Winter brings rain. And rain brings mud, especially if you have horses on a small acreage.

With horses on one to 10 acres, rain and mud can mean an unhealthy mess for your horses and your pasture. Plus muddy pastures pollute streams, groundwater and household wells.

"Living in mud and manure is unhealthy for a horse," said Garry Stephenson, small farms faculty with the Oregon State University Extension Service. "Mud harbors bacteria and fungal organisms that cause health problems."

Wet, muddy conditions can foster organisms that cause mud fever (scratches), cracking of the hoof and sole and related lameness. Insects breed in mud and manure