It’s only April, and both the horses and the vets are already tired of the mud. Muddy pens means wet feet, and all of the problems that go with them. In the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of hoof abscesses, thrush, and skin infections on pasterns and heels, all because of the muddy (and other stuff) pens the horses stand in all day.

Just like when you soak in the bathtub for too long and your feet get all wrinkly, the horse’s foot softens when standing in wet environments, making it more permeable to barnyard bacteria and contaminants. If your paddocks or pastures have gotten muddy and wet with all of this snow melt, it’s really important to clean out your horse’s feet, wash off the caked-on mud, and give your horse a dry place to stand for a while. It’s a lot easier than treating problems…