Mud Fever?!?!

[MontyZoom5]

Hi everyone.

I am getting a new horse tomorrow, he is chestnut and has 3 white stockings.. He is currently out in a field 24/7 with hardly any mud in it! I was amazed when I saw the field as where I am it's a bog!! The mud goes up to the horses knees! So this horse isn't used to particularly muddy fields, I talked to her about mud fever but she said he has never had it in his life! Which doesn't surprise me looking at those fields. So anyway, having horses with only black legs all my life mud fever has never been a worry for me, but now I have one with white legs I'm panicking a bit! I know people say not to wash the mud of their legs but there seriously is a LOT of mud and They wont dry in time for me to be able to brush the mud off. And he will be going back in the field over night as he doesn't like stables.


SO?!?! What do I need to do when I bring him in from the field? Just leave the mud? Or wash it off but dry the legs thouraghly? PLEASE HELP ME!!!! Is there any boots I can get to protect his legs, fetlock from the mud?!
Bearing in mind he hasn't got mud fever YET! I just was to make sure he doesn't get it at ALL! Which I think is going to be pretty hard, but with your lovely peoples advice I might be able to do it!

Please please please don't suggest moving yards, this is the only yard I can find with horses that stay out over night in winter I and it's taken a long time to find this yard and it Truely is one of the best yards I've seen (apart from the fields but they're all like that in my area!) so there is no way I am changing yards.


Thanks so so much in advance, you truely are a lifesaver!

 

[Micky]

Pig oil his legs, really easy and prevents mud from really sticking to skin, brush off mud in the morning Do this about once a week, rub in well with hands, also a nice massage for the horse

 

[MontyZoom5]

Pig oil his legs, really easy and prevents mud from really sticking to skin, brush off mud in the morning Do this about once a week, rub in well with hands, also a nice massage for the horse

Thanks Micky,
Shall I brush off the mud even when the mud's wet? X

 

[rosie-ellie]

Agree! Pig oil and sulphur very good stuff!

 

[p87]

Like the others say - pig oil. Don't hose his legs everyday, I've never understood why people do this, especially when it's so cold, it can't be good for the horses muscles and joints.

No point in brushing wet mud either, it'll just make a mess, wait until it's dry and then brush off. So if he is stabled overnight you could brush off in the morning, but with pig oil on the mud will just slide off anyway.

My lot live out 24/7 and the gate area is very boggy. Although I don't use pig oil I don't touch their legs at all, except maybe once a fortnight when I hose off mud and wash their legs in diluted hibiscrub, then bandage their legs until they are dry.
Only one has had mud fever -and she isn't mine and had it before I took over looking after her - so to treat her mud fever I would hose mud off, wash with warm diluted hibiscrub to pick off scabs, let her legs air dry and then slather her legs in sudocrem. I would do this every 3 - 4 days and it cleared up in just under two weeks and it's not come back since.

 

[Janee]

I think the white legs view is a myth, have all colours of leg and all seem to be affected, or not, I think it is in the skin type. Agree as above pig oil and sulphur ( do a patch test) dont wash unless abs necessary and if she gets it do what p87 does