mud

[fizzer]

am getting really fed up with all the yukky mud round the gates, how are you all coping? and is anyone using turnout boots and are they effective, the horses havent got any mudfever or anything but am really worried bout their legs, at the moment am letting all the mud dry and brushing off best i can in morn, would appreciate feedback to what everyone is doing . ta

 

[Sarah_Jane]

If you have not got a problem don't change anything. Whilst turnout boots can help a certain amount can get in underneath and this can rub and start a mud fever reaction.

Mine is suseptable to mud fever and I apply camrosa daily which seems to be doing the trick - no problems so far.

 

[brightmount]

Equilibrium Close Contact Chaps are very good. Barely any mud gets to my horse's legs when she is wearing them, and I am on VERY heavy weald clay. They fit right under the heel bulb. They can turn up a bit at the bottom in heavy mud, but they are generally so effective I haven't had to hose at all since using them, and hosing is the worst thing you can do for MF.

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello. Its awfull this year isn't it we have not had any dry periods at all. I was stabling my horses for a night or two once a week before christmas just to dry their legs out and check for scabs, but have had no scabs at all. Think if mine were going to get mud fever they would have by now so am stopping worrying so much. I am just going to feel their legs every night for heat as i have been told this is the first sign of mud fever. I have a thin skinned white legged horse as well and not so much as one scab.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

Are you on livery or private? Best thing would be to fence off the muddiest bits to let them recover, or hardcore them. I don't believe in turnout boots, i think they can be more trouble than they're worth as they need washing (ie daily)regularly and can rub. TBH if i couldnt do anything about the gateway, or bring in at night to allow a few hour's rest from the mud, I would use something like Naf Mudguard.

 

[vicm2509]

On our yard some of the liveries who use the muddiest field have been putting all the dirty straw from their stables (minus the poo) around the gate where the mud is knee high and aparently its working really well.

 

[Chex]

We have a track for a hundred feet or so at the start of the field, so not much mud at all, plus they don't hang around the gate. They have to walk through a stream to get back to the stables as well, so cleans the mud off. Having hard core down, or some sort of hard track definitely makes a difference.