Clipped legs in winter - ? Mud fever ?

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Lill

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I have currently got Blue clipped right out, well its growing back so am doing him again tonight, and i really really like him like that he looks so smart and much better without his strange hairy fluffy legs!

I'd love to keep him fully clipped legs and all, through winter but am worried about mud fever and any other problems?

Would this be possible/a good idea?

He lives out (fields get thick mud in winter) but comes in at night from about Dec-Mar....
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Mud fever is going to be more about the legs staying permenantly wet. If you wash them and dry throughly shouldnt be a problem
 
as Dianchi said mud fever is about legs staying wet so if there clipped they will dry alot quicker the thing you have to watch is that the legs dont get cold but a good pair of trun out chaps soon sorts this problem
 
My boy has his legged clips in the winter as people have said to help his legs dry quicker, and means that if they do get scabby then they are easier to see and then treat.
 
I found exactly the opposite to all the posts above re clipping legs. Jack has really heavy feathers and his field was a bog for much of the winter, yet underneath all that mud and muck his legs from mid cannon bone to top of hooves were all as dry and pink and clean. I was amazed, so left well alone and barely touched him below the knees throughout the winter(apart from an inspection to make sure there were no cuts etc), 'til his first bath in march
I think that's what feathers are there for!
Still Jack lives out with field shelter, things may be different for stable kept horses.
 
Thumper's legs will be clipped this winter in a bid to avoid the dreaded mud fever. He had it quite badly last winter (our first together), and I'd rather not have a repeat perforamance.
 
I also leave Harley's feathers all year as I believe they protect his legs. I also swear by adding a daily scoop of Naf Mud Guard powder to his feed. Touch wood, he hasn't had MF since.
 
Feathers are supposed to protect the legs from the wet as the water 'drains' off them supposedly. However, i clip my horse throughout the winter and summer, he does not have feathers just very coarse hairy legs and he suffers from dermatitis all year round which, getting wet and muddy in the winter does not help. If I clip hs legs then i can wash them and dry them each night in winter (he is stabled at night then as fully clipped out) and also treat any sore areas and get right to the skin with any topical lotions.
 
i would leave feathers on if you are washing and drying all the time you are washing all the natural oils away that will help protect the area! just put a barrier cream on!
 
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