How to Respond and Extricate Equines Trapped in Mud Scenarios

Dr. Peter Morressey chats with Rebecca Husted, PhD, about her presentation at the 2022 AAEP Convention. Her subject: How to Respond and Extricate Equines Trapped in Mud Scenarios

Equines are frequently entrapped in mud situations—in their own paddock, on trail rides, or when they escape their normal pasture. Equines do not actually sink like shown in movies; they “float” on the surface of most mud environments. The purpose of this article is to suggest how to respond to a call that a horse is “stuck in mud” and to provide guidelines and best practices to assist the responding equine veterinarian to function in an efficient, effective, and safe manner to direct equine extrication from a mud entrapment scenario. Modern techniques for manipulation of entrapped horses place emphasis on the use of common tools, flat and looped webbing, occasional specialized equipment, and proper positioning of a team of personnel to achieve effective results for various mud rescue situations encountered in a practitioner’s daily work.