Preventing winter ice clumps

[BostonHJ]

Since we haven’t had much snow, if any, before January the last several years, most of the horses where I’m at don’t have their snow pads yet. Of course, this means that it has been snowing a few times a week

In any case, I’m not originally from the area, so I don’t have a great method of preventing the giant ice balls from forming in their hoofs. It will be a few weeks before the shoes are reset with their winter gear. Any best tips for what to slather on their soles to keep the ice from sticking? I’ve heard Pam before - does that work beyond a few steps? Vaseline? Hoof oil has been a total failure.

[islgrl]

In my experience there is nothing that prevents them from forming. I also am waiting for my snow shoes and keeping fingers crossed he doesn’t get hurt before them while he’s walking around in high heels…

[CJ82Sky]

We use crisco in the short term, though fortunately the farrier is here tonight to pull shoes and get the few that need snow shoes and cleats set up. We try to do barefoot for at least a few months to give the horses’ hooves a chance to grow out some. As for keeping the snow from balling up, I only see crisco or anything else like that work for a few hours at best, if you are lucky and the wetter heavier snow sticks to almost anything!

[CHT]

Ski wax.

[ccr0009]

For the first time I’m dealing with this issue. We spray Pam in the horse’s shoes which works walking the 200 yards from barn to indoor. For more time, it’s not a complete answer.
The horse’s that have pads in their shoes or go barefoot don’t get their hooves packed as bad.

I wonder how well vaseline would work.

[BostonHJ]

Thanks for the input! How would one apply ski wax? I know you melt it on skis, but it seems tricky to melt it onto the bottom of a hoof.

[SanJacMonument]

Ski wax iron. Or a blow dryer on high heat.