Washing legs

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LHIS

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Morning all!

I am moving my horse to a new yard the weekend after next (our first move ever - bit nervous) and it offers turnout in the day during winter, which will be great for him. However, I am concerned about leg washing and mud fever. To wash or not to wash? I don't care about him being filthy, he soon cleans up, but which is better? It won't be me bringing him in as they bring them in before I can get there after work, so if he has his legs washed they might not be dried, or dried thoroughly.
General hints and tips to make my life easier re the legs would be great, and any general yard moving advice too please! I have no idea how he will react, he can be a bit of a stress pot, but then equally has surprised me a few times with how relaxed he can be when I expect him to be a monster.
 
I never wash legs and mine never have mudfever. That includes a few I've bought with it. Had to treat them the first year to get rid of it but then it hasn't reoccurred.
 
I was taught not to wash. I leave to dry and brush off. Even my vet told me the horses they see with the worst mud fever are the ones were people have been hosing the legs. The only time I had mud fever trouble with my horse is when I moved yards and people were hosing their horses legs next to my stable and it all flowed into my caral were my horse stands. Now when she is dry I apply a disinfectant to her legs and had no problems. But I am totally anti- washing unless you can get it bone dry afterwards.
 
I don't bother washing, except for hunting or some other outing. It's not that hard to brush off dry mud, and if it's wet when I bring him in to ride, I just ride him without boots. My horses have only ever had mud fever once, when I was on a yard where they routinely washed legs every day.

Not much moving advice except that if you are relaxed and happy, he probably will be too - good luck.
 
I'm a washer for definite always washed. Had 4 different horses with white legs and never had mud rash. My friend has a grey and he was not having legs washed yet recently got really bad mud rash, she started hosing and towel drying properly and it's pretty much gone.

The problem at our yard is the mud is very thick and even when they in at say 3 and by time i get there at night the mud is still wet so it dries to brush off.
 
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Depends on the ground as much as anything, I think. We are on badly poached heavy clay, and in winter my boy comes in about 2. If his legs weren't washed the mud would still be thick and wet when I got there at 6.30, and on really mucky days there might still be the odd really thick patch that wasn't quite dry by the following morning. So ours have their legs washed as standard. I think the problem with washing, especially on horses with thick hair on their legs, is that the skin is compromised when it spends a long time being cold and wet, so towel drying and wicking leg wraps can help there, if the yard are prepared to do it as part of the catching in service.
 
If the mud is bad I use a hose then rub dry with a clean towel. I think the key is to rub their legs afterwards with towels (when my horse was on full livery last winter he was hosed everyday but not dried with a towel and subsequently developed mud fever). I also put muddy buddy powder on the next morning before turnout. Now that I have them at home I did try to minimise them having to stand in mud all day by putting in hard standings last summer although the big horse has managed to totally destroy his hard standings (the pony still has an intact one so he's literally high and dry!
 
I'm another for NOT washing. I also say let them grow some decent leg protection leading up to winter. Once the ground is dry my two will get a summer makeover to make them look like the sports horses they are rather than the hairy cobs they have become :)
 
I wonder how many horses who are out 24/7 get mud fever.
That might give a clue to washing or not as I doubt many horses who live out have their legs washed daily.
My three and my friends two are all out 24/7 and never any mud fever though I also wonder if sometimes it is an indication that there might be something else going on.
 
All mine are natives, I wash every night to prevent feather burn. None of mine have ever had mud fever and i'll have owned my sec D 10 years this autumn! However, 1-2x a week I apply mtg into the feather to stop the mud sticking so badly and to keep the feather nice so that probably helps.
 
Merlod said:
All mine are natives, I wash every night to prevent feather burn. None of mine have ever had mud fever and i'll have owned my sec D 10 years this autumn! However, 1-2x a week I apply mtg into the feather to stop the mud sticking so badly and to keep the feather nice so that probably helps.
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Should have guessed I'd bet it wrong lol
 
LD&S said:
I wonder how many horses who are out 24/7 get mud fever.
That might give a clue to washing or not as I doubt many horses who live out have their legs washed daily.
My three and my friends two are all out 24/7 and never any mud fever though I also wonder if sometimes it is an indication that there might be something else going on.
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Mine are out 24/7 in incredibly deep mud last year and no mud fever and one is a tb. This year we have had grass and little or no mud, but in the last 10 years of keeping horses out 24/7 mud fever has only ever been an issue in summer.
 
I never cold hose legs in winter after coming in from the field I think it leads to mud fever, both mine have deep beds to stand in and if they are particularly bad I just use some dry straw to wipe off the worst, I will very occasionally wash legs with warm water and shampoo if not really freezing and I will put thermatex wraps on to dry them.
 
