Chiff Chaff

I cannot belive that my darling mare is 27 years of age today (2nd May 09)......and I´m still hoping that she will see in many more birthdays yet in years to come,although everyday spent with her is so precious and so very very special.

Chiffy and I go way back...she was just about 5 yrs old and I was an Anorexic 15 yr old.....she was still quite green and I was just a bag of bones with depression...but together we helped each other out through out even the darkest blackest days and here we are some older years later..her a healthy sprightly veteran (despite her pesky Sweet Itch) and me,just starting to get a little middle spread and achey joints (too much heavy manual work from a young age my family blame the joints on)...whilst I blame the Pint´s over the years and spicy food for the slight tummy and waistline...(LOL).

WELL MY DARLING.....have a wonderful Birthday and here´s to another fabulous year with my BESTEST EVER FRIEND,SOUL MATE and TRUE TRUE PARTNER!.

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Today my mum had to have her friend (and our´s) Jeremy the vet out,as when she took me out of the stable this morning,to her horror she discovered that I was very lame on my right foreleg.
I had a swollen fetlock and could hardly place down my hoof,as it was so painful.....mum discovered that I had 3 nasty and fresh insect bite´s on my fetlock,so she gently sponged down my heated swollen leg with clean fresh water and then applied some Comfrey cream to the area before wrapping it up in a bandage and allowing me my time in the field with Briar.

Mum was very upset and worried because aside´s from my Sweet-Itch,I am normally a very healthy animal and have never suffered from lameness as such nor hoof problems..the farrier is always saying,just how wonderful my feet are...so mum,rushed home to contact the vet on my behalf.
He kindly,despite a full diary of appointments,rang my mum and arranged to come up and see me,which he did around 2.20 this afternoon.
He was considered the insect bites and fetlock,whose swelling had gone down quite a bit and the bites themselves looked clean and healed over but he was more worried that I may have been suffering from Laminitic symptoms (much to mum´s horror and dismay and puzzlement).
She give´s us restricted grazing throughout the year and I have never ever had Laminitis ever..so she was well worried that the vet was testing for that.
Then he discovered a sore tender spot as he examined the underside of my right hoof and on closer inspection and after paring away some hoof tissue,he discovered a deep set hole between the white line and the hoof wall and can only assume (because I am unshod although regularly trimmed) that a piece of grit or something has caused infection in between.
So I am having to wear a poultice and am on a four day course of antibiotics and BUTE!....which mum cleverly disguises in vegemite and jam sandwiches,quickly followed down by an extra strong mint to help take away the taste of both but especially the BUTE......I can definately taste it and did try spitting out my medicine tonight,but mum persisted and it´s all gone (YUK!).

So,that is my new BLOG...a bit of a pain for mum and a worrying time too,but hopefully as the infection drains out and the medicines kick in...I´ll soon be back on the road to full recovery.
Oh well,at least the mints are freely coming at the moment....though I´m not too sure of those funny after-tasting sandwiches (LOL).

"We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another,and far more feeble animal,to ride upon it´s back".

´Sweet Itch´ is the name given to the seasonal skin condition,that affects many horses and ponies.
This hypersensitive reaction is caused by the bite from the ´Culicoide´ Midge and although all equine´s get bitten by this pesky little insect,a few unfortunately suffer from the horrible reaction to the bite and it is a condition that last´s with the effected animal for the rest of it´s life.
Conventional treatments involve the use and application of lotions and ointments containing benzoyl benzoate or pyrethrins,which both helps ease the itch and also controls the midges.

Symptoms of ´Sweet Itch´ are inflammed and very sensitive areas,in particular along the mane,neck,tail,withers,face and ears.The affected animal will rub itself consistently against any object until the upper layers of the skin epidermis becomes damaged and serum is exuded,so collecting on the skin as a yellowish crust/deposit.Eventually after continual rubbing the hair is weakened and falls out,leaving moist bare patches and the areas open to further irritation and infection.
It is (as mentioned above) a seasonal occurence,being most prevalent in the springtime and throughout the summer but with milder,warmer weather,continues into the autumn and early winter.

