Experts offer tips on how to reduce the impact of mud on horse health
As February’s icy grip gives way to the longer days of March, Wyoming landscapes will transition from hard, frozen ground to a thawed out, muddy mess.
While the moisture and sunshine bring promise of green pastures, it can also turn corrals, pens and high-traffic zones into areas of concern for horse owners.
Fortunately, experts note implementing effective management strategies can greatly reduce problems brought on by excessive mud.
Horse health impacts
As many know, mud tends to accumulate in areas with poor drainage or high foot traffic.
Because horses tend to congregate around feeders, waterers, shelters and gates, these places often become prime mud zones in the springtime when soil is saturated and vegetation is worn away.
Unfortunately, once mud becomes deep and sticky, it can lead to equine health issues and make daily care more challenging.
According to University of Minnesota Extension equine specialists, prolonged exposure to wet, muddy conditions can weaken hoof walls, soften the frog and create an environment ideal for bacterial and fungal growth, which may lead to thrush and pastern dermatitis.
Experts note excess moisture also increases the risk of cellulitis, a painful bacterial infection within the connective tissue layer beneath the skin.
Frequent muddy footing also increases the chance of slipping, strains and other injuries, as well as muscle fatigue and joint stress.
Planning and infrastructure
According to University of Minnesota Extension, strategic planning and facility design are the first line of defense against excess mud.
The specialists note properly situating buildings, pens, feeding areas, shelters, material storage and other high-traffic areas will create environments that stay drier for longer.
The experts recommend positioning barns, shelters and drylots on elevated ground to allow for natural drainage, suggesting a slight slope of about four to six degrees so water can move to lower ground, rather than pooling.
The Extension service also recommends installing gutters and downspouts on structures to help direct roof runoff away from turnout and high-traffic areas, as well as using drainage ditches, swales or dry wells to carry water off of pastures.
Using vegetation and soil anchors is also helpful.
The University of Minnesota notes grass and other vegetation helps absorb water, stabilize soil and prevent erosion – slowing the formation of mud before it becomes a problem.
Horse owners should also plan for seasonal snow management, especially in Wyoming’s harsh climate.
“Create a plan for piling snow to ensure you can accommodate snowmelt in the spring,” Extension personnel state. “Make sure rainfall, snowfall and melting snow doesn’t drain into manure piles, as this can create nutrient runoff.”
Footing and surface improvements
As stated, mud often forms where horses spend the most time, so improving surfaces of these areas can dramatically reduce mud accumulation and its negative effects.
University of Minnesota Extension specialists suggest constructing high-traffic pads in areas compacted from frequent foot traffic with little to no vegetation using layers of geotextile fabric and rock or gravel to create a firm, well-drained surface resistant to mud.
These pads allow water to percolate downward instead of mixing with soil and becoming sticky and/or slippery.
Materials like crushed rock, coarse sand or wood chips can improve footing temporarily when placed over high-traffic pads, although some options require more frequent maintenance than others.
For example, wood chips and straw may decompose and contribute to mud accumulation if they are not replaced regularly, and sand can mix with soil over time, potentially causing issues like sand colic if ingested.
While gravel may provide better drainage, the University of Minnesota says it’s important to choose the right size, recommending crushed rock no larger than three-fourths of an inch combined with fine gravel to help lock the surface together.
“Although alternative footing options are available for the top layer of high-traffic pads, we recommend fine-crushed gravel, as this material is more resistant to breakdown and requires less frequent refreshing,” the Extension service states.
Pasture management techniques
In addition to structural projects, experts note daily pasture and paddock management is also critical.
Removing manure regularly helps reduce organic buildup which thickens mud and increases bacterial load.
“Picking up manure every one to three days will help reduce parasite load, as well the flies and insects,” reads an article published by the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst). “Regular removal of manure also greatly reduces the amount of mud that develops, and it will prevent contaminated runoffs from reaching surface waters in the area.”
UMass Amherst experts also recommend utilizing sacrifice areas and rotating and resting turnout areas, since keeping horses in one area year-round can damage grass and compact soil, making mud worse after a precipitation event.
“Individuals can help control runoffs by surrounding sacrifice areas, paddocks and other confinement areas with at least 25 feet of lawn, pasture, woods or even a garden,” the UMass Amherst article reads. “Vegetation in buffer areas will act as mud managers – a natural filtration system which slows down runoff and reduces sediments and nutrients. Buffers of grasses and legumes can be grazed in the spring and summer and left ungrazed to function as a buffer during times of slow growth, steady rain or potential flooding.”
Daily horse care
Even with good planning and maintenance, dealing with mud during spring months is inevitable.
Experts encourage horse owners to reduce health impacts by checking hooves daily for signs of infection or thrush; cleaning and drying lower legs often, especially after turnout; clipping long hair around pasterns and fetlocks to help keep legs clean and dry; moving horses to drier ground or indoor stalls whenever possible and addressing early signs of dermatitis or infection promptly with veterinary guidance.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
