Nature's Answer to Sweet Itch
An Ethnobotanist's Perspective on This Common Equine Allergy
For the estimated 30% of horses suffering from skin conditions in the UK, sweet itch represents one of the most challenging allergic skin conditions owners face. Also known as summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis or insect bite hypersensitivity, this allergic reaction to midge saliva can transform even the most placid horse into a constantly itching, uncomfortable companion.
"The clinical signs can be heartbreaking to watch," shares ethnobotanist Jane Acton from her straw bale barn in Devon, where she runs Common Flora, a social enterprise dedicated to organic herb cultivation and natural remedies. "When you see a horse with severe itching, rubbing their mane and tail until there's broken skin and hair loss, you understand why owners are desperate for solutions."
Understanding Sweet Itch: More Than Just an Itch
Sweet itch symptoms typically emerge when horses are exposed to biting midges, particularly the Culicoides midge, whose saliva triggers an intense allergic reaction. The resulting skin irritation leads to:
- Constant itching along the mane, tail, and belly
- Bald patches from excessive rubbing
- Thickened, irritated skin
- Hair loss, particularly affecting the mane and tail
- Raw or broken skin in severe cases
"What many people don't realize," Acton explains, "is that sweet itch sufferers face challenges beyond just the physical symptoms. The intense itching can affect their behaviour and overall well-being, especially during midge season when biting insects are most active at dawn and dusk."
When Traditional Meets Scientific
Acton's journey to treating equine skin conditions began with an Icelandic horse named Proffi, whose sweet itch had stubbornly resisted conventional treatments, including steroid creams. With a BSc in plant biology and an MA in environmental anthropology, Acton approached the problem through both scientific and traditional lenses.
"Although horse skin is thicker than ours, it's still mammalian skin," she explains. "Sweet itch might be equine-specific, but there are human conditions with similarities – like severe eczema and psoriasis. The plants that help these conditions have been tried and tested for millennia."
Natural Sweet Itch Treatment: The Power of Simple Solutions
Her solution? A deceptively simple combination of just three organic ingredients that work together to provide sweet itch relief:
1. Marigold (calendula): "Marigold is your supreme soother," Acton explains. "If the skin's inflamed and raw and itchy, it instantly soothes it."
2. Comfrey: Historically known as 'knit bone', it's rich in collagen, supporting the skin's natural healing process
3. Sunflower oil: Creates a barrier that biting flies and midges "really don't want to get stuck on" while carrying the therapeutic compounds from the herbs
Acton advises using the treatment "sparingly but regularly over time" for horses with long-term conditions as part of a comprehensive management strategy.
Beyond Chemical Dependencies: A Holistic Approach
This natural approach offers an alternative to the cycle of increasingly potent steroids. "Once steroids stop working, where do you go from there?" Acton asks. Her oil provides a gentler solution, though she emphasizes it should be part of a comprehensive sweet itch treatment plan including:
- Proper use of sweet itch rugs for physical protection
- Environmental management (avoiding turnout at peak midge times)
- Strategic placement of water sources away from muck heaps where midges breed
- Appropriate feed supplements to support healthy skin
- Natural insect repellents
Learning from Our Horses: Nature's Wisdom
Perhaps most intriguingly, Acton suggests we might learn more by letting our horses guide us. "Our horses will know better than we do about what's good for them," she observes. This wisdom extends beyond treating conditions – it's about reconnecting with natural instincts that modern life has dulled.
For owners interested in exploring herbal remedies for their sweet itch horse, Acton recommends starting small and doing thorough research. "Cross-reference over two or three books or reference points," she advises. "Use websites that are local to the UK and respected."
A Return to Traditional Wisdom in Modern Horse Care
Acton's approach represents a broader movement in equine care – one that balances modern understanding with traditional knowledge. In the Northwest of England, where she grew up, herbal medicine traditions never died out. "My great-grandmother was a herbalist," she shares. "Just a kind of domestic street herbalist. This was urban Northwest, post-industrial. It wasn't in the middle of nowhere in beautiful surroundings."
Today, from her Devon sanctuary where vulnerable people and plants find healing together, Acton continues this tradition. Her work reminds us that sometimes the most effective solutions for maintaining healthy skin aren't found in laboratories but in the wisdom of generations past and the natural world around us.
