Winter weather means we may have to adjust how we care for our horse’s hooves. Many farriers may experience a lull in their schedule during the winter months because as one suggested, ‘people forget they have horses in the winter’. Of course, you probably won’t forget you have a horse, but it’s easy to neglect hoof care, especially when you’re not riding as much as you would in warm weather.

Don’t Forget Your Horse

Horse’s hooves may not grow as quickly in the winter months for a few reasons.

Your horse probably isn’t getting as much exercise, which in combination with colder temperatures slows the circulation in the hoof. More energy may be used for keeping warm, so less goes to growth and healing (horses that are injured in the winter months may heal more slowly as well). The  nutrition your horse is taking in may change as well. Grass in late fall and winter, if it is available at all, does not have the same nutritional value as it does during the warmer months, or your horse may eat only hay during the winter instead of pasture grass. But just because your horse’s hooves don’t grow as quickly, only means you may not have to call the farrier out as often. It doesn’t mean you don’t have the farrier out at all.

Neglecting your horse’s hooves during the winter can lead to problems that can take months to fix. Icy and uneven frozen ground can be hazardous,leading to muscle, tendon and ligament injuries. Your horse has better grip if its hooves are trimmed and not allowed to get overly long.

If your horse’s hooves are left long they can develop cracks and flares where problems like white line disease, abscesses and thrush can take hold. Once a hoof is no longer balanced because it hasn’t been trimmed properly, it can take several trims to bring it back into shape. Bacterial infections can take months to heal.  Even without hazardous footing and risk of infection to worry about, overgrown hooves can cause strain on the horse’s legs.

 

Shoeing in Winter

Many people remove their horses’ shoes during the winter months allowing the horse’s hooves to grow naturally for a time. If you’re not riding a lot in the winter, it’s probably a good idea. However, if you feel your horse needs shoes all year round, you’ll need to make changes when the snow and ice arrive. Shoes make a horse’s hooves slipperier on ice, so ask your farrier about caulks or special nails on the shoes to give your horse more grip. Screw in caulks can be used, but it may be a struggle to put them in and remove them on an icy or snowy hoof, and they tend to be larger than a borium caulk applied to a shoe, which means a horse is more likely to hurt itself or perhaps another horse if there’s a barnyard scuffle.

 

Avoid Snow Balls

Snow balls up badly under shod hooves. The warmth of the hoof melts the snow, but the moisture then freezes to the cold metal shoe. These ice balls can grow so large, it’s almost impossible for the horse to walk normally. They can cause bruising to the sole, and strain the horse’s legs. And they can freeze so hard it’s  a struggle to break them off. You might be tempted to hack at them with metal hoof picks and hammers. However, there’s a risk of slipping and knocking a hole in your horse’s heel or sole. Pouring a  slow steady stream of warm water against the base of the ice ball is safer. Then dry the hoof off so the water doesn’t freeze.  There are many home remedies to prevent this, but they only work for a short time until they wear off. Cooking spray and petroleum jelly are the two most common remedies. While they might be effective during a short ride, your horse may still be standing around with uncomfortable balls of ice under its hooves in the pasture. 

The only way to avoid snow balls freezing to shod hooves is with snow pads. These pads cover a good portion of, or all the hoof, depending upon the design.  Before  they’re applied between the  regular shoes and the hoof, your horse’s hoof must be healthy. Pads of any kind make it impossible to check for problems like thrush, and make treatment difficult. Rim pads may not work if the bottom of the horse’s hoof gets packed with mud or manure. The ice ball may form just as it does on an un-padded hoof. So, hoof cleaning is as important in winter as any other time of year.

Ride With Hooves (and Legs) in Mind

Often frozen ground your horse may be more prone to bruising of the sole, and the concussive forces are harder on its legs. When you ride, avoid hurting your horse’s hooves by being selective about footing and going a slower. That way, you can avoid slips, chips and strains on your horse’s hooves and legs. If you find chipping is a problem, even with regular hoof care, consider using hoof boots, and perhaps adding a hoof growth supplement to your horse’s diet.