Feed advice for mallenders

[Ludopops]

Hey there, owner of cob with mallenders. After initial daily washing & applying Farriers’s cream, whilst not gone, is loads better. Now want to tackle diet, as good to work inside out right? Been reading around & need advice on best supplement, plus what low cal, molasses/alfalfa free feed to mix supplement into. He’s a good doer & hacks 3-4 times a week. Any advice appreciated please.

 

[Shay]

I own a cob with mallenders and sallenders. have done for almost 20 years. I've never found a feed solution which hasd anything to do with it - happy to be corrected though!!

I confess I do feed 50ml linseed daily and I do think that has improved the mud fever - although that isn't the only measure so I could be completely wrong. But its only 50ml - it won't hurt. We treat legs frequently (depends on how wet it is) with pig oil & sulphur to keep mud fever at bay and throughly udder cream the mallenders etc prone patches at least every other day. Doesn't matter if there are scabs - cream anyway! He is also clipped skin close - I could not manage this for his welfare if he were feathered.

Constant vigilance. And lots of udder cream!

 

[PapaverFollis]

My cob's mallenders got better with removing biotin supplementation. And better again with specific mineral balancing. His was only ever very mild though so it might have just gone anyway.

I also keep the hair short and put Aveeno cream on when I remember.

 

[Orangehorse]

I have posted this before. I used to have a horse that was very susceptible to mud fever, and I mean very susceptible. I was very careful, came in at night, always had a barrier cream, I used clear vaseline and saved the medicated stuff for when she had an outbreak. Then I changed her feed to a feed balancer, which were recently introduced and after a while I realised that she hadn't had another outbreak, nor did she again.

When I bought my present horse, he came with mud fever, it was on his vetting certificate. I fed him the same diet as the previous horse and he has never had an outbreak since I had him, and that is without any protection in the form of creams. I now feed him a mineral supplement from Progressive Earth, the Pro Balance.

I'm not saying that this is a universal cure, it is just my experience and I have read that there may be links to diet.

 

[Mule]

I have posted this before. I used to have a horse that was very susceptible to mud fever, and I mean very susceptible. I was very careful, came in at night, always had a barrier cream, I used clear vaseline and saved the medicated stuff for when she had an outbreak. Then I changed her feed to a feed balancer, which were recently introduced and after a while I realised that she hadn't had another outbreak, nor did she again.

When I bought my present horse, he came with mud fever, it was on his vetting certificate. I fed him the same diet as the previous horse and he has never had an outbreak since I had him, and that is without any protection in the form of creams. I now feed him a mineral supplement from Progressive Earth, the Pro Balance.

I'm not saying that this is a universal cure, it is just my experience and I have read that there may be links to diet.

Mine was on pro balance last winter and he didn't get mud rash either and he gets it every winter. I never would have thought of the connection.

 

[Ludopops]

Thanks folks for advice. I’m managing to keep on top of it using the cream & checking every day. No MF last winter but will keep eyes peeled this winter.
Will check out the progressive earth supplement. I’ve owned him just over a year & obviously he didn’t have flare up last year, nor did vet notice in pre-purchase checks! Completely understand there’s no miracle cure & it’s a forever condition which I need to manage vigilantly. Thanks again.

 

[tallyho!]

Change of diet worked for my old boy's horrible mudfever. Getting the copper level right is I think what did it. As soon as I changed him to a barefoot diet, all the skin probs stopped. Also, vit e I think is important for skin.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My boy was very prone to mud fever/pastern dermatitis which flared up about Jun/Jul very year on his white socks. One year he had a horrible scabby condition over his back which just kept getting worse. That was also on white skin as he was blanket spotted. I started him on milk thistle and it cleared up very rapidly. Will never know if it was a coincidence as he was put down the following year.

 

[Gloi]

Mine got pastern dermatitis and mud fever on his two white socks the first year I had him. I put him on pro balance and he has never had it since so I suspect that was a mineral deficiency problem.

 

[Shay]

Facinating replies - thank you wise HHOs! As it happens my cob hasn't had a mud fever flare up in about 10 years. But I am so used to thinking that he gets it - and treating for it without fail - it never occured to me that he might actually just not have it anymore. (He still has mallenders though). I'm playing with Cob's diet as he is now very old and in need of different support so I will look again at it. Hope this was helpful to you too OP!

 

[rabatsa]

An old chap that used to breed and work heavy horses swore that feeding a turnip a day stopped them getting mallenders or sallenders. A shire he gave to the RDA came with a sack of turnips and we kept it up and coincidence or not she never had a problem.

 

[PapaverFollis]

An old chap that used to breed and work heavy horses swore that feeding a turnip a day stopped them getting mallenders or sallenders. A shire he gave to the RDA came with a sack of turnips and we kept it up and coincidence or not she never had a problem.

Cobs everywhere celebrate as owners begin feeding daily turnips.

 

[Ludopops]

An old chap that used to breed and work heavy horses swore that feeding a turnip a day stopped them getting mallenders or sallenders. A shire he gave to the RDA came with a sack of turnips and we kept it up and coincidence or not she never had a problem.

Oooh need to stock up on turnips!

 

[Goldenstar]

You can only manage mallenders you can’t get rid of it .
It’s just a question of softening the scabs ( I use udder cream ) and Not letting the cracks get away from you and then they get infected .
Blue has a touch it’s not bad and I Hope now we have ditched the feathers it will be easy to get on top of .
He does not have sallenders .
he also has horrible chronic mud fever which we are treating with antibiotics steroid cream atm .
Mallenders is such an odd thing .

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I just use vast quantities of baby oil. If I use it regularly enough, there are no cracks or scabs, just drop off of flakes.

 

[Coblover63]

Definitely no biotin or sugar. I put my mare on Forage Plus's Winter Balancer in January - on their advisement and for a plethora of skin issues. For the first time this year she had had NO M&S and no itchy feather. She's so much happier and her coat is glorious and shiny.