Winter mud conditions cause painful mud fever (pastern dermatitis) in horses, making pasture management and preventive care important welfare considerations in wet climates.
Mud fever represents a highly preventable welfare problem that causes significant pain and lameness in horses exposed to persistent wet, muddy conditions without protective management. The initial stages are often minimized - owners may notice scabbing but not appreciate the pain underlying the lesions, especially since horses often bear weight on affected limbs. As the condition progresses, acute lameness signals to even casual observers that significant pain is present. Prevention through field management - reducing standing water, using sacrificial dry standing areas, applying barrier creams to vulnerable lower legs, and drying legs thoroughly after wet turnout - is both cheaper and more humane than treating established infection. Checking and drying legs as part of daily horse care prevents most mud fever cases.