mud fever - wash legs daily or leave alone?

[narkymare]

ok bit of a guilt trip to be honest.
I bought my cob knowing he was prone to mud fever - he is, has scars to proove it.
He is turned out daily into a sloping field which is fine higher up but very very muddy neat the gate.
I was told by a very experienced horseman to leave his feathers alone - dont wash off and up to now - touch wood - no mud fever.
But, im on diy and he just looks horrible! Lots of other owners are keeping their horses in to avoid the mud, thier horses are washed down daily and have lots of problems.
My horse isnt ill at all but he looks terrible - id hate him to be stuck in all day just cos i dont him to get dirty!
But i think people think i dont care - of course i do but if he is not ill yet covered in mud from ankles up am i bad???
To me it seems to work for him - think im needing reassurance really cos im not out with the hosepipe everyday and keeping him im so he doesnt get dirty!

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

Do you mean he looks terrible in terms of having dirty muddy feathers? If so don't worry about it, it's only mud, it's just cosmetic, it'll fall off in time. I know it's hard, especially if everyone else is washing, scrubbing, picking off scabs and applying various lotions and potions......Sometimes less is more, if you know what I mean, and if he hasn't got any infections then you are certainly doing the right thing by not fiddling. Chin up and fiddle ye not...

 

[chessy]

If it aint broke don't fix it.

I read somewhere that the best thing to do is to let the mud dry, then brush off.

But if your horse is fine, don't worry about silly cosmetic detail. I'm sure my girl looks totally scruffy compared to some of the other pristine horses on my yard that are constantly brushed, clipped, scrubbed, oiled, manicured (lol)...

 

[Shysmum]

I am using pig oil and sulphur, plus sudocream on his heels. The only time I have washed Shy's legs is before I started this routine, just the once. I apply pig oil every ten days or so, and sudocream whenever his heels are dry enough, to give extra protection where he got mud fever last year.

But if it ain't broke, you are doing something right Washing when it's not needed is the worst thing you can do.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Definitely leave the feathers alone. Even though they are dripping with mud, they are designed to protect the skin and keep it dry. Just keep an eye on him and when his legs are dry feel for heat or if in doubt have a rumage with your fingers for any signs of infection.
When the weather improves, you could wash the feathers (cold water) and apply baby or pig oil liberally with a sponge or your hand. This helps to keep feathers looking cleaner as the mud doesn't stick so easily and will brush off when dry. The thickness of his feathers will keep his skin clean without intervention if he is in good health and has a good diet.
Quite honestly, living with the mud is the best option in winter. Spring comes quickly enough and you can have a shiny coblet again. Don't bow to pressure by owners who have a hose fetish. The experience horseman is right.

 

[narkymare]

oh thank you so so much everyone - i was starting to feel like the worst owner ever - yes his feet are blathered in mud but he has no infection (i do check daily when i pick his feet out ) so he looks disgusting but is happy and well.
I do know he would be much more upset if i kept him every day to avoid the mud

 

[christi]

In 33 years of owning horses , i have Never washed muddy legs , and guess what .. none of my horses have Ever had mud fever , and thats including my traditional hairy ive had for 7 years .

If it aint broke ... dont fix it

less is more .

 

[KrujaaLass]

I would leave well alone. Mine are living out in horrendous mud. No point in washing them because they would be straight out into it again. One of them had it slightly at other place and when I used to try to brush mud off she would wince. So I used to plaster her in Sudocreme and that seemed to do the trick.

 

[narkymare]

ty krujja - hes my first horse and i just wanted to ask because other owners are keeping their horses in now to avoid the mud - i know this would drive my boy nuts but just wondered what you all thought xxx

 

[Kokopelli]

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!

 

[narkymare]

ty christi that it what i was told but seeing other owners washing and creaming everday, keeping horses in, i just needed to ask and check - lol feel much better now!!!! xxxx

 

[christi]

ty christi that it what i was told but seeing other owners washing and creaming everday, keeping horses in, i just needed to ask and check - lol feel much better now!!!! xxxx

Aww your welcome ! x

just give the legs a quick brush off in the morning before turnout .

