Muddy Feet?

I've just started part loaning a pair of horses, I've never had to look after horses before (Just riding lessons) so I just wanted to ask something!
It's starting to get a little muddy around here now, and when I bring the girls in and their feet are a little muddy, do I wash them off before putting them in their stables? I pick their feet out 2 or 3 times a day, I was just wondering if I should wash the mud from their hooves or leave it there.

No need to wash them. Cleaning them with a hoof pick when they come in should be enough.

Generally just picking their feet should be ok, but you should be aware of mud fever, especially if your horses have feathers, and horses with white legs seem to be particularly susceptible. I wouldn't hose the mud off unless you make sure to dry it thoroughly. If you can wait until the mud dries and then scrub the worst of it off around the bottoms of their feet, they should be alright. But, at the same time, we've had horses out year-round in the mud, and some of them never develop it (even ones supposedly susceptible). It's just something to watch for.

Sometimes I find that waiting until after I ride, the mud dries a bit and I can curry it off of their pasterns. But mud on their hooves.. I scrape off and then I pick their hooves real good.

Unless they have mud fever, I wouldn't hose their feet to get it off. They could get sick from the cold.

Hopefully I've helped some!

Thankyou very much :) I will make sure I keep an eye out for mud fever!

When you pick out the feet, brush the mud off with an old scrubbing brush, being careful not to scrub the coronary band or above.

If you get any mudfever wash the area with Nizoral shampoo - from a pharmacy and it will sort it out really quickly.

Generally, you should do your best to scrape the mud off. It can cause cracking if exposed to it all the time, just try to do your best to keep them clean! I'm sure you are! It's also a good thing to do, so that you can see if there are cracks, chips ect. Also keep a good eye out for mud fever, and the coronary band and above, just don't scrape them:)

Have a good one

No, don't hose off your horse's legs, but toweling them off will help prevent mud fever and remove that mud and wet icky stuff..

You could hose just the hooves about twice a week to oil them-but definitely don't hose the legs unless they have mudfever already, it'll wash away natural oils that keep the mud off the skin

Probably best not to hose them, as picking should be good enough. I have a nice hoof pick with a firm brush on the other end that works very well. Good luck, and have fun with your horses! :)