mud fever and feathers

[lara b]

Hi

Well, my horse search is underway, but I am finding that the types I like to ride (cobby) quite often have quite a bit of feather/white legs.

This is putting me off as the last horse I had with feather and white legs had terrible mites/scabby cob leg/mud fever, which I just couldn't get rid of. It became a real problem as it needed constant washing/drying/clipping/cream/vet visits etc and in the end I had to sell him as I was injured and it all got too much, so am left with a real bee in my bonnet about mud fever.

Do you think it is always a problem with horses with feathers and/or white legs? Should I let it put me off?

I should also explain that I will be keeping my horse on Part Livery so won't be there every night to treat legs etc and can't ask YO to do it really. Also I live in a clay soil area.

Thanks
lara

 

[xena_wales]

I have a Welsh D so he does have some feather, but not as much as a proper hairy cob.

I also live in a very heavy clay soil area, and he's very prone to mud fever. I clipped his legs up to the fetlock last year to treat his mud fever, and it made it so much easier that I wished I'd done it in previous years.

I've just done it again for the first time this year this morning, as he was starting to get a tiny bit on the back. I've put a load of Sudocrem on it and am confident I'll be able to keep on top of it much easier this year.

So, maybe clipping the legs would be a consideration for you if you like the hairy types? Granted it doesn't look brilliant, but looks aren't the be all and end all AFAIC.

 

[Honey08]

You'll get a million different replies about mudrash. Every case is different!

We have land prone to mudrash. The traditional type gypsy cob (possibly crossed with arab, as is not too heavy) we have has feather down the back of his leg, but not on the sides. Interestingly last year he only got mudrash on the short bits at the sides. We babyoiled his feather to allow the mud to slide off, and it worked well. Interestingly the vets always tell us to shave mud rash areas, but I've found it better to trim with scissors and comb as the wet can still drain off the hair, but its still easy to treat problems... The pony doesn't suffer from typical cob- mite on legs problems as is not too hairy.

 

[jsr]

My lad is fully feathered, lives out 24/7 and his fields can get fairly muddy by winter. Never had mud fever and hopefully never will. The worst he gets is a sort of greasy heel type thing on the his white legs but it's easily cleaned with Hibiscrub and disappears after a few days of Aloe Vera gel. Comes back every now and again if I'm abit forgetful of keeping an eye on it but it's no big deal. 2 other horses on the same yard who's been clipped out on their legs suffer from mud fever every year so I put it down to his feathers that he doesn't suffer from it. There were put there for a reason so who am I to change it??

 

[Splish & Masons mum]

I have a full on hairy (in sig) and I just discovered my first small patch of mud fever on the back of a heel last week, I think it's just a case of keeping on top of it and making sure you check under the feathers regularly and treat small things before they turn into bigger things.
I was also recommended to use pig oil and sulfur, pig oil to stop the legs getting wet and sulfur as an antibacterial agent to help with bacteria/mites. (it's the constantly wet, warm environment that allows bacteria to breed and cause the mud fever) I'm about to start this this afternoon, after the farrier has been (didn't think he'd appreciate having to hold a greasy wriggly leg!)

 

[starsnrunes]

In the 8 years of owning Herc (my traddy cob) we've only have mud fever twice. Even when he was spent his days stood in the bog in the field he didn't get it.

The only thing we used over the years is Keretex powder (that was reccommended by our vet). It stopped the wet getting it, but it has to go on before the mud sets in and while the feathers are dry...we didn't get it on fast enough the last few years which is why he got mud fever (but not badly at all).

Started using POS in march this year and he's had it on couple of times a month all year and his feathers are brill so far (infact dry out really quickly - I managed to get powder on to his feathers the day after we had a torrential down pour)

 

[Shysmum]

Any white haired leg will be prone to mudfever as i understand it. There are two schools of thought - one that says the feather protects from mud fever, the other that feather should be clipped to prevent it

I have trimmed my boy's feathers to just off the ground, and am using pig oil and sulphur with great results. There is no doubt that feathers mean work, including daily checks for anything suspicious, so it's really down to whether that's what you want.

Good luck with your search, sm x

 

[polopony]

I have a NZ TB with two white legs (and two black ones! )and he is prone to mud fever, its probably most tedious thing I've had to deal with, he had it for months and we just couldn't budge the scabs, in the end my vet gave me some tubes that are for cows with mastitus. Yes it sounds strange I know, but apply a tube to one scab (his were really big and brittle) wrap it in a bandage, leave over night and VAMOOSH the next day we picked it right off and after doing this to each area, he is now free of mud fever He's now got some boots and barrier cream to keep it at bay

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Just a word of warning: if you've got one with white legs & pink skin, be careful of using pig oil & sulphur without doing a little skin patch first; I used it on mine thinking I was doing the right thing and his legs came up all red and inflamed, and very hot. So now I use udder cream (farrier's advice) so will see how that goes.

