how to avoid mud fever, with a 24/7 horse?

[gails]

OLd lads legs are getting plastered in mud again, today I was going to scrub and wash but was soo cold and the entrance to the field was muddy, so would have ended up in the same state.

Any suggestions on how to avoid mud fever welcome, last year was the first year he has ever suffered from it and it was a complete pain in the neck, grrrr, wish he would be stabled, but hates it

 

[V1NN]

i put tescos own brand nappy rash cream on plaster it on fairly thick and then pour vegetable oil on to his legs on top of cream to i put the oil on every day and the cream every 2nd day this seems to prevent it, its worked for me so far however he's only out half and half, good luck x

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Your best getting a barrier on before it gets in, by using oil or such like as has been suggested.

 

[teddyt]

Dont wash the legs! This will soften the skin and encourage the bacteria in.

Use a thick barrier cream on clean dry legs and check them everyday for scabs so you can get on top of them quickly.

You need to stop the skin from getting waterlogged so barrier cream (nettex muddy marvel is cost effective) can help this.

 

[aregona]

iv used pig oil. put on every day for the first couple of times and then you only need every otherday and after a couple of weeks you can do it once a week.

 

[charliefox]

2nd the pig oil fantastic stuff, Ive been using it on mine for acouple of years and no mud fever. My tb did get it bad before and they all live out 24/7

 

[gails]

where do you get pig oil from?

 

[soloequestrian]

I like Keratex Mud Fever Powder as a preventative.

 

[aregona]

i get it from my local country wide type store. about £15 for a 10lt (ish) drum.

 

[charliefox]

I get my pig oil from agricultural merchants not sure how much it costs but not expensive.

 

[Squeak]

I have struggled for years with mud fever and then horse had to have 6 months off so I let it grow feathers .... not had a spot yet (touch wood). So now I think I might have to resign myself to have a warmblood type horse with feathers

. Apart from that all I can offer is that none of the barrier creams or anything ever seemed to work and that sudocreme seemed to do a really good job of clearing up less severe bouts.

 

[Dogstar]

Touch wood, mine have never got mud fever from just hanging around in the clay field- they only catch it from other infected horses or 'infected' mud out hunting when they have abrasions on their legs from a hard day's work. I agree don't wash the legs though- just brush off the mud if need be. Pig oil and sulphur does prevent mf and also clears up mild, non infected cases.