Turnout socks...worth it? Which ones?

[Tr0uble]

I'm not looking for this year, not worth it whilst I'm out of action....but out fields get so so muddy that keeping clean is impossible so for next winter when I WILL be riding, I'd like to think there's ways to make life easier....turnout socks being the next thing on my mind!

So, are they any good, and which are the best? I don't mind spending a lot if it's worth spending the extra.

 

[Crazy Friesian]

"Personally" I found turnout socks more trouble than they were worth... My horse ended up getting RAGING mud fever. Because the legs warmed up, pores opened etc, etc, etc. Some people swear by them though. Perhaps my horse is just "unique"

Mine were Sportabac btw.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

I decided against getting them as I reckoned that unless they are dreadfully tight then the wet will seep in, with it being warmer in there it is the perfect home for bacteria to breed resulting in mud fever which was the very thing I was trying to prevent. Obviously too tight wouldn't be healthy either.

 

[hadfos]

I bought the equlibrium ones last yr and found them very good,through the winter his legs dont sweat in them as the ambient air is to cold,however,unless you have 2 sets it is a nightmare cleaning them and getting them dry!Also if they walk up and down fence line in sloppy mud the weight of the mud just pulls them down Plus the new design is crap
Have found washing,drying overnight and applying sudocrem works just as well

 

[seeingdouble]

I'm a YO who offers winter turnout (well, graxing really as the fields are always green in winter and not mud baths) anyway, over the years i myself have tried turnout socks/chaps and had various liveries invest in them.
Verdict
really not worth it!
even the lady who had 4 pairs for each of her horses (so one could be drying whilst the others were on) gave up on them.

Value for money wise considering the various makes was actually derby houses own brand, which was also the only brand whereby one of the liveries with a very heavy mare could get any to fit.

 

[Mrs B]

Question.

Do they benefit the horse in any way or do they just benefit the owner?

 

[Tr0uble]

Good question!

In my case it is definitely for my benefit. I work long hours and have a 70 mile commute twice a day, and am on purely DIY livery so am trying to find ways of making my life easier.

Neither horse suffers from mud fever or cares at all about being muddy so no benefit to either of them - other than avoiding a lengthy hosing in cold water each night! lol

 

[Tr0uble]

MTA, our soil is very clay soil, so hosing is really hard work, and has to be scrubbed, I don't mind hosing down each night, if it comes off with just water, but on't like scrubbing because I've found that way just leads to surface scratches/mud fever.

 

[Tr0uble]

I might ersevere with the pig oil....not given it sufficient chance seeing as I've not been able to apply it. It was working well at the start of the winter, not had a chance to test it in the thicker mud....might see how that goes.

Hmmmm.....dilemmas, lol!

 

[Boysy]

Don't like the turnout socks, i worry about the legs being constantly heated to be honest and once they are sodden they just work down anyway.

Pig oil is superb, you really do need to give it a chance, i do mine every other week thru winter and thats all they need so a 5 litre can has lasted me 2 winters for 12 legs and i'm very generous with it (half all over the yard - LOL)

 

[Tr0uble]

Yeah that's what has always prevented me investing in turnout socks before now...I really do need to give the pig oil more of a chance, I broke my knee at the beginning of December so have really not given it a chance this winter.

I might go for pig oil, and buy a set of turnout socks for occasional use, for the days when I need a bit of extra cleanliness! I have to admit I'm not keen on the idea of prolonged use (but also not keen on the idea of hosing/scrubbing each day!)

Maybe with enough pig oil the mud will just hose off,rather than hosescrub off.

 

[stroppy]

I use the equilibrium ones, with great success, with these legs DONOT overheat, my boy is bandaged or booted up at all times, has been for the last 5 years and never ever had any trouble, the also do not slip down when muddy, i shall invest in a new set this winter too as mine are battered now.

 

[Tr0uble]

Do you use the pimpley ones, or the plain neoprene ones Stroppy?

 

[racingdemon]

i used to use them on a grey horse a few years ago, as she had mudfever & was a pain to keep clean, but i needed 2 sets (one on, one drying) & she was in at night (& wore leg wraps then to help dry the legs after i had washed them etc) pretty much solved the mud fever, but TBH i've not used them since as they were such a faff & no one else has suffered with it (touches wood)

 

[stroppy]

The plain one's as they seem to be more heavy duty.

 

[horse_lover]

I used to use them on my TB but have now given up. They only work when they are put on properly. If they are ever so slightly loose the mud gets up underneath and makes things a lot worse as they just rub. I had 3 sets so I could alternate, but they take ages to dry unless taken home every night. I found it quicker to hose off his legs thoroughly every night

 

[Honey08]

I use the DH ones on our two serious mud rash sufferers - in deep wet clay mud. They only go out for 2-4hrs, twice a week, so they don't worry me too much re over heating. I find that they let very little mud in, and I don't put them on over tightly (they are pretty stretchy anyway, so give without being tight). One of them always gets the bottom strap undone as she wallows in the really boggy areas of the field for hours (part hippo I think!). I have two pairs per horse, so that one can dry off for a day, and the mud gets brushed off. I find them very big size wise - my 16h ISH (half tb half irish) takes cob size in front, and full behind. My 17h hunter takes full size in front, extra full behind...

Re pig oil, my friend, a vet, said many horses are allergic to it, so test it first before going too mad. Baby oil can help a lot - we use it in the clay on our non-mud rash sufferers, and the mud slides off easily when you hose it... However I think all legs need to breath from time to time, and putting too much oil on can lead to complications.

 

[Tr0uble]

Thank Honey, that's really useful info!

I think I'm going to do mostly pig oil (I do use it alreay, just not been able to put it on whilst on crutches, neither of mine are allergic to it) and get some turnout socks for the worst days, or for days where I need them cleaner.

I'll havea trial and error with that and see how it goes.

 

[SamanthaG]

My TB wears the equilibrium ones not the pimple ones the others (sorry cant remember the name) he wears them to prevent brushing, they are a snug fit as they should be, but I always find mud under them when I take them off, so not 100% for mud prevention. The pimple ones that can be worm 12 hours do look better and seem more flexible so I assume a more mud tight fit.

 

[SamanthaG]

Be careful with the pig oil, I have herd many a good thing about it uses, but I do also remember reading in a horse mag how one horse lost all its hair when pig oil was applied, and was in a sorry state.