How muddy are your paddocks?

[Craggyhollow]

Because the one the ponies are in at the moment is so muddy that the ponies won't even come to the gate when they see us with the buckets.

We have another one but it is next to a stream and it flooded a couple a weeks ago so too nervous to move them into it

Glad I am not alone in being sick to back teeth of mud everywhere. Every time I redo fencing or change into clean stable clothes it lasts 5 mins...

i dont know, tbh it 'irks' me to see horses left all night in their stables in big muddy wet turnout rugs.........but each to their own i suppose.

And they care because?

Every time I scrape all the mud off my girls they got straight out in the morning and acquire a new coating. They have big haynets and deep straw beds - they dont seem to care one jot about the state of their rugs

Terrible swamp at our place, but (cross fingers) have avoided mud fever so far.

Was lovely to have a frost today, meant at least I didn't have to bath the dog after he had " helped" me turnout.
Only time I ever had a horse with mud fever was when I kept one at a fancy pantsy livery yard which insisted on hosing legs off every night, that's my excuse for just chucking mud encrusted beasts into the box anyway :)
Don't change rugs unless really wet and horrible, in which case a replacement turnout goes in, so as to save time in the morning. do buy nice "soft" turn out rugs though, makes me feel better !

I have a summer sheet under their turnout rugs and I change that once a week. Turnouts get washed every month. Mud off legs on Fridays pre pony club!

Mud is brushed off

Only feet hosed.

Mine is out 24/7 so his turnout rugs are never off and they "refreshed" daily so they're straight again. His top rug has an extra layer of mud and grass - he rolls in gateways or his specially dug wallows (which I've now filled with electric fence posts to try and discourage him) and is a complete mud monster. My coat gets filthy whenever I touch his rugs and the belts and buckles are all encrusted - it's grim! When he was in at night last year I did leave the turnout on if it was sopping wet as if I took it off then put it on in the morning the inside was all clammy and cold which can't be nice on a clipped skin.

His incipient mud fever seems to have been held at bay for the time being, I'm bringing him in to the yard for the day or until his legs are properly dry and then I'm brushing everything off and encouraging (not picking) any loose bits to come out. I'm so wary of getting open skin for bugs to get into, anything looking vaguely pink or soft has a dollop of sudocreme.

Fields a disaster on horrible London (essex) clay even the shetland would rather stay in, think he needs flippers and snorkel bless him

Re mud fever use muddy buddy Kure ointment which is amazing to clear it up then prevention with muddy buddy powder keeping the legs really clean

Today the geldings got out into the field next to the girls and a party was in full swing when I arrived to get them in!!! Elastapony was at the gate first when I called them, but Elastahorse galloped up the field to the gate, realised she wasnt coming in first so turned tail and galloped flat out back down the hill to the boys!

Fortunately when I called her again, she galloped back up the field yet again and skidded to a stop by the gate in a shower of wet mud looking very pleased with herself. She is now dirtier than she has been for years. she used to be a grey but not any more

Had the vet out yesterday for a mystery swelling on dhorse's cheek which had all but vanished (of course) by the time she arrived - no idea what it was but I have a photograph and am to call her instantly if it appears again.

Dhorse has mud fever on his tummy, sigh, so he has to be washed twice a week with Malaseb shampoo and she is making up a cream (mixture of steroids, antibiotic & aqueous cream) for his legs. It's not bad but needs close management. I have been so careful to keep him clean and am completely hacked off with it - but there we go. Mud wise our fields aren't too bad, it's just the general sogginess that's the problem.

Grey is a crap colour, dpony is rumoured to be grey but even the vet commented on how dirty he was and she must see some grubby ones out and about!

Have just got some hypocare mentioned up thread. Elastahorse has a tiny scabby patch on one heel where she has a scar from an overreach as a youngster. Will treat it and let you know if it works.

The poor geldings came in from their horse party each sporting an injury . Apparently, they had jumped the gate into the field to get to the girls - the gate is also trashed. Luckily the girls didnt try to jump out and are all OK - elastahorse will regularly clear 4ft of electric fencing in summer to get to better grass