Mud fever prevention not cure

Flibble

Flibble

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Thought I had posted this but obviously not.
My lovely boy is coming off Boxrest and since he has been stuck in his hotel room the track to his field has been churned into a mud bath by the tractor.

Fields unsurprisingly are pretty boggy in places too. Now I haven't had the boy long enough to overwinter and so many around me have mud fever I want to stop any chance before it happens. So please recommend the best preventive measure.
 
I use conotrane cream (get it from pharmacy)
At night I massage some into legs (fetlock 2 hoof) then in morn he get layer put on from half way up leg 2 hoof not rubbed in just smeared on so looks like hes got white stockings
Then when he comes in quick hose off of mud & thermatex leg wraps on- haf an he or so later & legs r bone dry.
Done this for couple of yrs & only once or twice hav I had 2 deal with few scabs (& I do mean v few & not open weeping etc just wee lumps)
 
Pig oil and flowers of sulphur. Works perfect on heavy feathered Belgium draft living out in muddy muddy field. Clean and dry legs and apply twice a weeks. Any mud just falls off, no sticking and no mud fever!! Amazing
 
Don't wash them. Just leave to dry overnight, then brush off the next morning. Wipe a smear of baby oil over before turning out. Unless he's a cob/native, or needs his feathers for appearance, trim them.
 
He is a cob but not too hairy and I keep his feathers which are not very full well trimmed as a lot of the hairier cobs have mites and I have been keeping his legs washed with head and shoulders over the summer.
 
^^^this, use a barrier such as udder cream, pig oil or a specially formulated brand and maybe feed a supplement such as Mud Gard to strengthen the skin.

I meant to agree with 'don't wash his legs' unless absolutely necessary. You'll weaken the skin structure even more by constant washing,
 
Kikke said:
Pig oil and flowers of sulphur. Works perfect on heavy feathered Belgium draft living out in muddy muddy field. Clean and dry legs and apply twice a weeks. Any mud just falls off, no sticking and no mud fever!! Amazing
Click to expand...

Please be careful if you use this, my TB had a reaction to the sulphur and all his skin peeled!
 
years ago someone suggested spraying on a mixture of 50/50 baby oil and vinegar - I have used this for two years on two thin skinned horses a TB and a PBA both of whom suffered previously and so far so good no bad mud fever despite muddy feilds. I just spray it on their legs from the mid cannon down every day a fine mist before turnout. once a fortnight i wash legs with mild medicated shampoo to see how they are doing, other than that I just spray on mixture and leave well enough alone - if they dry out I might brush mud off gently but mostly just leave. It could be chance that they haven't suffered since I started doing this - but who knows, whilst it seems to work I will carry on! horses smell like chipshops but are sound and can enjoy turn out every day
 
Best thing I've come across is the Nettex seven day mud away spray, we use it one both very hairy cobs, slightly hairy cob and tb and keeps feathers clean. Mud and water just bead and roll off. It's nice and cheap as well as being effective.
 
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