Mud fever prevention

Traks

Traks

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With the awful wet weather we’ve had here a good 50% of the horses on our yard have mud fever… mine hasn’t yet but am keen to prevent her from getting it! She has 4 black legs but I know that doesn’t always mean anything!

Horses are out overnight and come in at 8am, legs washed and then they dry during the day. We are on full livery and they all have their legs washed which I’m not overly keen on..but it means they get their feet picked out and legs checked at the same time.

What do people recommend for preventing it if there is anything we can do? She’s never had mud fever that I am aware of. She is an ISH so not particularly feathery. Legs are not clipped.

Many thanks
 
Pig oil on the legs, applied when clean and dry. Stops the mud sticking and helps the water runoff.
At the first sign of anything scabby I layer on aromaheel mud cream stuff, helps lift scabs, is slightly antiseptic, and creates an extra barrier.
 
YourValentine said:
Pig oil on the legs, applied when clean and dry. Stops the mud sticking and helps the water runoff.
At the first sign of anything scabby I layer on aromaheel mud cream stuff, helps lift scabs, is slightly antiseptic, and creates an extra barrier.
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I’ve heard a few people recommend pig oil, is there a particular brand you’d recommend? Do you apply it every day?
 
I feel your pain. We’re on sandy soil but the relentless rain has made our fields a lot softer than usual.

My mare has unfortunately now got mud fever (first time ever), I had been hosing off with cold water then using some expensive cream on her overnight, while stabled. It didn’t really work so, after reading advice on this forum, I stopped washing her legs and just covered the mud fever with udder cream (a lot cheaper). The scabs have now softened and are starting to lift - I’m hoping they will soon be gone. It’s taken some willpower to leave her legs unwashed, but it’s been a game changer for me.
 
First of all , stop washing the legs , that's a sure way to get mud fever
I only pick feet and wash the hooves, no higher. Then they go into stables to dry out. The legs are easy to brush once dry.
Cob with full feather gets no treatment , pony with white socks gets Barrier Heel to Hoof cream applied and so far it seems to be doing the trick.
 
Trakky14 said:
I’ve heard a few people recommend pig oil, is there a particular brand you’d recommend? Do you apply it every day?
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I just but the cheapest in the saddlery, with out sulphur. I think that's too harsh.

I don't apply daily, but I'm not washing legs. It might need applying more frequently if they are as it will wash off.

Ideally they'd not hose daily...
 
It's bacterial so avoid sharing brushes, bandages etc with other horses.

Rather than hosing legs to remove mud, it's much better to leave mud to dry and brush it off. If you have to wet the legs, dry them off with a towel but as others have said, using a barrier such as pig oil may be your best option for your situation.

Assume any of the scabs are themselves infectious and treat them as such and wash your hands.

Call the vet if you are worried, you can always discuss over the phone or send pics if you're nervous about wasting their time. Pastern dermatitis (mud fever) can become nasty and cause pain and inflammation so if your instinct is to call the vet, call them. They won't laugh at you.
 
Northern Hare said:
If your horse is on full livery, would they put some Thermatex-type leg wraps on after they've washed her legs, to help them dry off?
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A couple of the liveries have asked for this and to be honest it doesn’t always happen!

I will try and encourage them to not wash legs as I agree it’s not a great idea, I think they really do it to make it easier when they pick out the feet!
 
Definitely patch test, some horses have a severe reaction to pig oil and sulphur (literally turn themselves inside out).

100% stop washing - I’ve been struggling greatly with my mares mud fever and after just 48 hours of not washing (I was drying the legs), there’s been a massive improvement.

I’ve started using Meddi-Mud. Similarly to pig oil, you apply it when the legs are clean and dry. My mares legs are covered in mud when she comes in and by the morning, there is no trace of mud. It’s honestly an amazing product!
 
teddy_ said:
Definitely patch test, some horses have a severe reaction to pig oil and sulphur (literally turn themselves inside out).

100% stop washing - I’ve been struggling greatly with my mares mud fever and after just 48 hours of not washing (I was drying the legs), there’s been a massive improvement.

I’ve started using Meddi-Mud. Similarly to pig oil, you apply it when the legs are clean and dry. My mares legs are covered in mud when she comes in and by the morning, there is no trace of mud. It’s honestly an amazing product!
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Thank you will do… daft question but how do you patch test a horse?! 😂
 
I would stop washing them everyday it weakens the skin just let it dry and remove when dry I use a metal pan scourer kinder on the legs than a brush.

I like the mud fever powder over oil and greasy cream I think it can block the skin and bacteria builds up then.
 
Don't wash the legs! Just let the mud dry overnight.

My TBX mare was very susceptible so I used to apply plain Vaseline to the heels in the morning unless there was any sign of mud fever and then used the Equine America as a topical treatment which I found worked very well.

