Recent content by curran

I think constant wetness is a big cause especially if a horse comes in muddy, gets hosed down and then left in a stable with soaking legs for ages before exercising. The legs can't dry out unless there's a stream of air around them so standing still doesn't help. I would also say that you should...

Yes - they go for dark beasts at a walking pace so you have to trot or faster to lose them. Summer Nights ( biteback) is the best I've found to stop them biting.

Biteback strong neem spray is working well so far. No horse flies as yet though - they're the real challenge for any fly spray. I don't think anything keeps them off but would like to be proved wrong.

I do virtually the same as you and am well into my routine now even though theres not a lot of midges around here so far. Sweet relief is the best spray I've used and also cheap. I don't use a fly rug at all now.

Suspect mites or lice and treat with a benzyl benzoate based lotion or cream. It will alsso stop midge bites but you need to spray it on if it's a large area - try Biteback Sweet Relief spray- it works for most horses and it's cheap on Amazon. Also stick to grass hay and salt lick - no...

Well you've had most places mentioned so you have to take your choice. We're in Wiltshire and mustn't grumble. Bit we're on is sand and that's usually well-drained but like everywhere else is a quagmire at the moment. I love the open spaces of Wiltshire and the miles of grassy plain.

Yes, I've been hand grazing mine today - field just a mire though they still want to be in it. I'm giving them about 3 hours in the mornings. I also take them down the lane and let them munch on nice untrodden grass on the verges for up to an hour a day. Time-consuming and miserable standing in...

Yes same here. We moved to present yard in the summer and, although I don't have stables I have a huge barn with a gate to the field so I can shut them in at night and they still have space to run around if they want while staying dry. It's the first time I've had them in at night and wouldn't...

My 3 year old had swollen back legs when he came back from backing and I thought it was just with being stabled but it turned out it was a bad case of mud fever. On the trainer's yard his legs were cold hosed every morning and he was left all day with wet legs. They'd also clipped his fetlocks...

Liquid paraffin is better than veg oil - no smell * doesn't go rancid. I also use sulphur powder to help dry off the legs but you need the sublimed flowers of sulphur otherwise it can be gritty and do more harm than good.

I love my wheelie bucket for keeping the yard tidy and I couldn't be without Winter Wash spray for cleaning off my horses sweat brilliantly without water - means i can put her rug straight back on ;)

Yes - my young gelding got a big leg with mud fever. He's had it mildly once since the first bad attack but now I've got the right regime sorted out (with a little help from my vet who helps me save money. Odd I know!) It involves doing a clingfilm sweat-off on the first night which a lot of...

Don't understand why people have been so hard on Debsey1. She clearly states that its just her opinion. The main view seems to be that it's easier to keep and ride a clipped horse, so there you have it. It's almost always about saving time isn't it? Whether our horses are 'happier', as many...

You did really well. I think the trick is letting it dry before putting the cream on.

I've put this post on New Lounge too and there are some interesting replies.