mud fever - wash legs daily or leave alone?

[narkymare]

Last winter was my first winter owning Libby, I knew from her previous owner that she was prone to mud fever and boy was she right. It was awful. I became obsessive with cleaning her legs, plastering her in aqueous cream etc...... It didn't get better, if anything it got worse.

This year I haven't washed her legs daily! Only when I ride her (which isn't often at the moment). And the result is.... NO mud fever, so from now on legs stay muddy

i agree! when i bought my horse i bouf=ght all the necessary creams and potions -thanks to one wise mans advice i havent even opened them - still there ready and waiting

ty so so much - i felt so guilty leaving my muddy horse alone - i do brush all his body daily but legs no - i leave well alone and let him out early morning to play in the field - ty all so so much xxxx

 

[ISHmad]

We never wash our horses legs off and when we were at a livery yard they were the only ones to not get mud fever. Those that hosed scrupulously every day all got it, and that was on a yard of 20 + horses.

Pig oil and sulphur is brilliant for keeping the legs protected and preventing mud fever.

 

[doodleberry]

I think your doing the right thing
I only wash legs if I'm going out somewhere and don't have time for legs to dry off and the brush off and no mud fever either yet pony is prone to it.

Eveyrone at my yard washes down religously and think I'm awful fro leaving him muddy but find me a horse that has died from looking a bit dirty and I'll stand corrected.

As for leaving in to avoid mud I think that is horrible, they are horses let them live a little!

leaving in to avoid mud is just ridiculous horses are designed to cope with mud with their natural oils!! is only us that bugger them up by interfering!! i think your right not hosing i have hunters so keep their clips clipped at all times which is prob not an option for you they go out in the field every day they are not hunting and i never wash them until the night before they go hunting and when they come back perhaps you can just wash them off every now and again so you can have a good look as it only take s a tiny scratch to set the mud fever off or you could get some leg wraps which are designed to keep the lower legs clean . even better go and buy a load and sell them at your yard for twice the price!!