# Do you ride your horse with scratches?



## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I live in a muddy/rainy area. Even with really good management (blanketed, inside at night, legs cleaned off), my horses have had scratches and patches of rain rot off and on throughout the winter. I'm always on the lookout for skin problems so even though my one mare had normal skin last week, three days ago I noticed she suddenly has a bad case of scratches on three of her pasterns. 
I usually don't ride when my horses have scratches because the skin seems sensitive and is often hot to the touch. However, it has never made my horses lame. My horse today was galloping around in the arena on her own, even though her pasterns were slightly swollen.
Do you personally ride your horse when they have scratches? Or do you completely rest them? I usually don't ride at all, but today I was questioning whether I am too cautious. After all, it can take a couple of weeks to resolve.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

As long as they aren't in the saddle area, I ride. I do use Corona or vaseline on the scratches that are there to keep them moist while riding. I figure a dried out scratch might not heal as quickly if he's moving around a lot.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I agree with puck. If she isn't lame, I would dress them and then ride.


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## xilikeggs0 (Sep 14, 2008)

I've ridden my horse when she had scratches before, but it wasn't a bad case of them. I just peel off the scabs and use a medicated shampoo on it to make it go away. At the very least, you need to peel the scabs and rinse the legs off.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Personaly I live in probably the wetest and muddiest place ever! (the north wales coast).

Everyone except me has a mud fever problem. I don't because I don't wash legs in winter.
I let the mud dry overnight and then brush it off in the morning! This means that I am not stripping the horses natural oils off everynight.
Also the bacteria gets into the skin through wet pourus patches so why make it wetter by hosing?


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## xilikeggs0 (Sep 14, 2008)

faye said:


> Personaly I live in probably the wetest and muddiest place ever! (the north wales coast).
> 
> Everyone except me has a mud fever problem. I don't because I don't wash legs in winter.
> I let the mud dry overnight and then brush it off in the morning! This means that I am not stripping the horses natural oils off everynight.
> Also the bacteria gets into the skin through wet pourus patches so why make it wetter by hosing?


I live in Texas and my horses picked it up from the extremely dry ground here. I don't think it's caused by wetness. I cured it by scrubbing their legs until the scabs bled and using cowboy magic shampoo.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

It is cause by the bacteria getting under the skin through either a cut or through soggy skin. It is called mud fever in Europe mainly because that is the conditions in which it is mostly found over here! muddy wet legs that don't have time to dry out properly.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

faye said:


> Also the bacteria gets into the skin through wet pourus patches so why make it wetter by hosing?


I only wash the legs when my horses already have the bacteria infection. The cleaning helps with the healing. It's not the wetness that is the issue, just the skin breakdown that lets the bacteria enter. If I didn't clean the legs until the morning then there would be no "dry" period of time overnight since my horses go right back out into the mud in the morning. If I get the legs washed off they dry quickly and the skin stays dry overnight. I've only had the issue crop up when I haven't been able to get to the barn to get the mud off every couple of days (by brushing).


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## wild horses (Feb 11, 2011)

hmm depending on the country or part of the country you live in, rain scald and mud fever are the same or very differant things

where i am rainscald is a fungal thing found in damp weather cold or hot and you just ad oil to their diet and spray with iodine, i always carry on riding

mud fever is like an infection type thing that usally causes swelling and in some cases need anitbiotics, usally caused from a break in skin that allows infection in, usally only happens when weather gets cold, but again like all the above people, i would still ride as can help move swelling etc


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Every skin condition will improve with adding Vit A to the diet. The fastest way is to go down to your farm supply store and get a bottle of injectable Vit A (made for cattle). You can also get in cheap online at Jeffers and Valley Vet. You might find it with Vits D and E. I give the equivalent of 1,000,000 IU (2 mls) ORALLY. Draw it out with a needle and syringe and just shoot it in the mouth. Do it again in a week. You should honestly see results before one week. I give my problem children a 2 ml dose once a month during the winter months until the green grass is back. Another way to go but it's much slower to see results is to add Vit A to the diet as a top dressing. Clovite or Mare Plus are good. Double dose until you see results. Vit A is stored in the liver and right now the levels are very low so skin conditions are more prevalent as well as the goopy eyes.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Normally it is a fairly mild infection and as such doesn’t cause lameness or prevent me from riding. However, if left untreated or not treated adequately the infection can become chronic and can develop into a far more serious condition, apologies if the following image grosses anyone out.










