Do you wash muddy legs?

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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With all this rain, my gate way is very boggy when their whole feet are underwater - should i be hosing them down or maybe hibi-scrub them? they live out 24/7 at the moment but come in daily for a groom/ride etc. Is this how you end up with mud fever?
 
I don't wash muddy legs. What I used to do which was very effective at preventing mud fever, was to go for a ride (avoid puddles) or put her in her stable for a bit and then brush the dry mud off. Then apply Muddy Marvel barrier Cream to her clean legs. I did this two or three times a week.
 
Faracat said:
I don't wash muddy legs. What I used to do which was very effective at preventing mud fever, was to go for a ride (avoid puddles) or put her in her stable for a bit and then brush the dry mud off. Then apply Muddy Marvel barrier Cream to her clean legs. I did this two or three times a week.
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She finds the stable much too scary to stand in!!
 
No, you can cause mud fever with leavig Horses legs wet. Instead I use pig oil and Sulphur. I put on the legs and then put her straight in her stable. The bedding knocks most of the mud off as it can't stick to the legs due to the oil. I brush the rest off. She didn't get mud fever all winter. I haven't been oiling her legs this month though as we don't seem to have a lot of mud :)
 
LaurenBay said:
No, you can cause mud fever with leavig Horses legs wet. Instead I use pig oil and Sulphur. I put on the legs and then put her straight in her stable. The bedding knocks most of the mud off as it can't stick to the legs due to the oil. I brush the rest off. She didn't get mud fever all winter. I haven't been oiling her legs this month though as we don't seem to have a lot of mud :)
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Really?! does it have nothing to do with actual mud then?

Thank you, will try the pig oil and sulphur.
 
Mudfever is despite the name usually caused by the legs being continuously wet to the point where the skin breaks down, thereby allowing bacteria in!

For this reason I tend to leave the mud to try and brush it off. I also apply udder cream to his legs a few times a week as a barrier, and clip his legs so they dry quicker
 
You can get Pigoil and Sulphur from Ebay. Best to do a test patch though as some Horses (very rare) have reations to the Sulphur. I just put a little on Ruby's shoulder and waited a week.
 
I scrape any dry off, leave the wet to dry and brush off or just ride with muddy legs (i dont boot) and then brush off or stick back out in field. My field ornament has permanently muddy legs atm (mostly just hooves and very bottom of legs) i just leave her as is due to the weather and once it is dry will brush her.
 
Sometimes. If they are really bad and I am riding straight away and haven't got time to wait for them to dry so I can brush them as I don't like putting brushing boots on top of wet mud. I always towel them dry though to prevent cracked heels.
 
LaurenBay said:
You can get Pigoil and Sulphur from Ebay. Best to do a test patch though as some Horses (very rare) have reations to the Sulphur. I just put a little on Ruby's shoulder and waited a week.
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Yes, be careful with it. If yours has pink skin & white legs, be very careful as it can burn. I think its the sulphur more than the pig oil that's the problem.
 
I've always coated clean legs in baby oil which helps the skin. It's also brilliant run through manes and tails for the bog wallowers as the dry mud brushes away much easier.
 
Only if you are going to towel dry them. And you're better off just using water, no shampoos (for instance, hibiscrub will kill good bacteria as well as the bad stuff). Otherwise I would leave them :)
 
When my mare comes in she rarely gets washed off, rather I wait til it dries then brush it off. If she comes back from a hack covered in mud (happens a great deal currently!) I will wash her legs off and dry them, then brush them over with a body brush. She had the first signs of mud fever when I first got her but after a good clean, dry and alot of baby oil they cleared right up very quickly and not seen anything since.
P.
 
Yes, I hose off all mud, and towel dry. I don't have enough time to leave him in for hours to dry and then brush off. In my mind the legs are dryer and cleaner in a shorter amount of time by rinsing and drying. Also means I can check for any cuts, etc. I also use keratex powder which makes sure they are fully dry. I use it before I ride and then again before he's turned back out. Think it provides a waterproof layer next to the skin.

He has pink skin and can be prone to mud fever but this really seems to prevent it. Can't be doing with loads of creams as these don't wash off easily, sand from arena sticks and then his boots could rub and create sore skin.
 
Mostly I leave the mud to dry and then brush off thoroughly. If I need them to have clean legs and wash them I always use anti-bacterial shampoo/muddy buddy shampoo or hibiscub never just water.
 
Wash and dry. Never had a horse get mudfever through doing this.
My pet hate is horses put in stables getting shavings/straw/yuk stuck all over their legs. Surely THAT is an incubation area for bacteria FAR more than a clean, dried leg? You have damp, warm and dirt all trapped on the leg - yeuch.
 
Depends how you manage it.....you can wash off with just water but do not use a brush (as it may scratch the softened skin) - only a sponge and do not use a 'yard brush' or fast hosing if you can.

One yard I went to used a bucket of water and brush and every horse was brushed with it! what a great way to spread mudfever!

I think bedding would cause a problem if you deep litter but otherwise I do not think it would be an issue.
 
We have washed legs every day since October... None have had mudfever (ISH eventer, two cobs and a TB).

Surely the mud is just as wet as water?!
 
BoolavogueDC said:
Wash and dry. Never had a horse get mudfever through doing this.
My pet hate is horses put in stables getting shavings/straw/yuk stuck all over their legs. Surely THAT is an incubation area for bacteria FAR more than a clean, dried leg? You have damp, warm and dirt all trapped on the leg - yeuch.
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I agree with this. My horse is pretty feathery and his legs dry much quicker if I blast off all the mud with a hose before he goes in his stable. Thinking of using baby oil so the mud doesn't stick so bad...
 
I find the mud isn't as wet as water. The oil stops it sticking to the skin. So although it looks yukky in fact it is just sitting on the surface and the bedding usually knocks it straight off. If there is any left to brush off, I do it the next morning and then apply another layer of oil.
 
I do wash muddy legs - as we are on very heavy clay land, and if they're not washed they will invariably come out of the stable after a night in with their legs still wet! By washing them they do have a chance to dry. However, if we weren't on such heavy soil I probably would leave them as others do.

I do use leg wraps in the winter to help their washed legs dry off. I haven't had mud fever on any of mine for years
 
Nope - only if he's coming in over night or being ridden, and even then it is a squirt witht the hose and leave the legs to dry naturally.

And I don't hold with wet legs causing mudfever - Rosie had mudfever when she was on the first yard, it lessened when she went to sussex and never had a spot of it when she came to the final yard. While I don't doubt constant washing exacerbates it, it isn't the cause.
 
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