Mud fever. What is it and what causes it?

Mud fever is a group of diseases of horses that causes irritation and dermatitis in the lower limbs of horses. It is often caused by a mixture of bacteria, typically Dermatophilus congolensis and Staphylococcus spp. Although many simply put it down to the mud, it can also be caused by mites; although this is less common.

Whilst many associate mud fever with muddy fields and wet weather, they are in fact wrong. A horse can suffer an attack of mud fever during any time of the year, whether its dry or wet. Do not think your horse is safe from mud fever just because the ground is dryer – always check for signs, even if your horse isn’t prone to it! Legs should be checked daily for any cuts of scrapes anyway so put this into your daily routine.

Any of the following can be signs:

• Matted areas of hair containing crusty scabs
• Small, circular, ulcerated, moist lesions beneath scabs
• Thick, creamy, white, yellow or greenish discharge (containing the causal organism) between the skin and overlying scab
• Removed scab typically has a concave underside with the hair roots protruding
• Deep fissures in the skin
• Eventual hair loss leaving raw-looking, inflamed skin underneath
• Heat, swelling and pain on pressure or flexion of limb
• Possible lameness
• If severely affected, lethargy, depression and loss of appetite

Keeping the skin clean and dry is the basic necessity to treating mud fever. Sometimes the scabs on the legs need to picked off and treated with a mild disinfectant such as chiorhexidine, iodine wash or surgical scrub. Once the area is washed it is essential to dry to affected area thoroughly. 

Often horse owners put mud fever down to washing legs too much. I have been told my vet this is another myth and in fact wrong. If a horse is prone to mud fever it will get it whether or not you wash its legs too much. When I questioned my vet about if I was doing right in clipping ceasers legs all year round she said it depends on the horse. Some need their legs clipping to prevent mud fever; others need their feathers to prevent it. Do not always follow someone else's advice, do what works for your horse. When you find a prevention, keep to it.

Sometimes if the mud fever is particularly bad your horse may need a course of antibiotics to help get rid of the bacteria infection. Creams can be purchased from vets or your local tack shop that can act as a barrier when your horse is out in the field. Always seek veterinary advice before using something like a mud fever product though. 

Whilst there is no magic cure for mud fever, there are certain steps that horse owners can take to minimise the detrimental effects to your horses health.

Here are some simple tips to manage mud fever:

- Where possible, eliminate any triggering factors that you can recognise. These may be anything from mud to mites. It is also always best to consult your vet so you can accurately diagnose a proper treatment plan.

- Stable the horse on clean bedding and provide good living conditions.

- Carefully clip (not shave) the affected area so that air can get to it and allow it to dry and heal.

- Remove any scabs that you find. An antiseptic wash like diluted hibiscrub is good for this job. 

- If you are using gloves or paper towel to remove scabs remember to use a new glove or bit of towel every time you move onto a different scab. Mud fever is bacterial.

- Carefully dry the area to prevent the skin remaining wet and water logged. Again always new clean towels. 

- A variety of creams, ointments and other lotions and potions are available to use. Again, do not use an ointment or cream without seeking advice from your vet. 

- If the affected area is particularly bad and there are deep heel cracks or big open sores then they should be dressed with a non-stick dressing and cotton wool or gamgee. Otherwise you can leave the area unbandaged in order to allow it to breath and heal. Bugs thrive on damp areas and will flourish in these conditions so ensure you do as much as possible to make sure the area is clean and DRY.

- Severe cases of mud fever may need a course of antibiotics. Vets may also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as bute to reduce the pain from the mud fever and swelling.

- If swelling is particularly bad then seek advice from a vet. To help reduce swelling keep the horse stabled and put stable bandages on for a short length of time. Never leave stable bandages on for a long period of time without taking them off and reapplying.

Severe cases may also develop in cellulitis so do not always try to treat mud fever your self. It is always best to seek veterinary advice however bad or mild it is. 

