Cassidy Nunn shares expert horse clipping tips, from choosing clippers and clipping patterns to keeping horses calm, comfortable, and healthy through winter.

Mud fever—also called greasy heel, scratches, or pastern dermatitis—is a skin disorder that commonly affects the lower legs of horses, especially around the heels and pasterns. It occurs most often in the wet seasons of fall, winter, and early spring, when horses spend long hours in muddy conditions that allow bacteria and fungi to multiply.

Among domestic animals, horses are some of the most naturally wide-ranging. They evolved as nomadic grazers, adapted to constant movement across varied landscapes and climates. Their instinctive response to any potential threat is still flight. Although domestication has shaped them to fit human needs, their fundamental nature remains largely unchanged.

With today’s medical advances, research, and improved management, horses are living longer and longer lives. In the past, most horses were considered old when they reached their late teens. These days, it’s not uncommon for horses to live into their late 20s or even into their 30s, allowing us to spend plenty of quality time with our elder equine friends. Proper management is key to ensuring that the older horse is happy and comfortable throughout his golden years.