Ice Clumps ?

[Jay.o]

Does anyones horses have them ?
I arrived today and he had these chunks of snow or ice on his hooves ! [bow didnt have any hes spends a lot of the day in the shelter ! and a tough stallion - deffinately not !!!! and oh we are getting him gelded in march if its not too cold :) ]
Well we never really had snow and snow clumps not really a problem until this year !!
any one know what to do about them how to prevent it !????!

[ros]

We used to smear a good dollop of Vaseline on the soles - it helps stop the snow balls from sticking.

[Gracie]

Vasline works really well to avoid ask clumps in the hooves like others have said!:) Its a nice cheap remendy!

[liz--y]

agree with above, greese will help prevent this

[western]

yes i get them in my horses feet. you can put cooking spray or vasiline on the bottom of the horses feet . and also pick out the feet in the winter that helps to get the snowballs out of the horses feet.

[Bebe]

I'm another one that uses vaseline, a good dollop smeared around the sole and into the clefts of the frog makes the ice drop out before it can form too big a clump. Hoof oil painted on the sole works too but not quite as well.

[floppy]

the only other alternative when there is snow is to ask your blacksmith to put a set of rubber things between the hoof and the shoe..i think a set doesn cost much and you can re use them until they are completely knackered. I am using mine from last winter. It doesnt cover the whole hoof it just prevents snow from packing up inside.

[Miriam]

One of the girls on our yard asked our blacksmith about studs and he said they do not help much in this weather. However I have heard that grease does work. I used to use hoof oil on the soles. Bought some lard to try but thankfully the snow and ice seem to be going.

[Jay.o]

tim isnt shod so cant have those plastic things that floppy suggested ! :( ! sound good idea though !
i think that i will try the vasaline and see how that is.
but the snow is going but maybe our next burst of snow ????
:D :D :D
ps. i love the snow !!!

[floppy]

studs wont stop snow going into the hooves but they do help when out riding.

my horse has the works on her shoes. At the back she has holes so i can screw in ice studs when necessary. She also has road nails just infront of the stud holes and the first 2 nails on each side of the hoof at the front are ice nails