Hoof snowball tricks?

[Catie79]

Due to the freak snow storm, it looks like I’ll be riding in the snow for a couple days while we wait for it to melt (with temperatures in the 50’s most of the week, it shouldn’t take long). Because we usually don’t get snow until December, I was caught without the appropriate footwear on my mare and it seems ridiculous to have her shoes pulled and replaced when they were just done.

Any tips for temporarily keeping snow balls out of her shoes? She has just regular old shoes all around, not drilled for studs. I just want to get her into the outdoor arena for some exercise, nothing exciting and no jumping. I’d heard that you can spray no-stick cooking spray on their hooves to prevent the snow balls from forming. Has anyone tried that? Or am I better to just wait this out?

[tlw]

I’ve heard Pam (the spray stuff for cooking) works but living in southern Louisiana I haven’t had a chance to put it to the test.:lol:

[Jazzy_Lady]

Vaseline works great too!

[Mtn_trails]

Pam or vaseline, both work great.

[IronwoodFarm]

Crisco

[Blugal]

I have never found Pam, Vaseline or Crisco to work at all. It may be because my horses live out, so their feet are already wet & cold. Perhaps a warm, dry foot would take the grease and actually cause it to work? Regardless, when there is the chance of snowballs, I do not ride, I just get this sick feeling of them turning their ankles when I see them trying to walk on those huge balls.

[Hilary]

No, I haven’t found anything to work reliably enough to ride except in really deep snow where snowballs won’t really affect the foot.

We’ve got the same problem - 22 inches of snow on Saturday night and no one is shod with winter shoes! It’s supposed to melt by Wed. so she gets a couple of days off.

My favorite tool for removing the iceballs is the claw of a hammer.

[breakthru]

I have also not had luck with crisco/grease. Best luck I’ve had is not to pick out the feet (or pick feet out and then re-pack with dirt/play-dough, etc) and then duct tape over that. Alot of work, but if you’re going to ride in the snow, might be worth it. My guys have packed in some pretty alarming snowballs into their feet, and having watched them slide around on them looks like a great way to bow a tendon or have a fall.

[gold2012]

Crisco won’t work on cold feet, but will on warm, what I use to do was warm the crisco p, use paintbrush to apply, then let harden bit and use non heated as soon asit was a bit cool on feet.

I think what happens is it, when foot is warm, softens just enough, I dunno. But I think it’s always risky to ride in snow. Era of watching Horse Whisperer too many times! Kinda jealous! I sure miss snow!

[RiverBendPol]

http://www.amazon.com/Mushers-Secret-Invisible-Shield-200/dp/B0002XIZXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320107897&sr=8-1

This stuff is better than the others mentioned but I’m also worried about you riding in snow/slush/ice without winter shoes. I don’t even put my horse out in his ‘infirmary’ (20’ square stone dust) paddock when it is snowy if he’s still in his summer shoes. It is just too risky.

[SaturdayNightLive]

Snow pads are the only way to prevent snow balls reliably. Have your farrier put them on under your horse’s shoes. I like the rim pads myself, but the bubble pads work just as well.

[Catie79]

After all of the warnings about snowballs forming despite make shift measures, I’m going to wait until this stuff finishes melting. My trainer’s been dragging the ring constantly to help it melt, and it sounds like we’ll be able to get in there soon.

She already has an old bow in front, I’d rather not risk adding another one to her collection. I’ll just invest in a good bottle of Saddle Tight for when I get to ride her again. Any recommendations on brands for that?

[RiverBendPol]

I was hoping to see this decision It shouldn’t take long.

I like the Saddle Tight in the little blue and white oval plastic canister. It lasts the longest. Keep it in your pocket as you groom and tack up so it will be a bit soft for application. Then put on a neck strap and enjoy the ride!

[JFCeventer]

Obviously not everyone has luck with it but I used Crisco when I rode yesterday and it worked great. My horse was outside in the snow but the uphill part of the field was melted already so he wasn’t standing in snow while he was turned out. Brought him in and dried his legs and insides of his hooves, groomed and tacked, then smeared a generous amount of Crisco into his feet. Worked great, not any snow at all in his feet. Our ring is also patchy and where there is snow, it’s only about 2 or 3 inches. It sounds like you guys got a lot more than we did and that’s probably why it might be safer to wait like you said you were going to. I just thought I’d share that the Crisco worked for me.

Hope the snow melts soon!

[Painted_Wings]

If you ride fast enough the balls fly out.

Barefoot horses are the best. I usually try to keep one barefoot in the winter to ride when it snows. Used to ride my old mare but she’s too old now.

[sophie]

[QUOTE=Painted Wings;5931528]
If you ride fast enough the balls fly out.

.[/QUOTE]

Yes, and as they fly from her feet, they hit your sensitive Tb mare in the belly while working in the wide open field…

I didn’t ride after the freak snowstorm as mare had just been reshod with regular shoes.

Horses were only turned out in their tiny paddocks because the storm had taken most of the fencing down.

When fencing was repaired, horses were turned out, and mare promptly lost left front shoe while trying to kill herself outside.

sigh

[Catie79]

I’d love to keep her barefoot in winter, but it’s not really in the cards since she’s still in work and has delicate TB footsies. She’ll be heading to Aiken in January, so she won’t be in the snow for long.

Finally got to ride and she was definitely a bit wound up. A random squirrel fight broke out next to the ring and she was suddenly ten feet further down the rail. That squirrel was yelling at us every time we went by and the princess was mortally offended. At least that first ride is over with and we can go back to business as usual.

[olim2005]

Horse Hoof Conditioner For Snow Balls?

[QUOTE=Catie79;5930011]
After all of the warnings about snowballs forming despite make shift measures, I’m going to wait until this stuff finishes melting. My trainer’s been dragging the ring constantly to help it melt, and it sounds like we’ll be able to get in there soon.

She already has an old bow in front, I’d rather not risk adding another one to her collection. I’ll just invest in a good bottle of Saddle Tight for when I get to ride her again. Any recommendations on brands for that? :P[/QUOTE]

I’ve heard of people using horse hoof conditioner on the bottom of the hoof, has anyone tried that? My horses live outdoors and get snowballs…I am looking for something because one has an old bowed tendon and the other has longer pasterns so I rather now have them be standing around on snowballs.