In addition to providing honest advice, we at AskHELTIE believe it's important to have a wealth of information available for horse owners. This way, you can expand your knowledge and help your horse to the best of your ability. Together, we ensure that horses come a little closer to nature.
Skin
Sweet itch
Note: this is why summer eczema often has a resurgence in September!
The end of the summer eczema season is finally in sight. The temperatures are starting to drop and the days are getting shorter. Many horse owners think they can stop treating summer eczema. However, they are often in for a surprise. Because horses often experience a resurgence of itching in September and October. Keep reading for the cause and tips to alleviate a resurgence.. Mosquitoes in moist grass Mosquitoes lay eggs in water or in moist soil. In September and October, the nights are much more humid, which is ideal for mosquitoes to lay eggs. When the temperature rises, these eggs hatch en masse. That is also the reason why you can still see swarms of mosquitoes in September and October. If summer eczema horses no longer have a blanket on and no other precautions have been taken, you will see the itching resurface. Change in diet Did you know that far fewer horse...
Skin
Insulin resistance
Sweet itch
Do fewer horses have sweet itch than we think?
When horses are scratching in the summer months, it is often quickly assumed that a horse has summer eczema (SME). However, there are many more causes of scratching in the summer months. This leads to many horses being treated as if they have summer eczema, without results. Therefore, it is very important to determine the cause of the scratching in the summer months. A horse may react to sugars in the diet, be sensitive to insect bites, be overweight, or have itching for other reasons during the summer period. There are also horses that scratch from grassland treated with artificial fertilizers. So, a horse scratching in the summer months does not always have sweet itch. Below is an overview of possible causes of itching in the summer and what measures you can take.. Itching Due to Overweight Most horses in the Netherlands carry a very generous amount of weight. Just like with humans, we all know that being overweight is not healthy for horses. But did you know that overweight can cause itching in horses? Fat deposits cause small inflammatory reactions under the skin, especially around the mane. These inflammations cause irritation, leading the horse to scratch. Scratching creates wounds that cause further inflammatory reactions at those spots, and this cycl...