Reasons for itching lie in different factors: insects, parasites, fungus, increase of toxins in blood (food disorder). Except for the latter, moisture always plays an important role and needs to be tackled.

ENVIRONMENT

1-Keep the horse beddings as clean as possible (cleaning and disinfecting once a week during damp seasons) and use absorbent materials.

2-Keep horses away from standing water (use automatic troughs and change the water regularly).

3-Fill in mud holes at the entrance of meadows and on paths.

4-A good pasture management is recommended (alternate meadows if possible).

HORSE CARE

1-Every month, use a soft sponge to clean the sensitive areas with a pesticide (mane, tail, head, limbs) or spray the entire body. It will eliminate any parasites or fungus that can nest at different periods of the year (and remain on place the rest of it).

2-Regularly use a soothing and purifying lotion to avoid itching (such as Derfen, the lotion must definitely have a real cleaning action; a lotion that only has an anti-itching action will not be sufficient)

3-After work, clean sweaty areas with a sponge and water. In so doing, you will avoid itching due to sweat as well as mild dermatosis. The latter can lead to itching which really looks like SSRD.

4-During winter and in rainy conditions, regularly dry the limbs and the underline off, remove sand and mud. For horses that are more likely to develop dermatitis, regularly clean your horse with a purifying lotion.

5-Worm your horse regularly and more specifically at spring and fall(autumn).

FEEDING

Dermatitis are very often external signs of internal disorder. In fact, horses can react to food the same way as people when they develop red bumps after having too rich a food. Natural behavior dictates they should consume small amounts consistently throughout the day. That is why it is of upmost importance to stick to its natural habits of food. Feeding will then depend on the type of horse,breed and whether it is ridden or not and the time of the year.

1-Get information from professionals about the type of food and how much you should give to your horse: an American paint horse will not have the same needs as an Arabian horse!

2-Too much or too rich food may cause problems as well. Reducing quantities can make a big difference.

3-Not enough or too poor food will make your horse weak ; therefore its natural protection against parasites will be impacted.

4-Make sure that your horse has enough water and food. The basic feed requirements are relatively simple. A mature horse can drink up to 12 gallons a day; water(which must be clean at all times) consumption has a positive impact on feed intake. As far as food  is concerned, it is essential you should know the weight of your horse. A horse will eat the equivalent of 2,5% of its weight per day.

 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HORSES

When it comes to horses, anthropomorphism (attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings) should be disregarded. That is why it is essential you should get familiar with its needs in order to comply with them. In order to reach this goal, try to get as much information on the original nature of your horse as you can.

-A horse feeds 18 hours per day
-A horse never lies down on contaminated beddings in order to stay clear of any parasitic risks and gets away from contaminated or damp spots.
-It is very demanding about the water it drinks .A horse should always have free access to clean fresh water because it is essential for its health.
-it will choose its food depending on what it needs(time of the year, environment...).
-A horse lives outside and can not stand enclosed areas (afraid of van, or box the first time because it can not escape them). It just needs to spend time outside as often as possible.
-A horse is part of a hierarchical group. If it becomes isolated, it will be instantly highly stressed, thus leading most of the time to skin problems.