How much mud is too much mud?

[WishfulThinker]

When it comes to a field?

If say 30-40% was boggy saturated mud, is that to much? I am talking the type that when you stand in it comes over your feet and up past the ankle. Field also has no green grass as is a stubble field that has been left for a few months by the looks of it?

And horses are in it possibly most of the day as the feed area is in this part. So also paying for Haylege that is going down in said mud?

If you were paying for this for livery would you be annoyed? What if it was working livery? Would you feel you had the right to complain given that you are paying less than you would for grass livery? Or would the fact your horse is standing for probably near 20 hours a day in 10-20cm of wet sloppy mud?

 

[clairefeekerry1]

hi, as things stand ours is prob 30% deep murd, i.e over ankles and rest of field is a bit muddy, not much grass, maybe a little at the back/edges. however, these are winter fields only, i.e oct to april,and we have a field per two or three horses and yard owner leaves it up to us how to manage. so i wouldnt expect to pay any less where i am as its our choice when to turn out and for how long. if we restriced turn out our field wouldnt be so bad, however we choose not too and that for me is so important. our haylage is fed in big tyres so not much is wasted. at the end of the day i'd prefer my horse got out every day in a 30% muddy field than retrict turnout. there hasn't been one day when ours havent been turned out this winter, pesonal choice tho

 

[Nakita]

Having had my 2 at a yard in the past where there was no winter turnout I would much rather a muddy field than none at all! Most yards do not offer all year turnout so you are very lucky

Now mine are out every single day and in overnight, my little shetland is out 24/7 and hay is put on the ground for him and the others who are out all the time. None of them are losing weight - infact the opposite! And they are all happy to go out every morning although by about 5 they are waiting at the gate because they know it is dinner time!
I keep my mare in during the day every now and then just because she isn't the "outdoorsy" type - she is more than happy snuggled in the stable with peace from the others!
As long as they are getting enough to eat and they don't have mud rash or anything I would be happy they are getting out

 

[WishfulThinker]

Thing is that although horse is out he is on Working Livery, and so isnt checked every day. So he could go 3 days in the field with wet legs.

If I could get up I would but without a car or licence I rely on lifts so its not feesable at the moment. Horse also has feathered legs so they are never dry. This is what I am worried about. He has has a few sore bits before from wet legs, but I cant get in to have a good look as water use is restricted so I cant clean his legs. I just hope that the mud is keeping the air out and so there isn't anything nasty in there.

I was just always told that it is not good for horses legs to be in wet conditions for a long period of time.

That and there are 3 other fields with grass in them, and they are in a field that is a bog with none. Unfortunately due to location they are all prone to being water logged.

 

[hairycob]

I would worry about the legs never being dry. We had major problems this time last year due to a combination of feather mites & legs not getting a chance to dry out when horse was living out & we had deep snow. Ended up with 5 weeks in full time until his legs healed up

 

[WishfulThinker]

[ QUOTE ]
I would worry about the legs never being dry. We had major problems this time last year due to a combination of feather mites & legs not getting a chance to dry out when horse was living out & we had deep snow. Ended up with 5 weeks in full time until his legs healed up

[/ QUOTE ]

See, thats what I am worried about as a)I cant afford to pay for him to be in on Full livery - as thats what it will have to be if he is in b)cant afford a vets bill!. But then we dont have a say on which field they go in so, I kinda see it as the yards responsibility if he gets manky legs.

 

[phoebeast]

i've kept mine in livery and now have my own field and of cours it's impossible to get away from mud. my winter patch is quite small and the grass is very low, they live on hay/haylage pretty much all of the winter and are very happy. in most cases it is unavoidable so as long as they do have somewhere dry to stand if they choose then i wouldn't be too worried.

 

[maxapple]

I agree with Nakita - my horse is on full livery and their field is just mud in parts. There are some dry bits too however. I'm really grateful that he does go out every day rather than some yards that don;t turn out. It has been a particularly bad winter too.