What causes scratches?

Can anyone enlighten me on scratches? I've seen it/seen it treated before but I'm not sure what causes it. The horses I know who have had it get it each winter so I'm assuming it has to do with mud/water etc?

Could you explain scratches? - I think we may have a different name for it here? Lol.

It's a skin disease that is found on the lower leg - the heels and I think sometimes on the lower pastern. I've mainly heard it referred to as scratches but once heard it called mud fever as well. From what I've seen it's characterized by heat/swelling in the area and scabs.

Ah! Mud fever! Got it! haha.

Actually, Anna used to get mud fever, she's the only horse I know who has it.
As far as I know it's caused when horses are standing in lots of wet ground with their legs permanently submerged in mud and water. Basically preventing it would mean keeping the horse in dry conditions.

Oh mud fever! I was wondering what scratches was haha!

Adam got it a few times early on when we first got him, and it's hugely common in the UK, thanks to our lovely wet weather

Yeah, it's caused by horses standing on wet/damp ground - so as our fields get muddy easily you have to be really careful, but I've also heard of neglect cases where stables haven't been mucked out so it's been caused by standing on the damp shavings etc. It can be a pain to treat as you're meant to pull the scabs off and keep the legs dry at all times.

That's funny - both barns I'm at right now call it scratches, I only found mud fever when I looked it up online!

That makes sense, both horses that get it are out in muddy pastures, especially so this time of year.

Thanks guys