26 Jan The trouble with horses in the mud

2017 started as a very wet winter and the rain creates mud. One may think, that mud is good for the skin as people go to the spa and pay a lot of money to get a mud mask. But that’s not the case , when it comes to horses. Horses hooves are very sensitive when it comes to the moisture. Continuous exposure to moisture can cause a long list of hoof problems, ranging from too soft to manage sensitive feet that would not hold their shape or nails, to various types of damage and infections in the capsule and its structures. Also injuries can occur due to slipping and scrambling in deep mud, lost bell boots, and pulled-off shoes. When the rain arrives and mud follows, we need to do some special things to protect our horses that live in the pasture. The horse that are lucky enough to live in the dry stalls, need help with getting enough exercise, but horses living in the muddy pasture, need much more than that. These horses can end up with sole bruising, thrush, white line disease, abscesses, scratches, and more.  So what can you do? In mud filled pastures, you can create a mound by using rocks, solid footing, and gravel, so the horse has somewhere to stand out of the mud.  You can also spread out shavings to build a nice dry area.  There are also pads which you place on the ground which is another solution.  You can check your horses hooves regularly to make sure there doing great.  Hoof dressing, bleach, and thrush buster can also keep away the moisture, too.  All in all, make sure to keep your horse’s hooves healthy.