Help - my horse is on snow stilts!

[lindsas]

Any advice for stopping snow and ice forming stilts inside Legend's shoes? He has heart-bars on the fronts which makes perfect conditions for the ice to build up into sometimes 3 inch high platforms - it looks VERY uncomfortable and is probably not that safe.

I have been putting vaseline round the inside of the shoes and the soles of his hooves, but although it is helping and the stilts do fall out again sometimes, they are still forming.

I'm sure I can't be the only one with this problem right now. Any bright ideas at all?

Many thanks

[hdonna]

Yeh I have the same problem and cant find anything to work so far. I have also posted on here. Just pick their feet as as often as pos but sometimes it is still imposible to get it out I have to get them in the shelter off the snow so their feet can warm up then pick them out

[lindsas]

Trouble is, I'm at work all day during the week, so can only do it morning and night. There is no way they would put up with being shut in to keep them off the snow, so I can't really find a workable solution. I guess hoof boots would do it, but I can't afford to spend a fortune for a few days of snow - besides, by the time I got them, it would have all gone, probably!

[sarahbing]

Just a thought but would nappies and gaffer tape work, like a poultice but dry?

[sarahbing]

You could cover the whole thing with a plastic bag?

[osala]

My vet reccomends Stockholm tar, says it stays in longer than vaseline. Haven't got round to getting any yet myself.

[kristine]

Other than grease and barefoot, I don't know what else to do. I heard once of some hoof pads that go under the shoes that are like a little bubble that pops out ice. Might look into them, but by the time you find them, the weather might be better!

[specialsparkle3]

When I had horses with shoes on I used to plaster their soles with Vaseline or Stockholm tar as advised but I found vaseline better to be honest.

[lindsas]

I did think of plastic bags, but then had visions of him sliding around the place, like on skis ;D. They probably wouldn't last very long anyway.

Have really smothered hooves in vaseline last night, and did seem to do the trick, so will persist with using tons of it .

Many thanks.

[cubic]

What about putting socks over his hooves? they'll provide grip too.

I've found hoof oil better than vaseline, but maybe it depends on the depth of the snow etc.