Queenbee said:
Another non-washer here, cobs, TB types, ponies, hunters, shire - none have been washed and none had MF
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Same here QB. I am totally against the idea of hosing off muddy legs. We are on thick claggy clay and both girls have feathers. When they come in, if you poke your finger in amongst the goo and feather their legs are warm and dry. Why change that?

I also think the very act of towelling dry can cause it's own set of problems, you only need a tiny bit of mud or grit and then that gets rubbed into the skin possible causing the very sensitivity you are trying to avoid.
 
I don't wash or hose my natives leg's but have done in the past on a horse that used to get MF badly. I used to wash with warm water & dry with Thermatex leg wraps This seemed the best way to prevent it with him.
 
mine live out 24/7 never had mud rash one point I would make is if you do wash off the mud always dry them the way the hair lies rubbing hair the wrong way will rub the bugs that cause mud fever into the skin
 
We're on a mix of clay and running sand. They are washed and dried every night when necessary and have been for 10+ years with no mud fever. TBs and TBxID hunters.
 
Only wash if needed for an outing or lesson (so approx 2x per week) and don't clip the legs = no MF here (over approx 20 years, HW cobs to TBs and PBAs)
 
I've got 6 here - all sportshorse types (apart from Ted obviously!) and all out 24/7. They do get mudfever - despite not having their legs washed, and I have to be really careful about checking legs. I use pig oil and teatree as a barrier, and if one does get scabby, I either shut them in the driest pen, or stable them until it's cleared up. I've used Equimins Winter Leg Scrub on one, with such good results that another livery bought some too. I keep meaning to order some for Alf, as he's the worst of the lot for mudfever.
 
I don't wash legs.

I lightly trim feathers with trimming scissors (stops dreadlocks) and cover legs once a week in baby oil (mud doesn't stick and falls off).
Stabled with deep straw beds which helps mud come off.

We're on heavy clay and this has always worked and I can boot up to ride in the morning without any brushing.

Only time I've ever had mud fever is horses out 24/7 when their legs just can't get dry.
 
LHIS said:
Morning all!

I am moving my horse to a new yard the weekend after next (our first move ever - bit nervous) and it offers turnout in the day during winter, which will be great for him. However, I am concerned about leg washing and mud fever. To wash or not to wash? I don't care about him being filthy, he soon cleans up, but which is better? It won't be me bringing him in as they bring them in before I can get there after work, so if he has his legs washed they might not be dried, or dried thoroughly.
General hints and tips to make my life easier re the legs would be great, and any general yard moving advice too please! I have no idea how he will react, he can be a bit of a stress pot, but then equally has surprised me a few times with how relaxed he can be when I expect him to be a monster.
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We used to offer leg washing here and did do it, but the livery feedback changed and they all gradually asked or already had told me not to wash them.


In answer to your question: Depending on your horses legs and skin colour, only you can decide but I would say no washing. Wait till morning or just leave to dry naturally.
I leave my horses legs and don't brush them even in the morning when he goes back out and he has never had MF or any other skin related issue.


Only time we hose in the winter is if there is a tendon issue or leg swelling and needs hosing or cut/ abrasion, most come in with easily brush able mud with a curry or dandy brush so no point wetting legs.
 
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Thanks all - it seems the general consensus is no washing.
For those who have asked his skin colour, his legs are white and skin pink. He has some feather but not masses, which I leave alone, and he doesn't wear any boots.
I will try the baby oil thing a few of you have mentioned if it helps brush the mud away from his legs, and will keep a really close eye on his legs.
Is there any merit in trying the pig oil as a preventative measure, or wait and see how his legs do? He's going to have around 6 weeks in a muddy field before they are swapped onto summer grazing, where I hope it will be nice and dry!
 
I hose all 4 of ours. 2 have quite a bit of leg fluff that is winter clothing for them. 2 are fine coated atm. one has just got a bit of mud fever- she has very very fine coat. im treating it with ketoconazole shampoo and its almost gone already.

I cold hose all the wet mud off really thoroughly, I leave any dry mud on.

the horses are normally out at 6am til 10pm. and our fields are big but very wet, so not really muddy except the gate but they are wet if that makes sense!

they are bedded on shavings and one has white legs with pink skin.
 
I don't wash either, well rarely! Daughters horse is going out schooling to her work today so I will wash him to look smarter but never just to go in for the night.
I believe it's been proven by vets hasn't it that washing lowers the temperature of the leg which then is a contributing factor in mud fever. I can't remember but a friend trying to be a vet nurse showed me some papers she was studying and I remember being happy I had a good excuse not to hose!
 
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