# picking snow and ICE from hooves - ideas?



## AlottaBitCountry (Aug 11, 2012)

i pick my horses hooves out in the mornings to get rid of any ice or snow build up they might be walking on, and boy oh boy this morning was a doozy. my gelding had so much ice/snow packed into his front hooves he was literally walking on like balls of it. i tried to pick it out but it was so rock solid there was no way i could even scrape or anything at all, so i couldnt get it off. im sure if will fall off through the day and im just more or less babying them, but i just feel bad that they are walking on that until it falls out! 

any ideas on how to more easily get this out in the mornings? 
my gelding is just getting used to having his feet picked up by the way, so hell stand for a few minutes is all, im still working on that... 

in the wild im sure this happens and obviously no one is there to pick it out, and i did get my gelding from a large herd of horses which he was in for 8 years so he didnt get much attention to that anyways before i had him


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

When was the last time he was trimmed? If the hooves are overdue for a trim they can hold more in. But I went though this this weekend. You can spray the bottoms with grease, like pam the night before. I for the life of me could not get the ice off the outer edge, my horses hooves so I just took out the middle and by mid day she had worn off the outer edge of ice. She is due for a trim though, tomorrow actually, so that may have contributed to the ice build up on the edge.

Not a whole lot you can do otherwise.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I use the claw side of a claw hammer, I get a claw hammer that the claw part goes more straight out than turns down. One or two wacks with the hammer and the ice usually falls right out. 

I also teach the horses to let me clean all their hooves from one side, so I don't have to walk all the way around each horse, big time saver, when you have a lot to do.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Like Taffy I use a claw hammer and a long handled flat head screwdriver works good. They are tougher than those cheap hoof picks and with the long handle you can get some leverage to pop the ice out.
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## AnimalChiro (Nov 28, 2012)

I have heard that Pam non-stick spray applied to the bottom of the hoof works well. Might be worth a try at least. Would probably have to apply at least every other day.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Try applying Vaseline to the hoof. I used this method last wired with a lot of success.
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I use a big, not a regular sized but big screwdriver and push in in at the heel into the collateral groove. It doesn't have to go in very far and it will pop off. The length of the screwdriver provides good leverage. Don't start at the toe. A hoof generates heat and this is why snow balls up on the sole. Some people use cooking spray, WD 40, Show Sheen, vaseline, Armor-all.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I also use the claw part of the claw hammer. I use "taps" as opposed to "whacks" to get the ice balls out. It's certainly faster and more efficient than wrestling with a hoof pick.


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## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

I recommend greasing the bottom of his hooves. That should prevent balling up
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## countrylove (Oct 18, 2012)

I don't know much about horse care in the colder climate areas. Where I moved from there was no snow. Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't applying 'Grease' to their feet in the snow and ice make their footing slippery. Im curious. Thanks. Btw I get how it keeps snow from balling but what about their footing? Id love to learn more as Im new to the snowy area  Thanks again 
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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

countrylove said:


> I don't know much about horse care in the colder climate areas. Where I moved from there was no snow. Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't applying 'Grease' to their feet in the snow and ice make their footing slippery. Im curious. Thanks. Btw I get how it keeps snow from balling but what about their footing? Id love to learn more as Im new to the snowy area  Thanks again
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I wondered this too as it never snows here, but maybe if you apply the grease to the sole of the hoof, but miss the walls where the hoof usually contacts the ground, then it should be alright?


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## FalineDear (Nov 17, 2012)

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but perhaps you could just pour warm water on the ice for it to melt quicker? Seem the easiest way, to me.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

Bring out hot water in a squirt water bottle! Helps loosen it up. 
I got one of these last year and it's done pretty well! The Ultimate Hoofpick! The Jackhammer of Hoofcare-Tackles your worst packed-in dirt, mud and snow.
My favorite pick is actually one that my neighbour made for me. It's about a third of a horseshoe with a triangle pick welded on one ended. The curve of the shoe is great for leverage, the weight allows me to give a snowball a really good whack to break it off and that baby will never bend. Although I'll probably never have to use it now that I've moved to the land of rain.


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

:shock: wow...Living in Az or Ca all of my life and never having encountered cold weather of that type, I cannot even imagine snow and ice freezing to the inside of the horse's hooves!

Just as CountryLove said, I, too, am curious about seriously cold weather hoof/horse care in general! I was thinking also about pouring slightly warmer (than the ice/snow) water onto the hoof, but then was wondering would the rapid expansion of the hoof be painful (like dipping freezing cold hands into hot water...it can cause damage to humans, so one is to run the human tissue under cold water initially when it is "frozen" from being exposed to very cold temps, and then gradually warm the water around the hand/foot/tissues to about 70 degrees F...) 

