Horse Mud Fever Winter Management

Mud fever, caused by Dermatophilus congolensis and Fusobacterium species, causes painful skin lesions on the lower limbs of horses exposed to wet and muddy conditions.

Key Facts

Mud fever develops when prolonged moisture softens and damages the skin barrier on the lower limbs
Lesions appear as matted crusts, scabs, and underlying inflammation causing pain and lameness
Susceptibility varies between individuals and some horses suffer repeatedly despite management efforts
Heavy horses with feathered legs are particularly prone due to moisture retention in feathering
Clip feathering before winter can reduce mud fever risk in susceptible feathered breeds
Management involves removing crusts, cleaning and drying legs, and applying appropriate topical treatments

Welfare Considerations

Mud fever causes significant localised pain through skin inflammation and ulceration. Severely affected horses show lameness, reluctance to bear weight, and pronounced pain on palpation of affected legs. Chronic or recurrent cases develop thickened, scarred skin that predisposes to further episodes. Preventive management through turnout surface improvement, leg drying, and barrier cream application reduces both incidence and severity. The welfare benefit of effective mud fever prevention is direct: eliminating a painful and recurrent condition that owners can significantly influence through management decisions.

What You Can Do

Provide a concrete or rubber-matted area in the gateway or around troughs where mud accumulates
Dry legs thoroughly after washing and before stabling to remove moisture from the skin surface
Apply a barrier cream to clean, dry lower limbs before turnout in wet weather
Check legs daily in wet weather and begin treatment at the first sign of crusting or sensitivity
Clip feathering on susceptible horses before winter to reduce moisture retention