Affected animals,should be stabled during the most midge infested times of day,so from late afternoon through to mid morning,or as near too these periods as practically possible.Hang fly papers from the stable ceilings (out of horse´s way) to catch any fly,midge or other flying insect and treat the animal with a suitable anti-midge repellant and also a skin soother.

Avoid feeding sugary feeds,as this oozes out from beneath the skin and so attracts further insects to land and bite the horse.Add a suitable supplement to their daily feed such as Garlic powder or my favourite (NAF) D-Itch powder and I also use (Equus Health) Homoeopathic remedy ´Sweet Itch Aid´,just 1 tiny tablet,daily.

Purchase protective clothing such as a ´Rambo Sweet Itch Hoody´ and put on the horse everyday before turning out,I also add a meshed Fly Head & Ear Mask,for extra further protection and mine also wear´s a fly sheet also in her stable overnight.

Some horses (like mine) do not tolerate many of the over-counter products available for equine´s with ´Sweet Itch´,so I use alternatively the following creams and has found this work´s wonders,much better than any product I´ve bought before.They are ´Organic´ Comfrey cream,Lavender cream,Marigold cream and (NAF) D-Itch ointment.
I also make up my own fly repellant spray,consisting of pure Garlic juice and a few drops of each of the following Essential oils:Eucalyptus,Lavender,TeaTree,Rose-Mary and Citronella,all mixed together in a spray bottle with spring water.It smells wonderful but is extremely effective and my horse doesn´t appear to mind it either.
Calamine lotion and other antihistamine creams have also been used and found to have been affective but it is all down to the individual animal,as to what suit´s them best.
Apparently,some people have tried ´Frontline´ (for Cats & Dogs),sprayed onto a face cloth and gently applied around the face and delicate areas prone to midge attacks.I have heard that this has been affective on many ponies but I haven´t tried it myself as the stuff I use,seem´s to work just as well and I try to use natural products wherever possible.

For the last two and a half years,I have managed to keep ´Sweet Itch´ in Chiffy,firmly under control by stabling her overnight,the use of various anti-midge rugs and repellants and a change of diet plus the application of the above creams as and when required,and she still has a full mane and tail and no weepy areas like she used to have,over the majority of her life.

´Sweet Itch´ is a real headache for any horse owner and is a misery for the animal affected but hopefully,my tips above,may prove useful for any other poor unfortunate equine.

Hello Chiff Chaff, just looking at your page and wanted to say how much I love that poem "The Horse". It´s always been a favourite of mine...always loved the end of the Horse of the Year Show when they read this out. Take care x

Hello Chiff Chaff I hope you've been warmer today. You are a very pretty exmoor and we are the same colour!! Do you have naughty moments? My mum says the small ones are the worse!!

See you soon
Dan

hey chiff chaff.
do you know a horse/pony over the age of 40, i do her name is tinkerbell and she's 44, she hasn't been very wel and she's been lying down and not been able to get up. everyone is saying she's going to die soon, (aww). she came 2 the riding school where im kept to retire, but who goes to a riding school to retire. she's been lucky in her life time though because she had a nice lady that looked after her since she was a foal and still comes to see once a month, but sadly she's getting on a bit aswell, lets just hope for the best with both of them through the years to come.
chanel x

hi chiff chaff thank you for being my friend i look forward to hearing all about you

Hi Chiffy,

well, not a very gladiatorial name actually. It means something like "the one given as a present", more slave-like, hihihi. But Antje thought it might fit a cob and she is sure already, I'm a present from heaven. Don't look anything like a present at the moment. It has been raining for weeks here in this part of Germany and I love nothing better than rolling in the mud all day. Antje tries hard to keep me clean but it's definitly hopeless, hihihi. I make sure of that.

Big hug to you and thanks for being my friend

Donatus

Hi Chiffy, nice to hear from you. Thank you for the complement, I am rather good looking if I say so myself HA HA. You too look rather nice and doing well for your age.I love going on rides with my friends and I am a very good boy...Have fun, Dylan.

Haha i would try but i love the extra attention when mum has to wash all my legs and belly everynight when i come in its fun!

aawwww Chiffy you are so Gorgeous! them humans dont see you like i do that why they havnt rated your pics like me!
loads ov love an nays Geo xx