If you have a sweet itch horse, or a horse with insect bite reactions then you have seen lots of itching and rubbing and irritation. Some of them back into fence posts or rub their necks on stall doors or the trees. Or some of them go down on their bellies and rock back and forth on the ground. They don’t have hands so they try to get relief to those hard-to-reach places any way they can. For some horses, the itching is so intense they rub out their manes and tails, and other parts of their hair coats. Often, they rub their skin raw.
Many concerned owners have tried everything from a variety of fly sprays to vinegar to fly sheets or just spend money fixing fences. But what exactly is sweet itch?
The reason that so many people get frustrated with it is because they don’t understand that it is an internal problem whereby the horses have a dysfunctional immune system and that’s why topical applications are of limited effectiveness. So, once you address the real and underlying causes of insect allergies and reactions you will get the results that your horse deserves.
What Is Sweet Itch?
“Sweet Itch” is also often referred to as “summer eczema” and it is caused by a hypersensitivity to insect bites - usually flies, mosquitoes and especially biting midges (“no-see-ums”). The skin has a protective layer known as the acid mantle which is a layer of lactic acid. Its job is to protect the skin from bacteria, parasites, insects, and infections. But when the acid mantle is damaged the insects can more easily bite and irritate. This acid mantle of the skin can be damaged by diet, sugar, grain, leaky gut, nutrient deficiencies including anemia, stress, poor immunity, toxins, acids, and food intolerances. All of these can contribute to a variety of skin problems resulting in inflammation, itching, infections, rashes, and increased hypersensitivity to insects.
Why Are Some Horses More Vulnerable Than Others?
Sweet itch and insect sensitivity is caused by a weakened immune system and damaged skin. The opportunistic blood-sucking insect is very attracted to this weakened condition; therefore, the stronger horses who are in better health have more resistance. Sensitive horses with less resilience not only attract more bites but have actual allergic reactions to those bites due to compromised immunity. This results in inflamed skin, more discomfort, and increased itching.
What Can We Do?
Having had my own severe sweet-itch horse who was a quarter horse show horse at the time, I was motivated to find him some kind of relief without wrapping him up like a mummy. He must have been horrified! Looking back at his history including the years before we owned him, I can now easily see why he was a candidate for skin problems. High levels of stress, too many chemical dewormers, too many vaccines, inappropriate diets, an overload of toxins, and too many metal shoes and faulty shoeing which caused blood circulation problems. But even after discontinuing all medications and letting him go barefoot he was still a fly magnet, and his skin was still reactive. So, I had to improve his nutrition and make use of herbal medicines.
The holistic model always focuses on correcting or balancing the underlying cause. So, the next step in resolving his severe sweet itch was to build up his immune system, cleanse his blood, and repair the damage to the skin. And the most effective way of accomplishing this is with diet changes, specific nutrients, and natural medicines.
Recommended Natural Supplement Program
Summer Tincture: One tsp daily (a proprietary formula of calendula, echinacea, linden, thistle) add to feed or syringed.
This is a specific product that I formulated for my suffering sweet itch horse. After extensive research and some trial and error my quest led me to a new formulation called Summer Tincture. With a few tweaks I found the magic formula to help neutralize the allergy reaction to the insect bites, detoxify the blood, support the immune system, and restore the health of the skin. Combined with Vitamin C it was a winning combination! My horse and I could not believe how well it worked! He was so happy! As was I.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): 1 tsp daily (= 5,000 mg) provides excellent support for the immune system, maintains liver function, and helps maintain the acid mantle of the skin. It also maintains healthy adrenal function which is important for inflammation and immunity.
Equi-Derm Herbal Blend: ¼ cup daily as needed for severe cases.
Supports skin health and liver and blood detoxification.
Topical Remedies
Riva’s Herbal Skin Oil: Apply as a spray two-three times daily as needed. (A proprietary blend of tea tree oil, goldenseal tincture, and olive oil.)
Can be used on open sores, rashes, wounds, infections, and the bites themselves. It offers immediate relief and helps to promote healthy skin. It also helps ward off those pesky insects who hate the smell of tea tree oil (but we love it!).
Coconut Oil: Apply two – three times daily
Helps reduce itching and inflammation. And insects cannot penetrate it. Spray the Riva’s Herbal Skin Oil in the coconut oil for added effectiveness.
Oatmeal Compress: Apply a mixture of oatmeal and water paste to the affected areas as needed.
Soothes itching and reduces inflammation. It is also a natural moisturizer.
Health Tips
Sweet itch horses should not be given any high sugar feeds or grains such as oats, barley, corn, or sweet feed. And use caution with commercial feed mixes – there are a lot of different ingredients included in feeds. And horses should not be fed added fats as they can congest the liver, compromise the immune system, and aggravate allergy reactions.
Note: Horses who are anemic (low iron or vitamin B12) often have a poor immune system resulting in an increase of allergies and other health issues including fatigue, respiratory issues, skin problems, and depression.
“For years, my horse and I have struggled with her sweet itch. I thought we had tried pretty much everything to bring her relief, then I saw a passing reference to Riva’s Remedies Sweet Itch products. Ordered it, got it, and the results were almost instant. Not only is the sweet itch under control, but Grace is clearly happier and healthier. What a relief – for both of us! So grateful, thank you.” …Nancy T.
The combination of Summer Tincture, Vitamin C, and Riva’s Herbal Skin Oil in our Sweet Itch Bundle is truly the most effective solution for sweet itch that many of our customers have come across. It has brought permanent relief to SO many horses! And the horses can now enjoy their summers focused on spending time with the herd and their humans, instead of looking for objects to scratch on.
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