Remember, if your horse suffers from mud fever, it is not the end of the world and it is not your fault. 

There are plenty of boots and things you can buy to protect your horses legs when turned out. One fantastic product is Golly Galoshes. They are designed to go over the top of boots and stop dirt, debris and water from getting on to your horses legs. Please see my previous blog post for more information on golly galoshes or see their website here: http://gollygaloshes.com/

(I do not claim to be right and have written this to advise and help. ALWAYS seek advice from a vet if in doubt)

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Golly Galoshes helps protect yet another horse

After mentioning on Twitter that Ceaser suffered with mud fever and I had yet to find any boot that protected his legs I was contacted by Golly Galoshes and asked whether I would try their equine gaiters out and write what I thought after using them for a few weeks. 


Golly Galoshes Gaiters are designed to help keep your horse or pony’s boots or bandages clean and dry
whatever the weather.

Golly Galoshes can be used to help keep boots and bandages clean and in great condition or your horses legs free from sand, dust, dirt, mud, debris and water.

They are both breathable and waterproof and feature a sturdy full zip, with a fleece lapel, secure hook and loop fastenings and an additional 2" reflective strip as standard.

I have tried various boots and chaps that are highly recommended for mud fever but honestly I had yet to find anything that suites Ceaser. 


All the boots I have tried still allowed the wet mud to get underneath the boot and onto Ceasers affected area. Everyday when I took his boots off I was still finding big pieces of mud down his legs. With the bad weather we have experienced lately and Ceasers ongoing problem with suffering from mud fever I knew I needed to find something that worked - and quick! 

I compete quite seriously in both showing and dressage so am very fussy about what type of boot I use on Ceasers legs and keeping them clean. I am forever having to wash his legs in the winter because he comes in covered in mud. Again, if I put his turnout chaps on they are only able to be used once and then they need a wash. Their material does not make them good for washing at night and then needing to be used the next day as I have found they do not dry in time. I not  needed something that could either protect his legs and stop the mud from getting to them or I needed something that protected his boots.
Washing his legs every night is not good for his skin but I wasn't prepared to let him stand all night with mud ridden legs.
I knew what type of boot I needed to prevent this but it wasn't until Golly Galoshes contacted me that I realised there was in fact something out there in market already!


Unfortunately the day I received my Golly Galoshes Ceasers mud fever had already got particularly worse and it was thought it could have developed into cellulitis. As a result my testing of Golly Galoshes got put on hold for 2 weeks whilst Ceaser was on antibiotics.

After his mud fever cleared up I was very apprehensive to turn him out again whilst the weather was so bad. Having a horse that suffers with mud fever is a huge worry as you do not know whether you're doing right or wrong in turning them out, keeping them in, washing and clipping legs or leaving them hairy. You have to decide what is best for your horse and stick to that routine.

I trawled through the Golly Galoshes website and their team on Twitter were a huge help in answering all of my questions.

If I use my normal turnout chaps on Ceasers legs and then put the Golly Galoshes over the top my problem is solved. The material they are made by enables me to hose them off at night and not worry if they will dry in time for use the next day. They are dry within the hour and I can even towel dry them if I need to use them again quick.

They are also waterproof so the mud and wet do not get anywhere near my turnout chaps and together they make a fantastic combination of protecting legs from mud fever but also keeping boots clean and dry!

Whilst the weather was bad I also found Ceasers exercise bandages were getting covered in sand from our arena and also wet. With the use of my Golly Galoshes on top of the bandages it stopped the sand from sticking to them and the rain wetting them through.

These are just two uses of the Golly Galoshes but with the reflective stripe down the middle they are also brilliant for hacking out in, enabling drivers to see you much sooner than they would without them on.

My set of Golly Galoshes have made life much easier and without them I am very sure Ceaser would have to be on limited turn out in bad weather. With this not being ideal I am so glad I have now found a product I can rely on to help protect his legs and stop mud from covering his legs when out in a wet field.

