Mud Fever- turn out or keep in?

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MS123

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Hi all,

Apologies in advance, I know this probably has been done to death, but here goes anyhow.

Do you keep your horses in whilst they have mud fever? I mean horses with mild mud fever? ....My girl has mud fever behind, it's not sore or weepy, just scabby. I've kept her in for the time-being (mud where we are is thick, boggy and clay-like), though I'm not able to excersise her properly as I can't access the school due to having to trench through the mud to get there. So she's in and being walked through-out the day to stretch her legs (too dark to hack in the evenings).

Would you still turn-out/ride? But ensure legs are clean after? I'm not going to be able to avoid the mud forever. I've just ordered some Neem Oil/Pig-Oil, and Thermatex Leg Wraps. So I was thinking of keeping her in until they arrive, and using the Neem Oil daily for when she goes back out again. And if I do have to wash her legs, I'll have the thermatex leg wraps to ensure her legs are dry before she gets turned out the next day?

Any advice/opinions greatly appreciated. This is the first year she's ever had mud fever :( ...first year I've ever had to deal with it too.
 
I was taught that you shouldn't wash mud off a horse's legs, but leave the mud to dry on then brush it off when it is. That's what I always do with Mollie. Well, if I'm honest sometimes it doesn't actually get brushed off...

She got mud fever once. The farrier advised to keep to the above, but to put a mixture of sudocreme and crushed aspirin on the scabby/sore bits before turning out. I did, and the mud fever went in days.
 
My grey has a few patches and I am still turning him out for a few hours each day. However he goes onto a hill field so not thick mud, and think his mud fever is more from hunting than field conditions.

As he comes in with relatively clean legs I do not touch them, then brush off any mud in the morning and put sudocreme on the scabs before going out. Touch wood this is keeping it at bay but am not hunting or hacking through any deep mud atm.

In your situation I would be more concerned as you can't avoid the mud - I would be tempted to keep in and hack on roads until it has cleared up. Could you put down some straw or shavings too make a drier path to the school?
 
My horse had quite bad mud fever, had antibiotics from vet and it went in no time! As advised by the vet, I trimmed hair on legs so that they wouldn't hold the water for as long and dry quicker. I bought him in on a morning, washed legs, they dried in a couple of hours so he had dry, clean legs for the rest of the day. He would be turned out around 4pm and I would put sudocrem on patches of skin where scabs were and cover the rest of legs with pig oil. This worked wonders for my horse and the hair where the scabs were is now starting to grow back. He still comes in on most days and stands in a large hardcore area with hay, mud is knee deep in areas of field. Hopefully it will stop raining soon!!
 
My boy had it mildly and I could bring in ay the time she I cleaned on a dry day. Overestimate in sudocreme and Vaseline mixed together and put him out. He's been ok since. Think he got it as they had to pass through a ditch to get into the shelter and it was very muddy. But I've had the ditch filled now so they have a dry crossing :)
 
You need to bring in (never wash the area) and let the mud dry off completely. Then brush it off. I use pig oil and sulphur (patch test first) to clear it up quickly and prevent further outbreaks.
 
Thank you all for the suggestions/comments :)

Sidney- I just actually ordered some tarpaulin to lay down to attempt to get in the school (not sure my madam will go over the tarpaulin, but worth a shot) failing that I am going to hunt down some spare carpet.
 
Ive just moved mine to my spring field as couldnt stomach the mudfest of the winter field anymore (neither could my girls). My older mare doesnt have mud fever but has has a couple of sore spots on her front legs (a scuff) so am being a little more careful with her and want her out of thick, gloopy mud. They now come in every night and as my soil is clay i simply get the worst off by hand and leave to dry over night. I brush off once/twice a week and for her i sudocrem the sore spots and then baby oil the rest of the legs (touch of disinfectant in it). This helps to stop the mud sticking too. For my other two with more feather i alos brush off when dry and baby oil or pig oil.
 
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