How to reduce the impact of mud
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- 27 Jan 2023
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When the rain gets heavier, we all know what the gateways to our fields will be like. But what does this mean for our horse's? Because the skin is exposed to more mud at this time of year, problems can arise. The skin is about 7 mm thick and is the largest organ in the body. Therefore, we need to take care of our horse's skin just as we take care of our own.
What can mud do?
The functions of your horse's skin are vital to daily routines as it regulates temperature, provides a protective barrier, and allows your horses to sense and feel the environment. Therefore, taking care of your horse's skin is especially important particularly during the winter. Muddy and wet conditions can cause the skin to soften and become more exposed. Bacteria can then invade the softened skin, causing inflammation and breaking through the protective skin barrier, which is then difficult to treat once the bacteria have invaded.
How can you help our horse
Ensuring your horse has a clean and fresh bed to stand and sleep on when stabled, can help significantly with mud related problems. On the other hand, if your horse turned out, provide them with a sheltered area with less mud. This can be difficult during the winter, but providing an area with hard ground can reduce the amount of time your horse spends in a wet environment. If your horse shows signs of mud fever, ensure that the affected area remains dry and clean.
Remember: When washing your horse's legs or the affected areas, always make sure that you dry the skin as well as possible afterwards.
Treating mud with NAF
- Using the NAF Naturalint-X EquiCleanse, either directly on the wound or diluted at ½ teacup per 1 litre of warm water, gently wash the affected area with NaturalintX Cotton Wool.
- If you can remove scabs from the wounds, do so carefully. Removing the scab will improve airflow to the wound and speeds up the healing process.
- Once you have cleaned the affected areas, dry them as well as possible.
Helping your horse from the inside
Supporting your horse's skin can help reduce problems before they arise. NAF has recommended supplementing your horse with Love the Skin he's in Mud Gard Supplement if he's prone to struggle in wet weather. The supplement contains over 30 ingredients that increase the elasticity and strength of your horse's skin, while providing natural antibacterial protection against bacterial invasion. The unique properties of Love the Skin he's in products will support both the outer and inner dermal layers of the skin during the muddy season.