 

[Theresa_F]

Never had a problem but I do take care of my hairy beasties legs by applying sulphur regularly in summer, P&S through the wet months, weekly inspection and in winter oil up and don't wash them - washing can create more problems than it solves.

In the past ten years we have had two clydesdale and two gypsy cobs. With the present clydie and cob, they were started young on this routine and so far, no signs of anything. The first two, I did treat with frontline and they had clipped legs to start, but once treated correctly with P&S and allowed to grow hair back, were fine.

Touch wood - none of them with hairy legs oiled up have ever had mud fever and we have horrible thick clay over the fetlocks in winter on a very wet field.

Part the oily wet top layer and underneath is white and dry hair and clean skin - the oil and hair work well to keep the skin this way.

 

[lara b]

Never had a problem but I do take care of my hairy beasties legs by applying sulphur regularly in summer, P&S through the wet months, weekly inspection and in winter oil up and don't wash them - washing can create more problems than it solves.

In the past ten years we have had two clydesdale and two gypsy cobs. With the present clydie and cob, they were started young on this routine and so far, no signs of anything. The first two, I did treat with frontline and they had clipped legs to start, but once treated correctly with P&S and allowed to grow hair back, were fine.

Touch wood - none of them with hairy legs oiled up have ever had mud fever and we have horrible thick clay over the fetlocks in winter on a very wet field.

Part the oily wet top layer and underneath is white and dry hair and clean skin - the oil and hair work well to keep the skin this way.

sorry for being dumb, is P&S pig oil and sulphur? Where can I get it from?
Thanks very much for everyones replies, am off to look at a hairy tomorrow!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Traditional heavily feathered cobs are labour intensive, although mud fever shouldn't be more of a problem than any other horse generally speaking. Its the mites and fly bites and sweating behind the knees that cause me the most hassle. haven't had a problem with mud, even on clay soil, the feathers have kept the skin dry even when the hair is dripping with wet mud. I've just had my hairy one injected with cattle wormer for the mites which are a problem on his current grazing. Avon Skin So Soft dry oil is great for detering midges in the spray form, or the bath oil in the final rinse after washing. As is baby oil or pig oil. I did have a bad reaction with pig oil and sulphur combined as it burnt his feathers off.
This time of year I wash his feathers and apply oil and then pretty much leave him through the winter as the feathers do the job of protection better than I can, if left alone. He still gets checked when his feet are picked out, I have a rummage with my fingers for any signs of disomfort,but generally he's ok in winter.He's also barefoot which is helpful in icy conditions and cheaper to keep.
However, much less labour intensive are my two dark, finer breed horses. They don't look so muddy,they get a quick brush, slap the tack on and go. Even putting the bridle on is quicker because of less hair to pull through. The don't sweat so much, need all year round clipping and constant exercise to keep the weight off.

 

[LizScott]

I've got a white legged mare with quite a lot of feather (although not as much as a traditional) and in the 7yrs I've owned her, she's only had mud fever once and this was when I clipped her feathers off and washed and dried her legs religiously as someone told me that if I didn't she would get mudfever!! Prior to that I had always just left the mud on overnight and brushed off in the morning if I was riding and just trimmed her feathers so they looked neater but still had plenty of protection. She now lives out 24/7 and spent all last winter with full feathers and a lot of mud and was absolutely fine.

Personally I think we panick a little quickly with mud fever and at the tiniest scab we all start washing, drying and applying creams

ETA we have clay soil too

 

[Spinal Tap]

My old cob (fully feathered traditional vanner-type) had terrible mud fever at his previous home where his legs were clipped & washed/hibiscrubbed constantly. I think his skin dried out completely so it was prone to getting chapped & scabby, which let in the bacteria and he got mud fever. I let his feathers grow and didn't touch his legs unless the mud got through to his skin, but 99% of the time even if his legs looked awful if you parted the hair, you could see that right next to his skin it was still white & clean This was when he lived out 24/7 on clay fields. If I did wash his legs I would always use lukewarm water with Oilatum added, and I'd pat dry them with a towel and/or put Thermotex leg wraps on so his skin wouldn't chap. He was fine when I managed him like this

 

[furrycat]

I've got a welsh cob, so she has some feather. She lives out and touch wood has never had even a sniff of mud fever, oh and she has three white legs too. As Spinal Tap says above, when her hair is parted she always has dry healthy skin underneath, so I just leave them be no washing etc.

 

[Shysmum]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-litres-Pig-...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item2a0ae8f2c7

I get mine from here - loads more sulphur in it than others I've tried. sm x