Also recommending this product are Natasha Baker, a Para Olympic star and Eventer, Victoria Bax. Both use Golly Galoshes either for everyday use or to warm up in at a competition.
 
 For more information on Golly Galoshes see their website: http://gollygaloshes.com/ or tweet them at @GollyGaloshes

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We're movin' on up

This blog post comes following my decision to give showing another go after I declared I was never doing it again.

I am a huge believer in when you achieve something then don't try again, but go for a bigger achievement. Reach further and aim for a bigger goal.

It is not uncommon to see the same competitors attending every riding club show year after year. Often at the end of the year at the annual presentation evening they will also be the ones who collect the most trophies and it becomes a competition in itself for who has the biggest table of prizes.

So, why do they do it? Why don't people move up a level when they have achieved something special that year? Is competing at one level deemed comfortable enough for certain individuals or is the prospect of moving up to be competing against different combinations a scary one?

Is it fair to be competing against someone that always wins the classes they enter? Are you one of those people that see a certain person is entering the same competition as you, know they are going to win and so don't bother entering?

Last year, every Prelim and Novice dressage test I was entering on Ceaser he was winning and If he wasn't winning he was coming a very close second. On one particular day I arrived at a dressage competition and someone said "Oh not you again, you'll win".

Most people would love to be deemed a threat to someone and whilst I found it very flattering it did make me think; what was I doing at that level still? So we moved up to Elementary. Then when he started to get high percentages in the Elementary tests I started to affiliate. I didn't need to but I thought it would be humiliating to stay at that level, come away with red ribbons all the time and go home. I want to come away feeling I have achieved something and I have worked hard all week to get that placing or percentage.

In dressage I am often faced with seeing competitors names down in the Prelim class when they are working at more of a Medium level at home. So, we need to ask, is it fair?

Just last week at a local level show I saw two producers entering clients horses to "give them experience". Need I even say that they either won or were placed second. Although shows need to be fair to everyone and not stop anyone from competing with them, surely there should be some line that cannot be crossed?

Last year I attended a show that isn't 'Novice' level but then on the other hand isn't HOYS level. Upon walking around with a friend I was told "That has been to HOYS". The worst was "That horse won HOYS a few years back but for the past couple of years its been sat in a field doing nothing so its here now".

Should this be allowed? I do feel show organisers should have more rules of who can and who cannot attend their shows. A decision needs to be made on what type of audience this show is wanting to attract and stick to that. I hate going to a show that has been advertised as being for Amateurs yet when you get there its for HOYS ticket hungry competitors that are there using it as a warm up for their qualifiers.

On the other hand though competitors could be sticking at that level because they do not feel they possibly can move up a level or simply don't want to add to the stresses of competing in such a rosette hungry environment. Could the thought of competing against different combinations at a more difficult level be a nail-biting thought?

I know in both my head and heart (although I can dream) that Ceaser and I will end up at HOYS. I also know that we will not go much further than Medium level dressage so we physically wont be able to move up anymore.

So, where do you draw the line? Is it up to competitors to say enough is enough and let other people have a chance of winning the rosettes? Do you just carry on because you enjoy winning the reds? Or is it up to the show organisers to put a stop to horses competing below the level that they actually are?

Please get in touch and let me know - I really would love to do a bigger blog on the opinions and results that come from this.


Contact me below or on twitter @FurryMane

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Back to reality

Hi everyone, I hope you're all okay.
Firstly I must apologise again for not posting, things have been very hectic at the yard with the riding school finally taking off and my dissertation and final project hand in!
I do promise that my product review for Golly Galoshes will come soon. With this bad weather it has been a perfect opportunity for me to use and experiment with them but I haven't been able to get many nice photos.

Ceaser and I went out showing this weekend just gone and I am so thrilled with how it went. He has suffered with mud fever quite a lot during this bad weather so it was our first outing in a while. I was more than happy to get 2nd in the Riding Club Pony out of fifteen people! I thought there was some lovely ponies in the class so was so pleased to get placed so high. Next was Ridden Veteran and again, with roughly 20 people in the class I wasn't expecting much but to my amazement we got a respectable 5th place.

