# Boett Rug



## Harleypops (25 June 2013)

Looking for a size 5 Boett rug for 15hh Welsh D X. Bought him for my daughter in May and the owner "forgot" to mention that he suffers from sweet itch. As he came nude we have bought him all new tack etc and now have encounted an expence we didnt budget for. Have bought him 2 standard fly rugs but have read that Boett Rugs are the best. He is so irritated bless him. We cannot touch his mane or tail at the moment and wec are going to give him a natural sedative this afternoon to try and clean and apply cream. We have a range of lotions and potions and are currently giving him piriton x 5 concealed in a marmite sarnie daily, along with garlic in a handful of chaff. Deet spraying him, using citronella on his rug and skin so soft and sudocrem to any open wounds.
He is five and just been in a field all his life...He has made amazing progress with us and we are now at the stage to back him but now with this outbreak his withers are twitchy and until we get him more comfortable this has to be put on hold.
it is a nightmare, firstly off course for Harley. It has only made us love him more and he has a home for life. Just want to make him more comfortable. Nottm area preferred but can pay via paypal.


----------



## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (25 June 2013)

My traddie boy's got sweet itch and I use a Rambo Sweet itch hoody for him. Not the cheapest thing you can buy BUT IMO the best.

Premier Equine also do a very good (cheaper) range which are good value IMO and very serviceable indeed, so worth a look on their website.

I've never used a Boett rug, but know they're a bit pricey. Was tempted to buy the Pagony a few years ago which is supposed to be a cheapie version of the Boett. Don't do it!!! The one I had was rubbish quality and the seams were only single-stitched and I was always having to sew the wretched thing up again.

Think also that the Boett, like the Pagony, is a fiddle and a faff to put on, you have to put it on (and take off!) OVER the horse's head which if yours is like mine and hates anything being put over his head, is a total nightmare.

Personally I'd go for the Rambo every time. Easier to put on, does the job, stays put, and lasts well. OR the Premier Equine one - have one for my loan mare and its kept not only midges but horseflies away from her very efficiently.


----------



## Harleypops (25 June 2013)

Hi there, Thank you so much for that. We have actually got a Rambo Rug which we have not used. We bought two second hand. We have put the cheaper one on first as he has not had a rug before so if he is going to shred one it can be this one!
He had a full mane(both sides! and tail when we bought him and obviously had no immediate signs. i did ask if he had any skin conditions etc but did not vet as he was such a reasonable price...hmmmmm perhaps should have looked into this more! Now though we have noted some thickening of the skin between his front legs and the skin beneath his mane (now more visible as his mane is to one side!) is thick and wrinkled.
Also he was a little traumatised following his hour long move and it is woody where we keep him.
We are going to fence off the wooded area of the field today and remove(out with the chain saw!) any branches that he can rub on.
We will not let it beat us though as we are so in love with him and we are sure that he is going to do really well in everything. i really trusted the lady that we bought him from. If only people could be honest!
I am hopeful that we can get on top of it and make things so much better for him. x


----------



## oldjumper (25 June 2013)

So sorry your horse has got SI, it's a horrible condition. Don't necessarily blame the sellers tho', SI can suddenly start in a horse of any age that has never suffered from it before. Also, it can flare up if horse moves to a location that has more midges (any standing water/clay soil/ woodland/ low lying ground).
Prevention is best treatment - Keep exposure to midges to a minimum - use highest, driest, windiest turn out available. 
Stable before midges come out and turn out after sun is up. 
Keep skin as clean and conditioned as pos - weekly bath and rug wash.
The really difficult thing is, no 2 horses seem to react in the same way, so what helps one doesn't help another. With that in mind...
Other things that I've found good:
Boett blankets are brilliant but will only last a few years (good idea to remove any rug-wrecking branches/wire). Horses that are really suffering usually 'dive' into them and if conditions are really bad, you can ride out in them, minus hood and belly band.
Other stuff we've found helpful:  dead sea magic shampoo, (Its a human shampoo from health stores) Z itch - helps keep hair in good condition but don't use on damaged skin. 
When skin hot, itchy, sore, Aloe Vera gel is very gentle and soothing.
If its any consolation, the worse SI sufferer we've ever had was also the most brilliant, talented and successful!
Good luck


----------



## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (25 June 2013)

There's a whole lot on here about Sweet Itch which will come up on a search so well worth a look.

