Keeping mud off legs? Do creams work?

[arwenplusone]

So, my broodmare is part hippo. She loves nothing more than to wallow in the mud. Last night I spent an hour and a half trying to get all the mud off her and the dreadlocks out of her tail

She's a prize winning broodmare and looks like a scruffy uncared for carthorse atm

I have 3 horses so an hour and a half grooming the broodmare is not really my preferred option. Could I put something (Vaseline? Grease?) on her legs to stop the mud sticking so much? Or would this damage her skin?

 

[Solstar]

i use baby oil to keep the mud off- well it doesn't keep it off but you can just quickly brush it off with a flick brush.

 

[jesterfaerie]

Is she out all the time?
Could you get her some turnout chaps if you can't find any oils which work?

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

i use pig oil, its wonderful, bath the legs in pig oil once a month (i do it to protect his feathers).

 

[Flicker]

My girlie's previous owner had a nightmare with her and mud at the yard she used to live on because it was basically a swamp. She used to get mud rash occasionally and, once the rash had cleared up with box rest, previous owner used to slather her in either vaseline or sudacreme, which kept the mud off nicely.
Have you thought of equichaps?

 

[vickers22]

vaseline etc, i find, makes the mud stick on more as it gets mixed in with the cream

I use zinc and castor oil to stop mud fever but his feathers get all sticky...

 

[Flicker]

Yes, know what you mean, I find it pretty horrible. Luckily girlie only has dinky, dainty feathers so not too bad. Personally, I would use turnout boots / equichaps and just limit turnout when it is really boggy.

 

[arwenplusone]

Thanks guys - I thought of equichaps but seriosuly the mud would pull them right off! Limiting turnout is not good either as she will drop weight due to boxwalking/weaving/generally not being happy.

No idea where to get pig oil from? Will give Vaseline a whirl

 

[Theresa_F]

I use pig oil and sulphur on the legs and I bag up the mane and tail - problem solved - once you have used tail bags you won't know how you survived mud. You could use just baby oil as an alternative to the P&S if you have a horse not blessed with feather like mine

Another alternative is to put the mane and tail into plaits - keeps the worst of the mud off and stops the tangles. I used to do this with my TBs in the good old days before the bags were invented.

 

[Sundae]

You can buy pig oil in a big white tin from Scatts if you are near one... Its about £10 I think???

 

[frannieuk]

I spray the legs with mane and tail - seems to stop the mud sticking quite so badly and makes it easier to wash off with the hose.

 

[katieibiza]

i totally agree with solstar i wash my boys legs with baby oil mixed with water and keeps alot of the mud off and what does get on there brushes off really easy .

 

[Kermie]

The best cream I have found is the Nettex Muddy Marvel Barrier Cream - stays on for a week. My ponies' legs still look muddy but once dry, they aren't as bad as they look.

 

[air78]

[ QUOTE ]
I spray the legs with mane and tail - seems to stop the mud sticking quite so badly and makes it easier to wash off with the hose.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do that too, it does help

 

[Thistle]

Pig oil, in mane and tail too

 

[lochpearl]

I have the same problem with my boy, to the point that the mud is taking his fur and skin off! I paid a fortune for the equichaps and tbh i think they are useless, ok they do keep some of the mud off but they slip down and I really am not impressed! I have just started using the nettex 7 day mud away spray and although it makes their fur slightly oily it took me 5 mins to groom last night instead of the usual hour (which he still doesn't come up clean) the cream version of this is great too. Baby oil and vaseline and sudocreme are also very good and cheaper versions too