I wonder as I type this what just walking around in the snow and ice does to horse hooves?? I know they have been doing it since the beginning of time, and thus the hoof must be "built" to sustain extemely freezing temperatures; at least to whatever temperature a horse can survive at in freezing weather...what that temperature is, I do not know--I am realizing as well! Any info from y'all "snow-and-ice-bound" folk would be wonderful as a teaching tool! :wink:


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Well, if you have ever seen the huge snowballs that can accumulate-the vaseline or grease is the least of the issues. They literally are walking on balls, and on a solid surface (like aisle in the barn that are concrete, etc) they act like ice skates. There are special shoes you can have put on that help some, but nothing truly eliminates it. AS far as the ice and snow itself hurting the hoof-not really. The bigger danger is the horse falling as they walk on a hard surface.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

When the weather conditions are bad for ice balls, my herd has come in the barn at night with balls that are a good two inches thick. They're positively rocking back on forth on these balls. While stomach churns at the sight of it, they never seem to be overly concerned (my barn floor, by the way, is dirt so traction is excellent). As I mentioned earlier, I use the claw part of the hammer to knock out the balls.

It's been my observations that: The horses will break the balls off on their own when they're out and about in the pasture; they don't seem bothered by them when they are in deep snow; they know when they have them because they take care crossing slick surfaces such as areas that have been scoured by the wind; two of my horses seem more prone to getting them while the other two are not (I think it might be the amount of heat they generate at the sole but have no proof of same); with regard to the cold weather, the hooves definitely grow slower in it but otherwise the horses don't show any discomfort in it whatsoever - as a matter of fact, my companion horse has a hoof related lameness problem and he is bothered less by it in the cold weather than in the warm (I think that's because the cold might act as a natural anti-inflammatory but, again, I have no proof of same).


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Cheapest quickest and simplest removal is the claw hammer, even those who don't like their feet being messed with are usually good to do by the end of winter here, I can just wander around the pen picking up feet and tapping ice balls out, no tying up needed.

LOL on the warm water idea up here, it may work some places, but we are cold enough that it would just add to the problems. The party trick here is to take a mug of boiling water outside, throw it in the air, and it will freeze into crystals and float down, pretty neat trick, but that is COLD


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Oh gosh yeah putting water on a snowball is asking for frozen solid feet hahaha. I get snow pads put on my shod horses, the rubber rim ones, and they work quite well. I find the barefoot horses fare better on not getting snowballed, but if its really bad I put a quick spray of Pam on each foot every day. Other than that, hammers are your best friend. I tap on the wall of the hoof or on the shoe to loosen the ball and then tap the ball and the whole thing usually comes out in one fell swoop.

Eta GH we boil the water first here makes a better cracking sound haha
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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Anebel, I love the rim snow pads! I have gotten the full pads in the past but my farrier recommended the rim ones this year and I'm in love. So much better!
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## JaphyJaphy (Nov 15, 2012)

As others have said, a hammer works well (you might have to get your horse used to it though). I also use shortening or lard (cheaper than vaseline, etc.) and it keeps the snow and ice from balling up. Be sure to keep it inside so it doesn't get too hard, and use an old paint brush to apply it.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Anything oily or greasy will help and I also keep a claw hammer handy if needed
Please dont spray hot water around as it will freeze really fast and you'll have a horrible icy patch - even the pee freezes in our barn once it gets below a certain temperature
I dont find it a real problem with unshod horses that are kept well trimmed and I have any horse I have shoes on in the winter shod with snow pads, they dont cover the entire sole of the foot so you can always see whats going on there (thrush etc) but I never get snowballs whith these on


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

Thank you FranknBeans, Chevaux, GH, Anabel, Japhy, JustDressageIt, & Jaydee, (hope that's everyone!), for, I know you were primarily responding to the OP, but you also provided a great deal of interesting and important cold-weather hoof info...

_I've never seen anything close to the kind of weather you are describing!_ I find it fascinating that you can literally throw boiling water in the air and watch it crackle and freeze on the way to hitting the ground...so neat!

My husband grew up as a teen in Montana and said in the coldest parts of winter, he & his twin brother could spit and watch it crack on the ground (also, something about urine doing the same...man, boys are gross!) :wink:
Anyway, I wasn't sure if he was yanking my chain about all of that, until now!

I appreciate the info; & Chevaux, I can complete see how your companion horse, with the laminitic-type of issues,* would * feel good with the iciness in his hooves! I bet the soothing factor is great! 

Have a safe winter y'all, and geez guys, stay warm!!:wave:


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## spookychick13 (Jan 1, 2011)

How are the rim ones different to the popper ones?


