Yesterday's palomino is now the color of strong coffee. Mud creates an unhealthy environment for a horse. It harbors bacteria and fungi that can lead to abscesses, scratches, rain scald and thrush. Mud is also a breeding ground for insects, especially mosquitoes and flies. Horses fed on muddy ground can ingest dirt or sand particles leading to sand colic.
Mud also creates slick, unsafe footing that can cause injuries for horses and humans alike.
It also is potentially harmful to the environment. Enriched by manure, mud can get into streams and ponds where it may be detrimental to aquatic life. The recipe for creating mud starts with an increase of surface water - maybe rain off the roof of your barn or runoff from the driveway. Add a highly organic soil, if your barn happens to be in an area where the soil doesn't drain very well. Throw in a build-up of manure, seasoned with decomposed organic material such as stall waste, shavings or spent hay.