 I couldn't have asked for Ceaser to behave any better than he did considering it was his first time out in a while. After a few bronks in the go round he soon settled down and realised again what we were there for!

Our next show is this weekend so fingers crossed it all goes well. I have been very lucky to be asked by a local lady to help her with some of her ponies. All are of a very high standard and it is lovely to be riding them. They are all very different to Ceaser in their own way so it is doing me good riding different things. Not only is it testing my abilities but also making me work hard!

So far there has been no news on any jobs in journalism but I am forever hopeful. I am sure my ideal job is just around the corner and I cannot wait for it to come along. For now though I am happy riding and running my fathers riding school.

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A little update

I firstly must apologise for not updating this sooner but things have been a little hectic and before I knew it I realised I hadn't posted in a long time.

Showing and Dressage has came to a halt for the past two weeks due to a combination of the weather and my dissertation hand-in deadline dooming. I am now pleased to say that my dissertation is handed in. Although if I have to discuss British Eventing and its unrepresentation in the British print quality media one more time I will cry. At the end my dissertation ended on just over 9,000 words and I was more than glad to see the back of it when I handed it in. Although I may not have competed for three weeks now, it has been a good chance to get some serious schooling done with Ceaser and given me a chance to work on areas that needed polishing.

Unfortunately I cannot say we have seen the back of this dreadful weather we're experiencing. I suppose I am lucky that as a dressage rider most competitions are held on surfaces so rain rarely stops play. A lot of my friends that event (its that word again cropping up) have had many of their events cancelled due to waterlogged ground. In-fact, whilst on the topic of cancellations, for the first since 1987 due to bad weather, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials has had to be cancelled. Badminton has only had to be cancelled due to weather conditions three times since it started, thus now making it four. In 1963, the three-day event was turned into a one-day contest, because of the state of the ground. World number one William Fox-Pitt had been in line for a £220,000 bonus if he had been successful at Badminton.
He has won at Burghley and Kentucky, with Badminton the third and final part of the Rolex Grand Slam.
Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French and Nicola Wilson are all expected to feature for Britain during the London 2012 test event at Greenwich Park in July. Along with the Chatsworth Horse Trials on 11 May, Badminton had been expected to help decide who gets the final place, though most of the top riders were not entered on their potential Olympic horses.

My plans over the next few weeks is to get back out in to the show ring with some Veteran showing class qualifiers and aim to do my first Medium Dressage test early in June. I'm hoping to get a lesson in with Julie Corrigan, a listed British Dressage judge before I go on holiday at the end of May. As well as this, my partner Mark has begun the task of putting together some music for a dressage to music class I am entering. I suppose I am lucky I have a musician for a boyfriend that enjoys composing as he really is in his element creating some tracks for both Ceaser and I. When it comes to dancing I have absolutely no rhythm so I'm glad Ceaser has!

I have invested in an Equilbirum Massage pad this week and cannot wait for it to arrive. I would like to thank Carley from Tally Ho! for providing me with this.

Before I sign off I'd just like to thank a company called Golly Galoshes for sending me their product to review. I am hoping to get this done towards the end of next week and with the weather we are experiencing its a fantastic opportunity.

I am also enjoying featuring in Prime Equines "Five to follow 2012" feature. I am meeting lots of lovely people through it and am thrilled by everyones interest in what Ceaser and I are up to and how are we are doing.

Diane Pitchers, a lovely friend from Twitter wrote a blog post on Ceaser and my aims for 2012 with him. Please take a read at: http://www.kitschcultured.blogspot.co.uk/ and let both Diane and I know what you think!

I do promise that I will not leave it so long next time to update. Now I am no longer a university student I should have lots more time to keep you updated on competition news and product reviews I am doing.

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