Turnout boots - mud fever

[MagicMelon]

Can anyone recommend good ones please? I've just got one of my horses mud fever under control (after keeping him on dry ground for 2 weeks) but he needs to go back out into his wet field. I'm putting him out just during the day and back onto dry ground overnight, however I would like some boots to keep his legs dry when out all day - suggestions please. He's a long legged, big warmblood so they need to be decent sized and hard wearing.

 

[ponydi]

Shires mud socks work for me

 

[pippixox]

I personally don't find they work very well. as although they keep the higher part of the leg dry, mud often gets up under the heal and is then compacted there, trapped under the boot.

personally I bring in every night and let the legs dry naturally- do not hose the mud off, and this seems to work well.

I have tried sulfur powder, which seems to slightly reduce the amount of mud that sticks, but a bit messy.

 

[Meredith]

Outdoor boots never worked for my horses, as pippixox says the mud got in at the bottom and rubbed.
When the weather is warm enough I leave legs alone and brush when dry. I use baby oil to help with waterproofing on clean legs regularly.
When the weather means that their legs would not dry overnight I use breathable wool leg wraps directly over the mud. I have my horses at home so I can remove the wraps after a few hours when the legs are dry.
This works for me but my friends and I have found that the regime that works for one owners version of mud fever doesn't work for everyone.
Hope you can find a way that works for you from the suggestions given.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

CM didn't get on with the turnout boots, but Muddy Marvel Barrier Cream was successful with her.

 

[Micropony]

Mud boots seem to be working for my boy, but he's not out for long, so there's not much time for them to get wet through and sodden. They do need to be put on VERY snugly though to stop the mud working up underneath. I put on keratex powder under the boots, especially around the coronet band and fetlock, and like to think that helps.

He also has multiple sets, so he's always going out in clean bone dry boots.

I think there has been some research that indicates the key factor is how long the legs are wet, as that's what makes the skin fragile and vulnerable to becoming compromised. So wicking leg wraps might be a good idea on that front, maybe just hosing off any really thick wet mud, I.e. thick enough to slow down drying.

This winter really has been rubbish for mud fever, at the yard where my horse lives there have been horses stricken with it repeatedly who aren't normally prone to it.

Best of luck with finding a way of managing it that works for your horse on your land!

 

[lewis2015]

I've used the Roma turnout boots successfully. Mine hasn't had mud rash for a couple of years now as I keep his legs clipped out on vets advice. However as mud is particularly bad this year I've used his Roma boots again. He's in at night so I just rinse mud off from boots and where it gets slightly in at bottom of boot, and then leave them to dry (he's only allowed every other day turnout where he is so they have time to dry for when he next goes out).

 

[Damnation]

I think turnout socks are utter pants. The ones I had rolled down, rubbed and made it worse if anything.

Barrier cream, let the mud dry overnight then brush it off in the morning.

I think if you interfere with mudfever too much you can make it worse or make horses more prone to it.

My mare is prone to it. One year, she was in overnight, legs hosed nightly and dried off and cream applied, turnout socks then put on in the morning. Got such bad mudfever up to her knees and hocks (even on her BLACK leg!!) that she needed antibiotics from the vet. It literally happened over 2-3 days, I couldn't believe it!

Next winter, same yard, same field, same horses, but this time she was living out 24/7. Legs were always muddy, infact I am in Cumbria on Clay, the mud was hock deep in places. If I brought her in and her legs dried off enough I would brush the mud off. She didn't even get a single scab.

This year, she has a small patch on one heel, so far I've left it alone and it seems to be going on its own.

Less is more.

 

[Nessa4]

We paint ours with Pig Oil and Sulphur - once a week, never hose, brush dried mud off when there is any stuck (usually it all drops off overnight). The boys are in at night, and turned out alternate days in winter, but the older one hs been martyr to mud feverll his life until we started this regime - been no sign of it since. The youngster has never shown any signs. Ours are the only two on the yard without mudfever (out of 21 horses and ponies).

