Horse with white legs, mud fever prevention?

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Filly been in at night recently, I let the mud dry over night and then brush it off in the morning, no mud fever so far. She will be living out soon, should I try pig oil as prevention or just bring her in to dry off/brush off? I'm just worried about upsetting the natural oils with putting barrier creams on etc.
 
Mine has pig oil on every couple of days. I bring him in wash the mud off then dry off with a towel. Once is hairs dry I brush the oil on with a paint brush and rub some on his legs. MF been kept at bay so far {touch wood :-)}
 
I don't do anything with my boys white legs other than brush the dry mud off when he's getting ridden. He's out every day, in on a night & never had mud fever.
 
I've always owned coloured horses with white legs (five so far) and have, to date, never had mudfever but I...

1. never brush their legs out in winter and rarely brush them in summer so hair is full of natural oils and the brush bristles don't scratch and wound the skin thus allowing bacteria in.

2. never wash their legs with warm water as that would open the pores and allow bacteria in.

3. only sponge their legs down with lots of cold water (and then pat with a towel to dry) if they are muddy and the farrier is coming.

4. ensure there's an area of hardstanding or dry ground where they can stand (I feed them in this area too) so even if part of their field/gateway is muddy, they are not standing in mud 24.7. (My horses have always lived out).
 
I've started using pig oil and sulphur this winter for the first time. It cleared up my boys mud fever within a week and has kept it at bay since. I only brush legs when they are dry, I try not to wash legs very often (once or twice a week at most) and I brush off and paint on the pig oil every 5 days or so.
It's worked a treat so far, I'm happy with it and will start painting it on again as soon as the winter sets in this year before any mud fever gets chance to catch hold. (Assuming we have a dry weather break over the so called summer this year)! 😀
 
Just a genuine question here. How do you know if there is no mud fever if you don't get all the mud off and can feel down to the skin? And underneath the back fetlocks where they can get cracked.
I've ofter wondered if those that don't clean legs can actually tell?
Dont shoot me down, I am genuinely curious:o
 
Mine has a bit of feather which the mud sticks to & prevents it getting on his skin at the back. I can feel in there for anything but its checked when he's ridden anyway xx
 
muff747 said:
Just a genuine question here. How do you know if there is no mud fever if you don't get all the mud off and can feel down to the skin? And underneath the back fetlocks where they can get cracked.
I've ofter wondered if those that don't clean legs can actually tell?
Dont shoot me down, I am genuinely curious:o
Click to expand...


If his legs are clean, I can look at his legs from the back (he has pink skin showing through on the napes of his pasterns) and see that this area is normal-pink colouring, not scabby, red or swollen.

When his legs are dry (but not necessarily clean!), I can run my hands downwards and feel that the skin along the rear of the cannon bones/fetlocks is smooth and not ridged, scabbed, swollen or hot. And when he walks, I can see if he's limping or not.
 
Be careful the brush doesn't scratch the skin because then mudfever can cause problems.
I had a horse that easily got it and used mud fever powder under turnout boots. It was hard work as the boots had to be washed and dried every night but it kept him clean and free of problems
 
A balanced diet is the key to prevention IME horses with MF are normally deficient in something, which could also be caused by excess in another area. (Copper seems to be common but could be another) no point adding extra if it isn't balanced as you will throw something else off.
 
Definitely some are prone to it and its nothing to do with leg colour as all four of mine have white legs and only one has MF and she came with it. First time I've owned one with it.

I do nothing with any of them except her and the others do not have MF I haven't noticed, honestly. :rolleyes:

Interestingly hers has improved recently and it is either the chelated Rockies mineral lick I gave her or her diet, which is micronised linseed among other things. Timing wise however I am more inclined to believe its the rocky. She had worse MF when I viewed her in September than she has at the moment and the mud is worse now than it was when it was at its worse here if that makes sense. I am doing less to it as well so definitely healing inside out.
 
I have 2 greys and a chestnut with 3 white socks, my gelding had mud fever when I first bought him 3 yrs ago and was able to clear it up very quickly. I think a lot of it might just be down to luck as despite paddling in mud, not adding pig oil or similar or washing or brushing their legs unless they are bone dry none of mine have mud fever thankfully.
 
muff747 said:
Just a genuine question here. How do you know if there is no mud fever if you don't get all the mud off and can feel down to the skin? And underneath the back fetlocks where they can get cracked.
I've ofter wondered if those that don't clean legs can actually tell?
Dont shoot me down, I am genuinely curious:o
Click to expand...

Our two are literally knee deep in mud, my lad has four white legs, once a week I shut them off from the field overnight, using a body brush/fingers get the mud off, it was our dark bay mare that had MF, I washed her legs in plain warm water till water ran clear, then when dry purple sprayed herlegs,including her heels, all legs were affected to various degrees, no problems since, although another check due tomorrow
 
I have a good old ferret around with bare hands, bit chilly and mucky and could do with a manicure after but you can feel if the skin is anything other than smooth. It is helped by the fact that I have an arab and arab x, even my ish isn't very hairy either.
 
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