No matter the species, wet weather can wreak havoc on
hooves. All this rain can lead to
excessive mud. And horses that stand
and/or walk in a lot of mud can have more problems with diseases like thrush
and seedy toe, also known as white line disease. Additionally, horses that stand in mud can
develop “scratches” or “greasy heels”, which is similar to what happens on the
body with rain rot.
Clean mud from the hooves every day and consider applying a
thrush medication once or twice daily.
Soft hooves on horses don’t hold nails well which can lead
to loose shoes which can lead to lost shoes. Have horses stand in a dry area
for several hours during the day or night.
Stalling with shavings, sawdust or straw can help pull some moisture out
of the hoof.
Here are some links that may provide some additional
information.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/scratches_in_horses
https://extension.psu.edu/horse-wet-weather-woes
If you have specific areas of the pasture that hold water,
you may need to consider grading work to improve drainage or other means to try
and eliminate these problem areas.
(Photo credit: thehorse.com)
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