A systematic approach to managing sweet itch during the midge season combines multiple strategies to minimize suffering for affected horses and ponies.
Sweet itch management requires year-round commitment but concentrated effort during the midge season (April to November in temperate climates). Horses with unmanaged sweet itch during the summer midge season suffer continuous intense itching that causes self-trauma, open wounds, hair loss, and skin thickening. The psychological welfare cost of unrelenting irritation is also significant - horses show frustration, anxiety, and behavioral changes driven by the inability to find relief. A comprehensive management protocol combining physical barriers, midge avoidance, and medical management provides meaningful protection. No single strategy is fully effective; the welfare benefit comes from the cumulative impact of multiple simultaneous approaches applied consistently.