I was unfortunate enough to actually see a similar horse in the flesh when I did work experience with a horse veterinarian many years ago. It was so sad because the horse was permanently disfigured and couldn’t be ridden again (ever), all for a condition that is perfectly treatable. That photo taken from a veterinary journal article, you can find the article at:

http://www.vetlearn.com/Portals/0/Media/PublicationsArticle/PVE_02_07_214.pdf

Obviously that is an extreme case but it does show what can happen if the condition is prolonged and not addressed correctly. Since there are several different types of bacteria that can cause mud fever/scratches, treatment can vary depending on area, time of year and severity of infection.

So in answer to your question, no I have never had a horse go lame from mud fever as I have never had a horse that had severe mud fever.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Funny, I'm posting on two threads right now about scratches. 

LHP: That's interesting about the vitamins. However, I am already feeding high dose vitamins and I would worry about feeding any higher amounts of the fat soluble vitamins like A or E. It is possible to overdose on those. Mainly it worries me because of those horses in Florida a couple years ago who had the vitamin toxicity from the mix-up at the vitamin factory. 

Sarahver: Wow, that was a nasty photo. I've never seen it nearly that bad, even on a horse that was neglected and standing in deep mud all winter. I guess my question was too general as I was thinking of mild cases like my horse has and wondering if it was generally thought to be mean to the horse to ask them to work with scabby pasterns.

Anyway, my horse has improved drastically in three days and she answered my question for me (as far as she is concerned). When I did a short bareback ride yesterday she was reluctant to go even though she will gallop around when loose, so I could tell it was bothering her enough to make her not want to work. I'm one to baby my horses so I won't try again until her skin is all healed up. I guess in a horse's mind it is different to have a burst of energy and run when your skin is a little sore than to be asked to actually work. 
Maybe it's like when I'm sick: I can do the dishes or a little housework but that doesn't mean I feel like going in to work.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Those horses died of Se poisioning.

There is no documented cases of toxicity of Vit A in horses or for that matter a real RDA of the vitamin. You will see the "upper" level at 16,000 IU per Kg of DM so to simplify the math, if your horse ate 22# of hay (10 Kg) they can consume 160,000 IU/day. Vit A also degrades in forage over time so what was there is now probably 50% of that value.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Sorry Gottatrot, my post came off a little more severe than I intended :wink:

I have never had any of my own personal horses become lame or miss riding time as a result of mudfever since it is usually it a mild condition and resolved easily. Makes it hard if you are constantly in damp conditions though! Cases like the above are of course in the minority thank goodness.

Now I wish I hadn't posted that picture, it turns MY stomach!!

All the best


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Sarahver, actually I was more intrigued than anything to see how bad it can get. Something new to have nightmares about...

On a side note, what do you think causes the lumpiness? Is it a reaction like proud flesh to the infection?


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

i am currently treating one leg (right front) for a mild case of scratches. I gave him a bath yesterday, let him COMPLETELY air dry, and then put betadine on the spot after i removed the scab. My barn mate says this is something she sees a lot with horses with white socks/stockings. Is that usually more true than say a horse that has no chrome?


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## Sarahandlola (Dec 16, 2010)

My horse has it in all four legs and she has black legs...


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Yeah, my horse (almost well now) had it on her three black legs and her white leg was unaffected. The last time she had it a couple years ago it was only on her white leg. I think it just depends on which legs have the skin breakdown where the bacteria enters.

I was wondering why several horses in the barn had it all of a sudden when we'd gone through most of the muddy winter without it. The barn owner shed some light when she told me that the mud had frozen last week so when the horses went out their legs were breaking through and getting abrasions from the sharp ice.


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## Adareous (Jan 27, 2011)

I put Desitin ointment on Scratches. Works for me. When you wash off the mud, make sure you towel it dry well.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I have had good luck by putting Frontline spray (you know, what you use for ticks and fleas on dogs and cats...) on scratches once every three days for three weeks (per recommended by my vet). Clears it up EVERY time.


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