Mud Rash - Use of Equi chaps Close Contact Chaps

[Holly7]

Hi,

Has anyone used the "Equi Chaps Close Contact Chaps" in order to help elimiate mud fever/rash??

My 18 month old has started with it again and I remember now that last year she got it quite bad (legs swelled and wasn't over keen on the cleaning scenario once a week!) so am wanting to try and help aid the situation as much as I can, but these boots are quite pricey so I wondering whether people had used them with success or not or whether they are a waste of money ?

I would need four as all four of her white legs are effected (last time I breed a coloured!!! HAHA!!)

... £120 later !

I am planning to try and keep her in two days a week aswell.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

No experience myself Holly but from friends I understand that you have to have an immaculately clean leg and an immaculately clean boot. Any tiny scrap of mud inside the boot will rub and cause more problems. I think horses can get sweaty inside them too. Can you borrow some to test for a week?

 

[tangotime]

I have used them successfully in the past for mudfever prevention, but they are very fiddley to fit correctly so not the most user friedly solution as you need to get a very snug fit or they will slip down or let mud in.

 

[hellybelly6]

As tangotime said if they do not fit or are not fitted correctly, they let mud in. The boots have to be cleaned and dried again before wearing. They are time consuming.

White legs are particularly prone to mud fever. Keratex do a good barrier powder as to Lincoln. Pig oil with sulpher is particularly good. I use baby oil esp when it is on special offer.

 

[CarolineStern]

I've just brought my youngster some Hardy chaps (he's got all four white feet!

) so far they seem to be good

, stay in place when bucking and racing round the field

!! I wash the mud off each night and they are dry by morning he has not sweated in them or got wet legs when raining. They were only 29.95 per pair, so I thought that was good. I like them. Good Luck!

 

[AmyMay]

I would be plastering the legs in a barrier cream/salve rather than putting turnout boots on. All they will do is promote the infection........

Prevention is always better than the cure. And I take no risks with my horse after he got MF the first winter I owned him.

His legs are covered with protective lotion every couple of days. And his heals swarthed in udder salve. Works a treat.

 

[TarrSteps]

I have a coloured horse that really struggled with the mud last winter (although the jury is still out on whether or not he had what is typically called "mud fever" or actually a vasculitis) and then did not respond - in fact got worse - on all the standard protocols.

So this year we're going with the chaps and so far I'm very pleased. Yes, they are fiddly but then so are most of the preventative practices anyway. And I'm very keen not to put any preparations (other than the nitrofurazone that finally worked for him last year) on his legs as they all hindered rather than helped.

Someone suggested multiple pairs (yes, costly, but again, so are vets

) so one can be drying while he has another to wear. Because I'm not at his yard every day he actually has 3 sets so there is always a clean, dry pair to wear even if the weather has been foul.

Early days yet but it's been pretty wet and so far, so good. Touch wood.

Btw, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that tobianos (not a word in common use here, but basically pintos with a white background and coloured spots) are more prone to immune/allergy/sensitivity issues. (Chestnuts also . . .as, apparently are red haired people.)

 

[Glayva]

pig oil and sulphur is the best treatment for mud fever. Slap the mix on and let it get to work.

Really cleared up my horses mud fever and used it every year since, and never had the slightest tough of it again.

 

[ISHmad]

You mustn't put these on over existing mud fever, only once it has all gone. Otherwise you will perpetuate it. Once your horse is clear of it then use them if you haven't found a topical treatment which may work better.