Managing mud: prevention is better than cure

This time of the year, it’s really challenging to keep your horse looking clean and well groomed, as even walking through a waterlogged field makes his legs wet and muddy. So what can you do to manage the mud situation? No doubt you’ve discovered that there’s endless guidance about ‘mud fever’, but what if your horse hasn’t got mud fever and all you want to know is how to deal with the mud? Read on, as this article’s just for you...

Types of mud management

Management of mud falls into three distinct categories: prevention, cleaning, and treatment. The first article in this series covers what you need to do to prevent or realistically ‘limit’ the amount of mud that comes into direct contact with your horse. You need to form a ‘barrier’ with a dedicated preparation for this purpose. Below are a few of our favourites.

Prevention is better than cure

One of the best kept secrets for preventing mud sticking to horse hair is pig oil. An old and traditional recipe that has been used for many years by those who go out hunting and boy, do horses get muddy when they go out hunting!

Lincoln Pig Oil is a long-acting oil exactly suited to this purpose and it doesn’t have to be applied every day, which is great if you’re watching the pennies.                              

If your horse has sensitive skin or you prefer to only use preparations with natural ingredients, Barrier Heel To Hoof Soothing Cream not only treats the problem, but it protects the skin and prevents re-occurrence by providing a strong, breathable barrier to vulnerable areas. It contains Lanolin BP and concentrated herbal oils to waterproof and protect.

And if you’re looking for a preparation with anti-bacterial agents, look no further than Lincoln's Muddy Buddy Magic Mud Kure Cream, which utilises the natural antibacterial properties of pure silver to promote gentle but effective recovery. Invisible when used, it gives a silky sheen to the coat and leaves no sticky or oily residue, which means that you’ll be able to groom your horse as normal.

The innovative mud fever turnout boots from Woof Wear seals the leg from knee to hoof, preventing mud and wetness getting onto your horse's sensitive skin. The loose-fitting fabric is waterproof and breathable, allowing cool air to circulate around the leg and preventing warm, damp, muddy conditions which allow bacteria to thrive. 

Bear in mind that prevention starts before turn out. So allow enough time before turning out to put the barrier on the legs that need it. And don’t forget that if you use a barrier, you don’t need to put boots on as well!