So both of my mares have developed fluid buildup in the hind legs almost as soon as the weather started getting cold. In past years I remember this happening and I had the vet out, who told me that it was normal fluid buildup, basically a permanent thing but that they were sound and it was fine. On the one hand, I am concerned because it’s only my horses and not the other horses on the property that this is happening to, but on the other hand, the fact that they are both experiencing it and pretty evenly on both sides makes me less concerned. They are turned out 24/7 so they walk around all the time. Idk what I’m asking exactly other than, should I let it go and not worry? Or should I have the vet back out again for peace of mind?
Are they eating the same hay as the others?
How old are they? Is arthritis a possibility or already in the picture? Despite being outside full time and walking, they may not be walking as much. Are they related by chance?
Arthritis, tender feet, harder ground with thinner soles, can lead to less movement and subsequent stocking up
Do you notice if it’s bigger in the morning and then less by evening?
They are 13 and 15, the youngest horses on the property. They eat the same hay as the others. Not related but both definitely a bit on the lazy side and not prone to much playing or unnecessary movement. Both of them have been only lightly ridden in their lives, no history of extensive workloads and clean x-rays last time they had them done.
I haven’t noticed a difference based on time of day, it always seems the same when I check it.
Cleavers (or clivers) & marigold is all the rage over here (UK) at the moment for filled legs. Purportedly supports the lymphatic system.
If all horse are on the same diet and it’s not affecting all horse I would suggest some digestive support might be in order but in general stocked legs aren’t considered a problem, stable bandages overnight and walking off is enough for them to go down.
A cheap and simple thing to try is adding MSM to the diets to see if that resolves things.
Every winter, when it got down to the 20’s, I had to start force exercising my horse or he would get stovepipe legs. (He wouldn’t exercise himself—in the snow you could see by his footprints that he stood in one place in the pasture all day) Just a brisk 20 minutes of hand walking would be enough. Blanketing also helped him, even though he grew a healthy winter coat (I normally don’t blanket my yaks).
One winter I boarded him at a farm and they had an old Australian Shepard who lazily herded him around the pasture and that worked well. 
I also sent him to a farm with a eurocizer for the winters. He was at his best then—they’d jog him about 3 days a week and walk him the rest. Not saying you should do this, just describing the situations that worked best to control winter leg swelling in my chronic winter leg sweller.
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