Turnout - legs clipped or not?

Marnie

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 August 2006
Messages
1,902
Visit site
Quick question!

My cob mare is looking a bit untidy with her hogged mane growing out and previously clipped legs looking rather hairy.

She is turned out and the field is pretty muddy around the gateways but not too bad in the middle. She is coming in with thick, wet mud up her legs. Question is... is she better with legs clipped out or left hairy? Clipping them would make them easier to clean but i feel would lose insulation. She doesn't appear to have any skin issues and there is no real reason why they have to be clipped.

Grateful for any thoughts!
 

Blazingsaddles

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 May 2018
Messages
1,891
Visit site
Quick question!

My cob mare is looking a bit untidy with her hogged mane growing out and previously clipped legs looking rather hairy.

She is turned out and the field is pretty muddy around the gateways but not too bad in the middle. She is coming in with thick, wet mud up her legs. Question is... is she better with legs clipped out or left hairy? Clipping them would make them easier to clean but i feel would lose insulation. She doesn't appear to have any skin issues and there is no real reason why they have to be clipped.

Grateful for any thoughts!

Some might say that the hair is protection against mud reaching the skin. Others might say that a nice, warm , hairy leg is an ideal environment for fungal/bacterial problems. If there are no issues currently, then I would leave well alone. Daily monitoring and brushing out would be advisable. Don’t wash the legs. Moisture is a haven for fungus and specific bacterium.
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
I clip mine and have never had any issues. I've always had issues with feather on the legs. We dont have tons of mud but mine is a total mud monster so wallows in puddles and all sorts. The short fine clipped hair doesnt give the mud anything to stick to, and after a night in its dried and fallen off. The others on the yard with feathered horses are having to cut chunks of mud out of their feather, and their horses are permanently filthy with wet, muddy dreadlocks.
 

Upthecreek

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2019
Messages
2,553
Visit site
If horse is out 24/7 with no issues due to mud I would probably leave them until we get some drier weather ?? I clip mine because I don’t like muddy hairy legs, but he comes in for 8 hours so gets some respite from the conditions and a chance to dry off.
 

rara007

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2007
Messages
28,343
Location
Essex
Visit site
The only 1 of our 8 with mudfever is the only one that has clipped legs. He always has poor leg skin though- that’s why they’re clipped so who knows cause vs effect...
 

ILuvCowparsely

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 April 2010
Messages
14,391
Visit site
Quick question!

My cob mare is looking a bit untidy with her hogged mane growing out and previously clipped legs looking rather hairy.

She is turned out and the field is pretty muddy around the gateways but not too bad in the middle. She is coming in with thick, wet mud up her legs. Question is... is she better with legs clipped out or left hairy? Clipping them would make them easier to clean but i feel would lose insulation. She doesn't appear to have any skin issues and there is no real reason why they have to be clipped.

Grateful for any thoughts!

This is what I go by


1. if the horse is prone to mud fever, I would leave hair on as protection
2. if mud fever has started then remove hair so you can treat.
3. If the horse is living out but working, again leave legs on as protection
4. I would only remove hair if gateway is major boggy so fetlock is submerged in muddy water full time, thus heels stay wet never dry off.
 

L&M

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 March 2008
Messages
6,371
Location
up a hill
Visit site
I clip my cobs legs every other clip - so he has a little extra protection but no thick hair to hide/harbour any infections.

He is grey and only had mud fever once in 12 yrs, but think he picked up something out hunting as 3 horses from the same meet came down with mud fever within 24 hrs.

he lives out 24/7 but on hilly pasture, so no deep mud.
 
Top