Pick out feet daily, get the horse onto dry standing regularly, manage mud around gateways, keep a good farrier cycle, and use a hoof conditioner to protect softened horn. Dry, clean feet resist most wet-weather problems.
Pick out daily
Wet, muddy conditions pack the feet and hide thrush and bruising. Pick out thoroughly every day with a hoof pick, clearing the frog grooves, and check for the black, smelly discharge of thrush so you catch it early.
Give feet a break from the wet
Constant wet softens the horn, so let the feet dry out regularly on hard standing or a clean, dry stable. Even a few hours a day out of deep mud helps the horn firm up and lowers the risk of thrush and abscesses.
Manage the mud
Rotate muddy gateways, use hardstanding near gates and troughs, and improve drainage in the worst spots. Reducing how long a horse stands in deep mud protects both the hooves and the lower legs from problems like mud fever.
Protect the horn
A hoof conditioner helps protect softened, wet horn and support brittle or cracked feet. Keep a regular farrier cycle too, since balanced, well-trimmed feet cope with wet conditions far better than long, out-of-shape ones.
Feed for strong feet
Good nutrition underpins healthy horn. A balanced diet with biotin, zinc and copper where needed supports strong growth that resists the wet. Because hooves grow slowly, keep the good habits up all season for feet that stay sound through winter.
