hooves in water

Question
I have two draft horses, the pasture I have for them right now is what I would call a swamp, or at least that is what it turned into when I put them them there. My land here in NY is very wet. Does it harm there hooves for them to be in mud for 10 to 12 hours a day?  

Answer
Hi Denise. well, its not ideal, of course, but I'm in the same boat (or lack of *grin*) that you are being that I'm in New England, too. I have to say that it is dependant upon the overall health of the hooves as well as the general health of the horses. There are more factors than just environment that affects the hooves. Healthy horses with good, strong immune systems sporting tough, strong and well balanced and leveled hooves seem to do OK in that type of environment as long as they can get dried out sometime during a 24 hour period of time. However, that being said, horses that have lowered resistance because of a stressed immune system, have less than healthy hooves to start (think imbalanced, unleveled, crumbly, soft, thin-soled, flares, cracks, etc.) will have a tougher time of it trying to maintain comfortable hooves.

The environment has so much to do with the form and subsequently, the functioning of the hooves that its almost amazing. While horses that live normally in an arid, rocky ground show perky, well maintained hooves, those that live in wet conditions, such as shoreline ponies (I'm talking about the wild horses at this time.) exhibit hooves that if on a domestic horse might be grounds for neglect charges! Yet they seem to do just fine with them. Horses and hooves are adaptable but to a point.

So, I guess, in answer to your question I again have to say "it depends". The best thing is to see that they get out of the mud as much as possible. Keep the hooves well maintained with regular hoofcare, provide a good, nutritious diet that is low sugar, low carb and high fat, provide a good, organic vitamin such as ABC Plus with free mineral and salt, and see that they move as much as possible during a 24 hour period of time. These simple things will go a long, long way in helping your guys keep nice, strong hooves.

Hope this helps some. Don't be discourage ... New England is finicky with her weather ... it'll be full spring/summer soon and we'll all be complaining about the bugs and heat!  *grin*

:) -- Gwen