However, (and I have recounted this story several times over the years) I changed her feed to a feed Balancer and a few months later realised that she had never had a re-occurance of mud fever since being on the new feed and never did again up until the day I sold her. Similarly, when I bought my then 2 year old he came with mud fever which was marked on his vet certificate and excluded on the insurance for vet cover.

He went on the same feed as the mare, and in all the years I had him being fed various Balancers and latterly the Pro Balance vitamin and mineral supplements, never had mud fever again.
 
Trakky14 said:
we’ve had here a good 50% of the horses on our yard have mud fever…
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Trakky14 said:
We are on full livery and they all have their legs washed same time.
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OrangeAndLemon said:
It's bacterial so avoid sharing brushes, bandages etc with other horses.

Assume any of the scabs are themselves infectious and treat them as such and wash your hands.
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That's a large proportion to have it at the same time. I'd be having a tactful chat with the yard on the lines of ' no washing please, use my own grooming kit it's right outside my stable, you're probably too busy to wash hands between horses but I've left some anti-bac gel in the kit'.
 
Goldie's mum said:
That's a large proportion to have it at the same time. I'd be having a tactful chat with the yard on the lines of ' no washing please, use my own grooming kit it's right outside my stable, you're probably too busy to wash hands between horses but I've left some anti-bac gel in the kit'.
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Thanks, yes I will ask them not to wash the legs in future....not sure how they would take to using hand gel! 😂
 
Well it’s too late… she has mud fever on one leg 🤦🏻‍♀️😭

Before I go to the tack shop tomorrow to get supplies… any recommendations?! They are using Muddy Buddy stuff (scrub and ointment) with the existing horses, any other recommendations?
 
Not something that I have experience of, but I am a bit confused. I see that the consensus is not to wash legs. Mine are fetched in by the grooms, legs washed and hooves picked out. I always thought that this was a good thing. When they come from the paddock thier legs are anyway wet, so is hosing the mud off really worse for them? Genuine question, not a criticism of any opinion. Thank you!

Edited to add that I do not believe that asking them to brush off the dried mud later would be possible, so I am wondering what is better, leave with mud overnight or continue with current regime?
 
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Winters100 said:
Not something that I have experience of, but I am a bit confused. I see that the consensus is not to wash legs. Mine are fetched in by the grooms, legs washed and hooves picked out. I always thought that this was a good thing. When they come from the paddock thier legs are anyway wet, so is hosing the mud off really worse for them? Genuine question, not a criticism of any opinion. Thank you!
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I think the washing softens the skin and makes it more susceptible to mud fever. If you dry them thoroughly it’s meant to be better, but washing and leaving to dry is the worst option. Our yard is now drying legs after washing and they all have their own towels to prevent any cross infection…bit late in our case unfortunately.

Best option is not to wash at all
 
Winters100 said:
Not something that I have experience of, but I am a bit confused. I see that the consensus is not to wash legs. Mine are fetched in by the grooms, legs washed and hooves picked out. I always thought that this was a good thing. When they come from the paddock thier legs are anyway wet, so is hosing the mud off really worse for them? Genuine question, not a criticism of any opinion. Thank you!

Edited to add that I do not believe that asking them to brush off the dried mud later would be possible, so I am wondering what is better, leave with mud overnight or continue with current regime?
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It weakens the skin thing is with just wet mud most leg hair will protect the skin to a degree so it just kind of sits on top, if you are hosing the skin will be saturated and that is what causes it the skin gets dry and weak and then bacteria gets in.
 
Trakky14 said:
Well it’s too late… she has mud fever on one leg 🤦🏻‍♀️😭

Before I go to the tack shop tomorrow to get supplies… any recommendations?! They are using Muddy Buddy stuff (scrub and ointment) with the existing horses, any other recommendations?
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I really rate the mud fever barrier powder there are a few now all are roughly the same I think, I found the cream just messy and just sat on the area so no air got to it.
 
Well it must be a big issue in our area as I went to 2 tack shops this morning and only one had any sort of mud fever remedy, none had barrier cream or wash! They have all sold out…

Have ordered some Muddy buddy wash, barrier cream and have applied the Muddy buddy Kure cream, that actually went on really nicely for in the stable so will see how it goes. Am borrowing wash and barrier till mine arrives!
 
Just wanted to add that you shouldn't try to waterproof the legs, particularly if they've already got mudfever. You're just sealing in whatever bacteria is there and giving it a nice anaerobic environment to grow in.

Pig oil is intended to protect feather (OK, it's intended for pigs, but you know what I mean!). Use creams intended to treat mudfever and once it's gone just brush off dried mud and keep an eye on it, treat as soon as you see an issue.
 
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