Eliminate sugar/mollasses from the diet as much as you can; think "sweet" itch......

Don't feed garlic in any shape or form (stimulates immune system, not what you want).

Re. turnout: you might need to stable during dawn to dusk period. 

Supplements: mine has Linseed oil and Brewers Yeast in every feed from February through to October (sweet itch season). Clivers (sticky stuff in hedges) also good; mine will pick it out for himself or you can add to haynet, is supposed to be good for SI's. But I'd try the cheap & cheerful supplements like these first as you can chuck away money on gunk that doesn't work.

Killitch is good if he does rub himself (benzyl benzoate = same thing). 

Um, best pasture if you can find is somewhere high up and not near stagnant/still water or woodland (sorry!) where midges will gather. It might be that where he's been is high up and/or in an area which is less midgey than where you are. Plus the fact that SI can be exacerbated by things like stress which would figure as he's in a new home.

Sweet itch IS manageable: you've firstly got to let his condition stablise by good management and THEN once you've got on top of it you won't find it half so bad.

PS it might be good to ask your vet to take some bloods to establish the severity of the SI.


----------



## RhaLoulou (25 June 2013)

Rambo sweet itch hoodies are the best bet good fit and durable my welsh d has hers on 24 /7 well in advance of the midges coming out. I have stopped feeding alfalfa and anything with sugar to mine and that has helped. I have also tried to reduce her general sensitivity as she  is very allergic and many preparations for sweet itch actually make it worse eg benzoyl benzoate for her. I always patch test and use non chemical products like ruggles shampoo and neem oil. Good luck.


----------



## Suelin (25 June 2013)

You could try this lady for sweet itch rugs.  Very similar to the Boett but z fraction of the price.   cornerstonebrowbands@fsmail.net

She gives a very good bespoke service.


----------



## Harleypops (26 June 2013)

Many thanks for all of the most appreciated and helpful suggestions. as our boy was so irritated by the itch and we were having difficulty getting to his tail  and mane we gave him a little herbal sedative last night and managed to clean the sore areas. We applied Battles Summer Fly Cream which was recommended by a lady who had used it with great success on her mare. We rugged him up and moved him, with his new friends away from a wooded area on onto a strip of grazing that incorporates a steep hill as recommended. we have been using garlic as a supplement as we had read that the odour given off but the insects off! However we will look into this. We have though got some Brewers Yeast. We are spraying his rug with NAF Deet and applying diluted SkinSoSoft to the rest of him and seeing how we go with the fly cream. We were happy with sudocrem but will see how this goes. He has the Rambo Rug on now with the tummy flap. He is also having marmite and piriton daily.
I am hoping that when I see him later he will be much happier. I realise this will be a daily task to keep on top of it but he is worth every second of my time!


----------



## mandy@goverd.co.uk (23 July 2013)

hi
I have a Boett rug for sale.size 5. Used it on my 14.3 hh cob mare.Found it wasn't sweet ich she was suffering from so no longer use it on her. In good condition repair done by tailor on under neck where she rubbed it.Take picture of her wearing it if you like. Also have hood as well.
My mobile is 07824397409 if you want anymore information.


----------



## Flynntof+Ness (28 July 2013)

Hi i also brought a pony with sweet itch , i tryed everything on the market . Kill itch , coopers etc 
The one thing i found that actually is helping my boy is camrosa , its was designed by a women for a pony with sweet itch . 
But it works also flynn is now rugged up 24/7 except when i ride him and i also put fly repellant on the rug once its on . Just for added protection . 
Camrosa if you put into a search this will send you to tge womens site


----------



## Crugeran Celt (28 July 2013)

I bought a Welsh Sect D five years ago, he was five years old and I specifically asked the vet who vetted him for me if there was a sweetitch problem as he had been hogged which I thought was a bit odd for a welsh D but the vet didn't think he had a problem. He had been absolutely fine until last year when he developed terrible sweetitch and rubbed his tail raw and was left with hardly any mane at all. This year I have plastered him in sudocrem on his tail and the base of his mane and he has a rambo flysheet on and loads of fly repellent, he has still managed to rub the hair from the top of his tail but his mane is fine. Sweetitch is an awful thing and it seems that more and more horses are being affected by it not sure why but good luck with yours. Sudocrem is a god send for the irritated skin.


----------

