consider. I hadn't thought about beet being responsible at all. Will trial that.
Penguinsista · 19/01/2023 19:27
If it's the hairy parts that he's scratching is it because he's moulting? All my natives are moulting like crazy at the moment. Good call about the speedibeet.
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 19:40
No sign of moulting yet - he's been shipped from Devon to Scotland mid December though so probably unsurprising 😅
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