 

[Luci07]

We have all been struggling with bad mud fever at my yard. Between us, we have tried every single variant to protect the horses. We go from fine skinned china legs (my horse) to cob and not one person has escaped this. 2 have had to have antibiotics. Turn out boots helped a bit but your problem is getting them clean and dry for the next day. Lincolns muddy Marvel..not really.. Stinky stuff...did help but was taking for ever. Pig oil and sulphur...the horse who had that had a bad reaction and his legs blew right up. China legs is now liberally applied with pig oil and left. The mud is brushed off the next day but it literally takes me a couple of wipes. Sudocream on existing sore bits really works but don't use as a preventative. I still use the vets antibiotic gel on a small patch left...but since switching to pure pig oil I have been clear. Others on the yard are now changing over.

 

[ashlingm]

I found turnout boots awful! Mud always works its way up inside them and because most are made from a neoprene material it creates a warm and damp environment - ideal for bacteria to grow in! I binned mine!

Muddy marvel worked brilliantly on my friends mare so I'd give that a go! Our hunter developed a bit on his legs this year so I gave them a good wash (well, we brought him to the sea and stood him in the water) and then put loads of pig oil on him. I had run out of sulphur. He hasn't had any problems since and the mud literally just slides off...I reapply every few days. Brilliant stuff!!

 

[Deltaflyer]

My boy had chronic mudfever which started last March and continued throughout the summer as he does have very pink skin on his legs. I used Neem Oil to clear it up. Nothing else seemed to help and he even got infections a couple of times and had to go on anitibiotics. The vet said keep his heels dry but all that seemed to do was allow the raw bits to split even more when he was worked. The Neem oil kept the skin nice and supple so the wounds could actually heel.

Once they were more or less healed I used the Shires High Performance mud socks which didn't make his legs hot or sweaty and cover right down over the bulb of the heel. Important though to only put them on when clean and dry and on to clean dry legs or it defeats the object.

I have now been able to start using Muddy Marvel which seems to be preventing any re-occurrence (fingers crossed, so far so good).

 

[BlackRider]

I've recently got the equilibrium turnout chaps, they don't stop all of the mud getting through, as some does seep at the bottom, but they are helping.

My chap had mud rash a couple of weeks ago, which I managed to get rid of really quickly thanks to fucidin H cream (miracle cream!), and then bought the chaps. I do apply pig oil and sulphur twice a week too, and it does help.

 

[ss_welly]

I use the equilibrium turnout chaps. I have two sets of hinds (as that's all I need) and change them every 1-2 days to take home and clean. I find they definitely do the trick.

 

[BlackRider]

I use the equilibrium turnout chaps. I have two sets of hinds (as that's all I need) and change them every 1-2 days to take home and clean. I find they definitely do the trick.

I got 2 sets the the hinds too, and wash them every night... (the fun LOL!)

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I tried leaving the mud on and I didn't realise how bad his legs were until they were bad (must have come with some mud fever that I didn't spot as it was pretty bad in less than 4 days). In the end had to do 4 weeks of antibiotics etc etc.

I now hose every evening and then put on the Thermatex leg wraps to keep his legs warm. They are BRILLIANT.

I thought about just brushing off every night but the mud doesn't dry in time for when I get p there of an evening. And I thought tht turnout boots would just hold wet, cold mud to already sensitive skin.

 

[MS123]

I found turnout boots to be a complete waste of money! I had the Equilibrium ones (quite pricey) and they made the mud fever worse (the mud seeped through and made her sore). They were also a nightmare to clean and dry before using again the following day. Instead, I'd hose off her feet/legs in the evening, dry thoroughly with a towel and then put thermatex leg wraps on (highly recommend these, they're fantastic). Once her legs were dry I'd use a neem oil. Worked an absolute treat!

 

[milliepops]

I found the equilibrium ones very helpful for getting on top of mud fever, with barrier cream over the scabs at the bottom just for a back up. They do need to be very snug over the hoof to stop mud creeping up so fitting is critical.

Now I've clipped Millie's legs out the hind pair I had for her are too big but she's not had MF again so just wears them for cleanliness and protection I use the Premier Equine turnout boots too and alternate between them. They have been excellent but wouldn't cover the pastern and below.

 

[indie1282]

I used to always hose then towel dry at my old yard - one horse got bad mud fever on his hind white socks and the other on all four white legs. Now they are nearly always out 24 / 7 in a field which is very muddy at the gateway and neither have any at all!

If you do find scabs then Heel to Hoof is brilliant and softening them and provides a very effective barrier.