Oils for an itchy horse

[MNA12]

Looking for recommendations for oils to feed for a mare who is itchy. Seems to have dry skin and dandruff.

She had this problem as a yearling to the point she rubbed out half her mane. The dandruff managed to disappear the next year with no problems. She’s turning 6 this year and have been noticing a few things with her. Last show season towards the end she started acting up when she would sweat. She’d kick her belly, not move forward but didn’t seem in pain or even mad. We’d scratch under her saddle pad and then she was fine. She started to do it again this winter. We had problems with her girth and thought it was that but after chiro and switching girths we were told she’d be fine so one day she was acting bad and wouldn’t move forward and throwing her head almost like she was scratching my trainer jumped off and she had no pain just itchy under the saddle. So I’m looking for anything to help her out.

[cloudyandcallie]

Have you tried applying Listerine the original formula not those flavored types. Apply to a small area first and leave it on a day
Also try giving over the counter allergy tablets

[MNA12]

I did ask the vet about allergy shots etc but she said they likely wouldn’t help her at all but recommended oils and to try gold bond but no info on what oils. I haven’t heard of listerine does it have to mixed or anything?

[CanteringCarrot]

I have an itchy guy and I feed him flax oil and also make sure his vitamin E intake is adequate. He still loves a good curry, but isn’t as bad as he was. I do hot towel him and use a moisturizing spray in the winter. In the warmer months I make sure that I always rinse the sweat off of him and give him a tea tree shampoo bath every other week or so.

​​​​​​Keeping him clipped in the winter helps too. He’s a sweater and in work so clipping leaves less coat/sweat and seems to keep his skin in better health.

Allergy shots/treatment, steroids, Zyrtec can also help.

[cloudyandcallie]

Nope don’t mix it unless you want to cut it with water. It was recommended to me by an old quarter horse guy at a feed store and it is great for lots of skin problems including repelling flies and itching and rain rot and scratches. I forget the name of the little blue over the counter allergy pills that work so well even for hives dissolved in water and put in food Baster to put in mouth

[jawa]

A friend of mine was basically given a horse due to it’s horrible skin allergies. When she first got the horse, he was bald over 30% of his body and just looked moth eaten. She started him on allergy shots. Within 6 months he looked like a totally different horse. His coat color was more vibrant and he was no longer bald. I didn’t recognize him.

[WhiteOakFarm]

Nutraflax. It’s stabilized and Ca/Phos balanced.

[walkinthewalk]

What worked for my horse with environmental allergies, and itchy/big dandruff flakes skin:

1. Nothing with grains or uses soy as a protein source - he is grain and soy sensitive.

2. Magnesium Malate at half their recommended dose.

3. An additional 2,500 IU of pure human grade Vitamine E - NO selenium - just pure vitamin E from HorseTech.

The Vitamin E has really put a nice soft coat on him – all he has now is dust from rolling and his mane has grown because he no longer itches his neck half to death:)

He has been on Omega-3 Horseshine for years. Even though it hasn’t helped his itchiness, it has given him the best looking/shiny hooves in the county:)

And no, I did not have him tested for vit/mineral deficiencies. I doubt the vet would have deemed it necessary because he is in 25 acres that is still on the green side.

I read and re-read the positive posts on this forum:)

[Peggy]

My vet recommended not just omegas, but omegas with extra DHA, for my itchy horse with allergies. So I feed the HorseTech Profile (https://horsetech.com/equine-supplements/omega-3-dha/profile). I also do the allergy shots…

[RedHorses]

My itchy horse tested within normal range for vitamin E, but at the bottom end. 3000i.u. of vitamin E (Elevate) per day and he is much less itchy, less dandruffy, and has progressively been growing more normal coats.

[BlueDrifter]

@Peggy

My vet recommended not just omegas, but omegas with extra DHA, for my itchy horse with allergies. So I feed the HorseTech Profile (https://horsetech.com/equine-supplements/omega-3-dha/profile). I also do the allergy shots…

@Peggy … see if my math is right, because it doesn’t seem like Horsetech has much Omega 3. I take 7g myself daily in the form of flax oil.

Omega Horseshine is 18% min omega 3. Dosage is 1 cup, which weighs about 4 oz. 18% of 4 oz (113g) = 20g omega 3.

I like HorseTech stuff, but maybe it is the other stuff that is effective as the omega3 dose seems low to me.?

[cloudyandcallie]

For omega3 get chia seeds. I buy from getchia on eBay I quit flax years ago

[joiedevie99]

Vitamin E and Platinum Performance (the original one). Made a huge difference for my horse. Make sure the mane and tail stay clean. Wash with listerine every two weeks or so, and use something soothing in between - like Aloe and Oatmeal shampoo.

[islandhorsegirl]

Camelina oil is a recent addition to the equine oil market: it’s high in omega 3s and vitamin E, and doesn’t spoil as quickly as flax oil. Spirulina is also good for horses with allergies.

[TCA_Arabians]

Definitely try Listerine… original style… not diluted. Just pat it on. We’ve used it on manes and tails. Never had to use it on a belly. It might sting if there’s broken skin. Pure aloe jell is soothing.

Spray Benadryl might help too. It certainly helps me. We haven’t showed in a long time. I do recall that Benadryl and possibly other allergy meds were verboten and you could be disqualified.

So you wash her saddle pad? It may need a washing or it could be the soap you’re using.

[GramV]

Try neem oil. This is my new favorite thing. You can get it at any hardware store.

It worked miracles in making ticks disappear when I added it to fly spray and was the best thing for flies I’ve ever found.

But I’ve been putting it straight on the itchies my horses get and the weird bald spots that run in the family. It was wonderful for any skin issue they had.

[Jungle_Monkey]

Get some extra blood work done to get an idea of iron levels and trace minerals (copper/zinc etc) and supplement accordingly.

I’ve had some success with the items below in varying arrangements.

Herring oil
Vitamin E
Omega Horse Shine
Spirulina
Platinum Skin and Allergy

I only wash horse stuff with Ivory baby detergent for my petal and always make sure he has no sweat or crud build up between his butt cheeks at any time of year.

[cloudyandcallie]

Benadryl allergy pills are great ingested. Work right away
oringinal listerine applied topically works mmediately and also repels bugs
getcha
.com chia seeds for more omega3

if these all do not work have vet run an allergy blood screen as I once had done on a puppy