Washing muddy legs off from the field.. yes or no?

Maybe your vet has not tried brushing off encrusted mud the next day.It is very difficult to remove and very time consuming especially trying to remove chunks of it entangled in the leg hair.I have always hosed it out before coming in and drying off with an absorbent towel,not had any problems.
 
When my horse was at previous yard I was in the hose camp as he would often be covered up to his knees in mud. I would wash and dry at night, couldn't bear to leave him in that state all night. He didn't end up with MF so worked for us. I now have moved and no longer suffer that much mud so I just do a weekly wash for mite prevention, but if I did again I would go for hose and quick dry wraps. Also to the poster who said they where charged a £1 to get boots on/off.... it is a STEAL at that price and nothing compared to dealing with MF. I am all about the prevention of issues!
 
I have had several tb/finer types. Three of them have lived out, and only one of them has had a bit of mud fever. Never have constantly been washing legs either, due to them being out.

However what I have done is to apply "anti-mud" products a couple of times a week, and this has worked out to be a suitable alternative. I used to use one made by IV horse, but have switched over to pig oil and sulpher. If the legs have been very muddy on a day I intend to apply said product, I would either have brushed off if mud dry, or hosed off legs if no time for mud to dry.
 
I have never washed mud off my horse's legs. Her legs are white stockings and it brushes off the next morning. I wash her properly with shampoo maybe once every 2 years. She gets covered in far worse mud when we go hacking.
 
Mine live out 24/7/365, so obviously they don't get hosed off. Even last winter when it rained non-stop and the field was muddy (only muddy in places as we're lucky we're on a hill and it drained well), we had no mud fever in sight. Same this year.

I used to be on a livery yard where people faffed with their horses' legs, washing, clipping feathers, applying Sudocreme etc., and they had mud fever for the majority of the time. I didn't partake in such activities and left my boys alone, and the only time one had mud fever was when my old boy had several unusual (for him) symptoms which ended up being Cushings.

I think less is more, to a certain degree.
 
mytwofriends said:
Mine live out 24/7/365, so obviously they don't get hosed off. Even last winter when it rained non-stop and the field was muddy (only muddy in places as we're lucky we're on a hill and it drained well), we had no mud fever in sight. Same this year.

I used to be on a livery yard where people faffed with their horses' legs, washing, clipping feathers, applying Sudocreme etc., and they had mud fever for the majority of the time. I didn't partake in such activities and left my boys alone, and the only time one had mud fever was when my old boy had several unusual (for him) symptoms which ended up being Cushings.

I think less is more, to a certain degree.
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Yes and unfortunately those people will perhaps be feeding a delectable selection of expensive feedstuffs which exacerbate the problem but they would never believe it if you told them.
 
If my horse is in at night then I always hose the legs off. Perhaps it's colder and damper here on the west coast of Scotland but with the coating of mud ours bring in and the weather such as it is, you'd be waiting a good 24 hours + for muddy legs to dry!
 
I have always hosed legs off and ponies have always had a touch of mud fever.

This winter I had to get someone to catch in for me and their legs weren't washed and they have no sign of mud fever!! I think that's good enough proof for me so I shan't be washing legs off in future!
 
applecart14 said:
We had to pay a £1 to have boots taken off/or put on at one of the yards I was at. Right rip off especially as Bails boots were for health reasons.
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I think that is a fair charge-the fact it is for health reasons has nothing to do with the charge or i would not earn anything out of rehab and caring for sick and injured horses.
 
Have you tried keratex mud powder - it acts as a barrier from the mud and keeps legs dry. I found it very good in the winter.
 
9tails said:
I have never washed mud off my horse's legs. Her legs are white stockings and it brushes off the next morning. I wash her properly with shampoo maybe once every 2 years. She gets covered in far worse mud when we go hacking.
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Same here. Would only wash for a show and I've never had mud fever in any horse I've owned. One I bought with mud fever and completely cured her despite living out while I owned her.
 
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