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The popper pad covers the whole of the sole and the raised bit pops any snow balls out. They do work but my concern is that its creating a great breeding ground for bacterial and fungal infections that could easily get out of control before noticed
A good layer of stockholm tar before the pad goes on might help


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

I don't live in a snowy area and never have.. but what about a wire-less hairdryer?! Would take some desensitizing and I am not sure how well it would work, but its a thought.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Might not be as odd as it sounds as it might loosen the ice enough to help prise it out - would also be good for drying out wet heels as part of mud fever (scratches) prevention
Any horses like mine who are OK with clippers and being vacuumed with a 'shop vac' would have no worries with it at all


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## RiverBelle (Dec 11, 2012)

I have always used pam spray on my horses hooves. I clean them out really good withe the pick and take a stiff bristled brush to get the last few pics of mud or snow out of it, then spray a film of the spray over the bottom of the hoof. The thin layer of pam is slick enough that the snow will not pack up inside (though there might be a little snow in the hoof but nothing like what is being described) but there wont be enough pam to make it hard for them to walk or slippery for them. Has worked really well every year I used it.


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## MLShunterjumper (Mar 17, 2012)

At my stable we use a claw hammer, give the ice a few knocks with the hammer and then pick it out with the claw side. It is actually very effective.


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## Captain Evil (Apr 18, 2012)

I used to use the full hoof snow poppers with shoes equipped with borium caulks. The hoof was packed under the pad with some sort of tar, and yeah, it felt totally weird to have that closed environment on their hoof sole. It worked okay, and never any thrush or problems like that. They still got snowballs, though.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Although we get plenty of cold weather, it's too dry here normally for the horses to get ice balls. The few times a year they do, I bring a bucket of warm water to the barn and as I bring them in, dunk each foot in the bucket, remove what's left of the ice ball and dry off their foot. It's warm enough in the barn I can do that. I spread a layer of old hay or shavings in the area where I am doing it just so I don't inadvertently create an ice rink!


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

^ Ha...ice rink....too cute!!


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*snow ice build up in hoofs*

try patrolium jelly vasaline that stops it sticking to the hoof and the frog when rideing or driveing.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Back2Horseback said:


> ^ Ha...ice rink....too cute!!


We had one last year! Nobody ever 'fessed up but while the BO was on vacation "somebody" tore down the gate between a stall run and the arena where a group of horses were turned out. All but one horse proceeded to invade the barn where they consumed 2 bales of hay and knocked over 2 heated buckets of water. 10 gals of water might not seem like much but when it's dumped down a concrete aisle when it's below zero, you get one heck of a large, slippery ice rink. I ended up covering the entire aisle with bags of shavings until everything melted weeks later.


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

Paint or rub on some vegetable oil. I love the hammer idea although knowing myself I'd end up hurting myself more than I'd get snow out. Vegetable oil can also be applied to chins and around the nose to keep snot-sicles or whisker snow balls away. I've seen people use the glove/sock heat packets in rx boots to melt the ice away. but depending on how much ice/snow you've got packed in it could take a while.


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## hellothere (Dec 2, 2012)

There was ice stuck in my mare's hoof this evening and it was so hard, but I just pulled hard enough from the bottom that it came out. It was so hard it came out in chunks which was oddly convenient.


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

Delfina said:


> We had one last year! Nobody ever 'fessed up but while the BO was on vacation "somebody" tore down the gate between a stall run and the arena where a group of horses were turned out. All but one horse proceeded to invade the barn where they consumed 2 bales of hay and knocked over 2 heated buckets of water. 10 gals of water might not seem like much but when it's dumped down a concrete aisle when it's below zero, you get one heck of a large, slippery ice rink. I ended up covering the entire aisle with bags of shavings until everything melted weeks later.


My G-d! What a nightmare...not to mention very potentially dangerous!!


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## woodsmenjoe (Dec 29, 2012)

I am a new horse owner and I don't know much about horse care I will be on this forum alot to get insight on alot of things


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## RedHorseRidge (Nov 3, 2012)

I have one mare with a hoof shape that causes snow to ball up all the time; it also doesn't help that we have a creek they walk through (one would think that would melt the ice/snow from the hoof, but in colder weather it makes things worse).

I have been using a hoof treatment (she is prone to thrush) that also contains carnuba wax. Once a week, I clean her feet, paint this stuff on, let it dry and then buff it with a newspaper. It has been working great! I get thrush protection AND it keeps the mud/snow from balling up in her hooves.


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## countrylove (Oct 18, 2012)

So silly but I picked my first frozen hooves today  (lived in the desert until this summer, now Im in 2-4 ft of snow) wasn't too bad but maybe stocking up on Pam spray is a good idea lol 21 horses (not all had snowballed thank god) and the ones who did had huge solid ice chunks and were on nothing but ice/snow, hoof was not touching the ground.

Question: how hard it it to apply pam and does it mess with their footing? Whats better vaseline or pam?
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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*snow ice build up in hoofs*

we dont have pram spray over here but we have allways used vasaline.
its been reasonably good and the clump build up falls out.


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## RedHorseRidge (Nov 3, 2012)

Oh, I'd like to add that I think a straight screw driver is the easiest way to pop out any snow/ice balls that form.


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