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The tack room

Would you buy a pony with sweet itch?

6 replies

braid · 17/08/2014 22:55

Seen a pony which ticks a lot of boxes but it has sweet itch which is managed with rug etc and pony looking very well. But is it taking on trouble we don't need?

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Twooter · 17/08/2014 23:10

We had a sweet itch pony as a child, but I wouldn't do it again. We used to stable her a lot in the summer, but she still ended up with a bald tail by autumn. We hogged her mane to make it easier to put the benzoyl benzoate on, but it didn't half burn our eyes if we touched our faces after. This was 25 years ago, so lots has undoubtably changed re treatment, but also think about how long you're planning to keep it for.

We didn't know about the sweet itch when we bought ours as it had been stabled permanently so there were no signs.

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FlockOfTwats · 18/08/2014 00:37

Sweet itch wouldn't bother me but i wouldn't expect to pay a stupidly high price for a horse with sweet itch severely that is difficult to manage as it basically means you're going to struggle if you want to show with it.

I definitely wouldn't discount a perfectly fine pony on the basis of it.

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Twooter · 18/08/2014 07:31

In fairness our pony was gorgeous and we kept her until she died of old age, so never regretted her.

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SingingTunelessly · 21/08/2014 22:21

Sweetish can be difficult to mange but wouldn't put me off if everything else is good. Like Flock says though the price has to reflect this.

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mrslaughan · 21/08/2014 22:30

Wouldn't put me off, unless I wanted to seriously show.
One of YO potential show ponies had it, which wasn't really managed to keep her looking fab, so she has loaned her to a family.....she hasn't really had it this year because they have absolutely stayed in top it, right from the beginning of spring. She is a fab pony club pony, and if they wanted to show her, they could.

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PoshPenny · 21/08/2014 22:40

I did buy one with sweet itch and she is a lovely lovely pony to have about the place and we all love her dearly, she has a home for life with us. No I don't think would never knowingly buy another one. this year in our area hasn't been too bad for midges, but it's just coming up to the worst time for them. I would recommend a Rambo Sweet Itch Hoody if you do buy the pony, I'm finding the one I bought last month in a sale better (effective) than the Boett. ordinary fly rugs just do not give enough protection.

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