Washing with a natural agent also helps with mites!
Many horse owners use veterinary products to rid their horse of mites. These are chemical agents that reduce the horse's resistance and only kill the adult mites. Washing with these chemical products must therefore always be repeated. Sometimes this chemical treatment is necessary, especially if an infestation is so extreme that it would be inhumane not to intervene quickly. However, we always prefer a natural approach to mites, which also includes an external treatment.
Mites
13 September '22 • 3 min reading time
Mites are persistent, start treatment on time
Mites are very persistent; for example, the eggs cannot be killed. This means that there is always a risk of reinfestation if treatment is not prolonged. The eggs will hatch again as soon as the conditions are ideal, and they will quickly reproduce. Therefore, it is important to start treatment in a timely manner if your horse is sensitive to mites. The mite season typically starts around October, when temperatures drop and it becomes more humid, causing the mites to seek out the warm legs of horses. The sooner you start treatment, the easier it is to break the mite cycle, allowing your horse to recover from discomfort more quickly.
Support the immunity
A horse with reduced immunity is more susceptible to mites than a horse with optimal immunity. Poor nutrition, inadequate housing, stress, illness, etc. are all causes that lower immunity. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor the management of your horse. Additionally, you can support your horse's immunity, for example, with a liquid nettle tincture. This is a real boost for immunity and also supports gut flora and purifies the blood. We recommend giving a course of liquid nettle tincture 4 times a year. Doing a detox (biannual cleansing of the entire body) also positively affects the overall immunity of the horse. The advantage is that a clean body is less attractive to mites. Therefore, start a detox course before the mite season (September/October). Choose a short course, a maximum of 7 days, so that the body is not burdened for too long. Be careful not to do a detox with horses that are severely overweight or sensitive to laminitis.
Fighting mites both internally and externally
An internal dietary supplement based on herbs and essential oils is extremely important in the approach against mites. Ingredients such as citronellol and citronellal make the blood indigestible for mites. The mites can no longer use the blood to reproduce, and thus the mite population will gradually decrease. This way, you can also reduce the number of eggs. Therefore, ensure a dietary supplement that is 100% natural, as it is not harmful to the horse and will also contain herbs that support the horse's immunity. However, an internal approach alone is not always sufficient. We therefore prefer to also treat externally. The most important step in this is to shave the horse's legs. This has several advantages: the legs become less attractive to mites, wounds are noticed more quickly and can heal more easily, and the legs can be treated more effectively against mites. For external treatment, it is also preferable to choose a natural product. A product based on neem oil, lavender, and geranium is nourishing, softens the skin, and repels mites in horses. By soaking the horse's legs in a solution of this (for example, in a bucket or hoof bag), you support the skin, and mites will find the legs less attractive. Not all horses stand still easily in a bucket; this type of solution can also be applied with a sponge. Sponge the leg for 15 minutes and ensure that the solution reaches the skin well. This is also ideal for horses that have a fear of water.
Conclusion: Internal and external treatments complement each other!
Internal treatment is the most important approach against mites in horses. It stops the reproduction of mites and ensures that the mite population will continue to decrease. However, it is good to supplement this with an external treatment that supports the skin and acts as a deterrent against mites. Therefore, the combination of internal and external treatment is always preferred! Due to laws and regulations, we cannot mention which products this involves. For questions, you can always contact us.
Due to laws and regulations, we are not permitted to mention related products on this website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