 

[narkymare]

and ty kristi! lol i can sleep guilt free tonight

 

[assuan]

our boy started to get mud fever, we spotted it instantly. brushed off all the scabs etc, cleaned it up and dried it.

then everyday when we bring in, pick out feet then into the box to let the straw dry it all out.

next morning, brush off the dry mud, then sudocrem applied liberally lol

touch wood, not repeat occurrences in the last 6 weeks. And hopefully no more, as we've just moved yards and there's very little mud at the new yard --- yippeeee!!!!

 

[Shysmum]

haha, looks like great minds think alike !! My only concession to the mud is that I trimmed his tail today to keep it out of it. Not even happy doing that, but needs must.

Can we have piccies please ??

 

[narkymare]

ooo assuan youa re so lucky! like i said most of our field is fine, it slopes so all the mud is by the gate but of course the horses stand there at feed / coming in time - glad your horse is well now xxx

 

[narkymare]

haha, looks like great minds think alike !!

Can we have piccies please ??

lol of my boy? lots on my profile

 

[Shysmum]

*scoots of to have a gander*

GORGEOUS !!!!

 

[Kaylum]

Hi there

are you sure its mud fever and not leg mites as I see your horsey has feathers and feathered horses sometimes get leg mites and this condition is often mistaken for mud fever!

K

 

[narkymare]

wow i have no idea kaylum all i know is when i bought him i was told he is prone to mud fever - was my farrier who confirmed it when he saw he scars - i never thought of mites xxx

 

[narkymare]

i will ask my farrier when he next comes out - ty - would explain a lot, my boy is very itchy all year round hence hes been clipped and hogged nowx

 

[Kaylum]

Its defo worth thinking about, does your horsey tend to scratch his legs, some dont even scratch as they are so used to it. I had one with it and his past owner had never bothered to treat him and he thought it was mud fever. Hope you can get sorted.

 

[RolyPolyPony]

The only time my lad has his legs washed off is when the trimmer comes. He has hippo legs at the moment! He had really really bad mud fever when I got him, non of the other liveries had seen it so bad. But he's had nothing since leaving his legs. I've had some awful comments from other riders, on immaculatly clean horses, when out riding but my boy is happy and mud fever free!

 

[JoBird]

I think you are doing the right thing - dont stress about him being muddy - I bet he is happier than the other horses! If he does get problems in the summer do check it isnt mites as the symptoms are very similar but treated very differently. All the best to you and your lovely hairy boy xx

 

[noodle_]

i normally let the mud dry then brush it off.....

but now i hose them down and put mud guard on.... she had mud fever but now its gone

 

[narkymare]

ty so so much everyone - i need to have the vet coming out in this next month for teeth and vaccinations - i will ask him to check for mites - id never have thought of it, have certainly never seen any but it would explain the constant itching all year round - ty!!!!

 

[Fiona9]

narkymare - defo do not worry about a muddy horse. Mine always comes in from the field covered in mud from top to toe. Amazing how he gets mud in every clean non rugged bit of body. Sometimes can't even tell he's a piebald. He has 4 white legs and my vet has treated what I thought was mud fever as mites. She also says its the way he sheds his skin. I've had a close look and I know what she means. You keep your muddy horsey and don't worry about what others think/say. It's obviously working for you.

 

[aro]

I hose my horses legs once a week in cold water and leave them to dry overnight. The following morning I apply pig oil and sulphur. I do not wash the legs again till the following week and find this method to be working well and both are mud fever free.

Have tried not washing them and also washing them regulaly and both resulted in mud fever. I have also being using NAF mud guard supplement this year and touch wood haven't had any signs even though the fields are extremely muddy

 

[narkymare]

narkymare - defo do not worry about a muddy horse. Mine always comes in from the field covered in mud from top to toe. Amazing how he gets mud in every clean non rugged bit of body. Sometimes can't even tell he's a piebald. He has 4 white legs and my vet has treated what I thought was mud fever as mites. She also says its the way he sheds his skin. I've had a close look and I know what she means. You keep your muddy horsey and don't worry about what others think/say. It's obviously working for you.

ty so so much - yes i will, it does work for him xxxx

 

[libertylou]

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