Managing muddy paddocks can be a nightmare! Not only does the mud ruin perfectly polished coats, but it can also cause detrimental effects on our horses’ health and well-being. Being an inevitable feature of winter, we can prepare in advance as horse owners! Why not take our simple muddy field management steps into consideration as the ground starts becoming softer…
Why can mud be bad?
Too much mud can be detrimental to the ‘soundness’ of our horses. Writhe with bacteria and often accompanied by boggy or slippy conditions, a lot of mud is a recipe for disaster!
Deep mud can result in the straining of soft structures in the leg due to the abnormal effort required to pull limbs out. Especially when travelling at high speeds, horses can cause themselves great harm in muddy conditions, with tendons and ligaments under even greater strain!
In addition, the large amounts of moisture, along with the harmful bacteria colonies present in mud, can be the root of infection. Moisture makes structures softer, and therefore, bacteria can easily infiltrate areas, such as the skin and hooves. This can cause hoof ailments such as thrush and abscesses and skin problems such as mud fever.
However, mud is not all bad! Although it can have negative effects with overexposure, mud naturally controls hoof moisture levels and can stop them from becoming dry and contracted. On the skin, mud can aid with protection from insects and encourage the production of natural oils, leading to a shinier, healthier coat and providing a waterproofing layer!
How much is ‘too much’?
As a general rule, ‘too much’ mud is mud that is deep enough to cover the horse’s hoof, up to the coronary band, for more than three days. However, with persistently wet conditions, horse owners should keep in mind that even if mud is not at this level, they should consider periods of stabling to allow the horse hooves and legs to dry, reducing the chance of possible infection.
How to manage the mud…
Control Traffic
Allocate areas of high traffic, such as pathways to paddocks, so your turnout spaces do not become ruined by unnecessary footfall. Pathways will become muddy, but your horse will only be exposed to the mud for a short period, not the entire time they are turned out.
In addition, make sure your paddock isn’t over-subscribed. The rule of thumb for turning out horses is that each horse should be allocated 1 acre. Fields with over 3 horses should be 3 acres, plus half an acre for every after the third horse. For example, 4 horses should be allocated 3.5 acres.
Moisture Control
There are plenty of ways you can manage already muddy conditions. Laying down wood chip can help to soak up excess water or laying down rubbing matting can help to provide a secure footing.
With horses likely to stand in gateways, adding additional moisture control features could be a great way to manage mud in this area. Also, try moving entrances and exits around if possible. This will help prevent your horse from consistently gravitating toward a specific area of the field when they want to come inside.
Manage Your Space
On wet and muddy days, sacrificing one area of the field could be a great idea to salvage the rest of your turnout space. This area can then be used if you stable your horse over the winter period, providing the opportunity to give beneficial bursts of turnout without wrecking the entirety of your paddocks!
When the ground is saturated and pools of water lay on the top, bring your horse into their stable if possible. Heavy horses on this soft and structurally compromised ground will not only be detrimental to the condition and recovery of your field after winter but could result in injury for your horse. If you cannot bring your horse into stable, fence off the worst areas until they dry up.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.