When Preventing Mud Fever, You Need To Think 'Skin'.
It’s that time of year when the wet, wind, mud and rain combination conspires to challenge the most hardy of horse folk! Add in a good dose of Mud Fever and you have a seasonal hot topic!
Preventing Mud Fever is of course better than a cure, so finding a long-term management solution is key and we believe, here at See Change Now that an all year round approach is the best way to successfully avoid the problem come winter.
Here you will find our thoughts on how best to avoid Mud Fever and how to support your animals at this time of year.
Preventing Mud Fever
Did you know the skin is the body’s largest organ and that is true of all mammals so ensuring the products you use on your horses outside should be as important as the feed you choose to give them.
Deciding what and what not to feed horses is something most horse owners spend much time thinking about. We understand the direct correlation feed and forage has to health.
Yet understanding the impact topical shampoos, cream and lotions have on our animals outside is rarely given such consideration. At See Change we believe that skincare is just as important as diet and especially so if we expect our horses to successfully weather winter, avoiding problems referred to as mud fever, scratches and mud rash to name a few, all of which are known as Pastern Dermatitis.
Thinking about why there has been this disconnect is multifaceted. Never before have we had so much choice of skin care products for horses, from sprays, silicon’s, hot oils, balms and lotions. Management style and how we keep horses has changed considerably. Modern horses and modern methods mean many horses come in to contact with water, often daily. Horses get groomed less than they did twenty years ago, Facilities and management styles have changed, we have less access to grazing, less field rotation. More rainfall of a different type, that’s been shown to leave land struggling to drain well.
Combined together, these reasons have created a need for us to think more carefully when it comes to how we look after our horses skin but also develop a clearer thinking and consideration when it comes to the year round choices we make.
We believe it is more important than ever to be mindful and in doing so avoid the increasing problems that are seen as a result.
Preventing Mud Fever Is All About The Ingredients
How much do you know about the ingredients found in the products you choose for your horses? How beneficial is the purple shampoo that proclaims to get socks sparkling white? What does the tub of oil or jelly actually do ? What’s it made from? What’s in Bit Butter?
Sadly the answers are not always great, whatever the promise on the bottle. That’s the inconvenient truth and while there will be products that aren’t so damaging, the majority are and particularly so for pigment free skin! Yes, those beautiful white stockings and socks that we love to wash with purple shampoo are the ones that will particularly struggle during the winter months if they have spent all summer having to cope with endless harsh chemicals.
Our Top Tips For Preventing Mud Fever
See Change Tip Number One.
Think about your horse's skin and coat year round.
Check the ingredients used to make the products you buy and understand their impact.
See Change Tip Number Two
Use plant based, 100% biodegradable ingredients free from harsh chemicals and soap. If in doubt don’t use it.
See Change Tip Number Three
Avoid PEGS, SLS, and Sulphates but also think about fragrance. We so often forget horses sense of smell , better than ours. While it may not be as powerful as dogs, it is an important and often overlooked consideration so avoid synthetic fragrance in favour of 100% essential oils.
As we experience the effects of climate change, whether that is longer, wetter, warmer winters or hotter, drier summers our horses will undoubtedly be challenged further.
Think about how you can help your horses weather that ever burdening change and in doing so you will be helping to manage it, rather than adding to it.
For more information, tips and ideas, check out our solid shampoo bars right here!