The Science Behind Sweet Itch: What Research Reveals
[References listed at end of article]
While Jane Acton's natural approach draws on centuries of traditional knowledge, recent scientific research helps us understand why some horses suffer more than others. As Acton explains from her experience, "There seems to be an awful lot of horses with skin conditions, so... thirty percent of horses in this country have some sort of skin condition."
Her observation points to the widespread nature of equine skin issues, and research has revealed fascinating patterns in sweet itch prevalence and risk factors.
Who Gets Sweet Itch and Why?
Studies indicate that approximately 10% of horses worldwide are affected by sweet itch, with genetics and environmental factors playing crucial roles in determining a horse's risk (UC Davis Center for Equine Health)[2]. A comprehensive study in Israel found that 21.8% of horses showed sweet itch lesions, with several notable correlations:
- Higher altitude locations showed decreased prevalence
- Male horses demonstrated greater sensitivity
- Lighter-colored horses appeared less affected than darker ones[1]
Certain breeds show particular susceptibility, including Icelandic horses, Welsh ponies, and Shetland ponies[2,7]. This aligns with Acton's experience working with Proffi, an Icelandic horse whose severe sweet itch led her to develop her herbal treatment.
The Immune System Connection
"Sweet itch is obviously an equine based problem, but there are human similarities," Acton explains. "Like eczema, really bad eczema and psoriasis are things that are difficult conditions for a lot of people."
Recent immunological research supports this comparison, showing that sweet itch involves:
- Immediate skin reactions to Culicoides midge extracts in sensitive horses[1]
- Presence of IgE antibodies and eosinophils across all disease models[3]
- Transfer of maternal IgE antibodies against Culicoides allergens to foals through colostrum[3]
Promising New Directions in Treatment
Current research explores various treatment approaches that complement traditional methods. As Acton notes, "What you're doing with more natural products is stopping that cycle of more and more chemicals, stronger and stronger steroids."
Scientific studies are investigating multiple approaches:
- Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT), though with limited efficacy so far[8]
- Targeting specific interleukins (IL-31 and IL-5) for symptom improvement[5]
- Nutritional interventions showing promising results[4]
One notable study examined the effects of feeding micronized linseed, finding that horses receiving 500g daily for 42 days demonstrated reduced skin reactions to midge saliva[4]. This aligns with Acton's holistic approach: "Let the horse choose... if you can lead your horse around a wild area of hedge or grassland where there might be a wide variety of herbs... you'll learn from your horse."
Traditional Wisdom Meets Modern Research
"Herbal medicine is, of course, what we've all done forever," Acton reminds us. "Animals will, in nature, seek out and find plants which help us." She points to fascinating examples: "I've got some land here and I've got a few thousand trees and one species of tree that I've planted is Scots pine and deer will jump high fences to get into the Scots pine just to rub their skin against it because it helps with tick bites."
This observation of animal self-medication behaviours provides an interesting parallel to current research into natural remedies and immune responses. As science continues to unlock the mechanisms behind sweet itch, it often validates traditional knowledge while opening new avenues for treatment.
Looking Forward: Hope for Sweet Itch Sufferers
For horses suffering from sweet itch, Acton's work suggests embracing a both-and rather than either-or approach: respecting modern veterinary medicine while rediscovering traditional plant-based remedies that have served horses and humans for centuries. This combination of old and new wisdom might just hold the key to better management of this challenging condition.
References
[1] Braverman Y, et al. (1983). Epidemiological and immunological studies of sweet itch in horses in Israel. Veterinary Record, 113(26), 521-524.
[2] UC Davis Center for Equine Health. Insect Bite Hypersensitivity.
[3] Mad Barn (2023). Sweet Itch in Horses: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.
[4] Science Supplements UK (2023). Sweet Itch in Horses: Management & Prevention.
[5] Cvitas I, et al. (2023). Immunological and Clinical Effects of Insol Dermatophyton. Vaccines, 11(8).
[7] Schaffartzik A, et al. (2012). Equine insect bite hypersensitivity: What do we know? Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 147(3-4), 113-126.
[8] Wageningen University & Research. Immunotherapies for Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH) in horses.
Note: Always consult with your veterinarian before starting any new treatment regimen for your horse's skin conditions. While herbal remedies can be effective, they should be part of a comprehensive care plan developed in conjunction with qualified professionals. For a complete poisons guide and information about potentially harmful plants, consult your veterinary surgeon.