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purdeysue
Gold Member
 England
652 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Aug 2014 : 7:49:15 PM
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Does anyone use Neem Oil for itchy horses. My girl was ok until she was out all last summer & decimated her mane. Unfortunately she was away being backed, only came in to work & had no fly rug on. This year I put a fly rug on in about march, but she's managed to do a better job of nearly hogging herself. She had such big hair at one time. I've heard that Neem Oil is excellent for skin, but never seen it, or known anyone that uses it. Next year it'll be a Sweetitch rug me thinks!
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Vik1
Platinum Member
1711 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2014 : 10:32:27 PM
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We used to use Neem cream which is neem oil based on our highland mares face who had sweet itch. It was great stuff. Boett blanket was the best investment we ever made with her though. You would never had known she had sweet itch with a full thick mane down to her shoulders.
I mostly use it on mud fever, which is the best thing Ive found for it so far. Really helps skin to heal if red and sore looking or on top of scabs. You cant use it on broken skin though. Ive also used it as a fly repellent this summer on my gelding. Fine with normal flies but the horseflies still attacked...only a rug worked with them. |
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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2014 : 11:12:51 PM
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| I think i may still have a pot ... virtually unused... I tried it on an itchy tail years ago... but only used it twice because it smells really bad... I'd like to describe the smell ... but it was indescribable. Went back to good old benzyl benzoate. Praps Viks Neem cream does not smell so revolting.... or maybe its the smell that puts the flies off... |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2014 : 11:26:26 AM
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| Agree it smells terrible, I tried various creams on my mare who only really rubs her face and mane in summer, last year she had scabs all over her face so I bought her a sweet itch hood and mask this year it was £45 from Cornerstone Browbands, she makes them made to measure for you and I put it on in March and she has had not one scab and her mane is in tact, you can buy the whole rug I think its about £80 so its not as expensive as a the Boett, I must say they are really well made much of it is lined and reinforced in places and has done a great job. |
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purdeysue
Gold Member
England
652 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2014 : 3:07:53 PM
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| Thanks, I have read that it smells revolting, but I'm willing to try anything! At the moment she's still out at night & has a fly rug on 24/7. Already on her 3rd rug this year! I came home from work today & she'd made a hole where she'd been rubbing her tail. Also she rubs so hard on the door frame that she's polished the zinc coating off the chewing strip. I'm a bit loath to buy anything expensive for that reason. |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2014 : 6:27:43 PM
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| If you put a sweet itch rug on early march before they get bitten it breaks the cycle as the rug stops them being bitten so they don't scratch, a fly rug will not stop a horse being bitten its not the right material they can bite through it, plus if they already have bites and are rubbing the rug wont really help you have to have the itching under control before rugging or put it on before the bites happen. |
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Ari
Platinum Member
1657 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2014 : 7:34:24 PM
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My boy for the first time at age 11 reacted to flies, midges or whatever that this glorious summer encouraged and he rubbed his itchy face and the nasty flying things were at the damage he was doing, he looked a mess.
He has sensitive skin so very cautious what I apply but Nettex itch stop salve was recommended by my friend with a pony that has very bad sweat itch.
I was skeptical and worried a reaction to the salve could make it worse but have to say fabulous stuff; it really did keep the bugs off and his face healed very quickly.
May not work for all but in our case well worth a try.
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purdeysue
Gold Member
England
652 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2014 : 8:01:07 PM
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| I know a fly rug isn't ideal Pinkvboots, I just didn't realise how sensitive she'd become. Next year I'll be ready for the little b¥ggers, although she did rub a bit in the winter too. I think I'll be investing in a Sweetitch rug this winter. |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2014 : 11:05:20 PM
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| My mare used to very itchy all year but I feed her micronised linseed now only about 50g and I think its really helped, maybe give it a try if you dont feed it already, Arabi my other horse rubbed his face to bits this year which his never done before so maybe the biting insects were very bad this year, he ended up with quite a few bald patches its just starting to look better now, I was thinking about getting him a mask made the same as my mare has for next year. |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2014 : 12:18:36 AM
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| Don't know if this will be relevant, but Lily was itchy and rubbed her mane and tail all year round until I removed molasses from her diet, now she doesn't rub through the winter, but she is fully fly rugged/fly masked up all summer because she will rub when the midges are around, she does not have full blown sweet itch, but is definitely itchy if bitten. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 08:54:47 AM
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| I just remembered.... about 20 yrs ago i had a arabxnative pony and she rubbed her bottom bald one yr. I tried my usual fixes and nothing worked (not pin worm) and then the vet gave her an injection and it all healed and the rubbing stopped... think maybe it was a steroid ? anyway she had the jab in the spring after that and it lasted the summer... i remember the vet saying it was important she was not/did not get in foal ... so whatever it was should not be used on breeding mares. |
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marionpack
Gold Member
England
1073 Posts |
Posted - 05 Sep 2014 : 11:55:30 AM
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My friend uses Neem oil (and it does smell) mixes it with water and sprays it on, he has open sarcoids (for some reason the sarcoids seem to be having a good reaction with it as well) and it is the only thing that keeps the flys off, they swarm around but won't land, only problem with it is, it needs to be kept quite warm (in the sun) otherwise it doesn't spray and the neem oil separates from the water
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Berkshire
   
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kath
Gold Member
United Kingdom
943 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2014 : 2:27:05 PM
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| Yes, it is AMAZING. i also use it for wounds. |
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lulu
Gold Member
763 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2014 : 8:07:51 PM
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| I use the cream got it from our local health shop and it smells fine I also use it on me when I get stung by nettles. |
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Neem Oil?
