Mary Allen
Snow, ice, road salt, muddy pastures, restricted movement: winter is a real test for horses’ hooves. Careful hoof care is particularly important.
Even when horses stand in the snow for hours, they don’t get cold feet. A hoof with good blood circulation is warm even at temperatures well below freezing and the hoof horn also insulates very well against the cold. However, this hoof horn in particular is exposed to several challenges due to modern horse husbandry. The extreme, dry cold would make the hoof horn hard and tight.
In our latitudes, however, with increasingly mild, wet winters, the opposite is the case: the permanent wetness, for example on muddy paddocks or pastures, softens the hoof horn. This makes it more susceptible to harmful external influences such as putrefactive bacteria, fungi, or the de-icing salts that are often generously spread on roads and paths in winter.
The aggressive irritant gas ammonia, which is produced when horses’ urine and feces decompose, not only attacks the horse’s respiratory tract but also literally eats away at the hoof horn. Foul paddocks or poorly mucked out boxes, in which the horses stand for many hours every day in winter, are therefore poison for the hooves.
Another problem arises in winter: the hoof horn now grows less rapidly. On the one hand, this is due to the metabolism, on the other hand, the hoof is less supplied with blood because the horses move less. They do this part of their own accord: they walk slower and more cautiously on frozen ground, and they also lack the incentive to exercise in the form of fresh grass on pasture. In addition, some horse owners and riders act counterproductively: instead of moving the horse longer in winter, they often shorten the training sessions because of the cold and darkness.
Hoof Picking is Important
Winter makes special demands on hoof management. Hoof picking when leaving the stable has become a matter of course for most horse owners. However, one should also scrape the hooves after going out to pasture, as the combination of soil and horse manure creates rotting germs.
When you hear the word «hoof care», the first thing that probably comes to mind is the pot of hoof fat. While this is the best-known and most common hoof care product, it should be used with caution. Most farriers today advise against hoof grease or oil: it “clogs” the pores of the hoof horn and prevents the hoof from “breathing”: If there is too much moisture in the hoof horn, it can no longer escape to the outside because of the grease or oil – and vice versa. In addition, bacteria can happily spread under the airtight film left by hoof fat, oil, or tar and cause thrush, for example.
It is therefore much more important to ensure a good moisture balance in the hoof with the housing conditions. Certain conditions cannot be prevented in winter: if it is wet and the pastures are muddy, this can only be changed to a limited extent. If you can, spread sand or wood chips, but this solution is usually not permanent because the horse’s hooves will re-enter the ground over time.
However, not allowing the horse to graze in the winter is not the key to healthy hooves: the active animal needs free exercise every day, even in the cold season. However, a lot can be gained by limiting grazing time to a few hours a day. The rest of the time, the hooves can dry a little in the dry shelter of the open stable or the cleanly littered box and the hoof horn does not swell any further. In the morning, before letting the horses out to pasture again, a thin layer of hoof fat can be applied to slow down the re-entry of moisture.
Care Products Require Patience
However, the constant change from wet to dry also affects the hoof and can lead to stress cracks in the horn. This can be prevented to a certain extent with care products. For example, with a hoof balm or gel that is breathable and keeps the hoof elastic. These products often contain natural additives such as eucalyptus, thyme, or rosemary oil, which are said to have an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and blood circulation-promoting effect.
If you have the necessary patience and discipline, you can achieve a lot with care products that contain laurel oil. These are not applied to the hoof but massaged into the coronet regularly, for example with an old toothbrush. This promotes blood circulation and stimulates horn growth. However, these products must be used over a longer period before the first results become visible. The same applies to feeding special food supplements that are intended to ensure healthy, strong hooves. After all, it takes a full year for the hoof horn to completely regenerate.
Adhering to the fogging cycles is particularly important in winter. Although the horn grows back less quickly, the horseshoes are exposed to greater stress. Deep, muddy ground in the field or on the pasture has a real suction effect and can easily pull loose, poorly holding horseshoes off the horse’s feet. In horses that go barefoot, the slower horn growth means that the hooves wear out faster on hard winter soils or when riding a lot on the snow-cleared asphalt. In this case, the horse needs protection, such as hoof boots. If the paths are icy, hooves can no longer find a footing. Slipping poses a great risk of injury, not only for the horse but also for the rider in the event of a fall.
Anti-Slip Protection Against Ice
In this case, blacksmiths and equestrian retailers offer a variety of solutions for safe rides in the snow and on ice. The so-called hoof grip, a flat, horseshoe-shaped rubber ring with a bulge, helps against the centimeter-high bulging of wet snow under the hoof. The flat part is nailed for attachment between the hoof horn and shoe, the rubber bead is on the inside edge of the horseshoe.
If the horse runs on snow, the bulge is compressed when it hits the ground, the horse lifts its hoof again, the bulge expands again due to its tension, and the snow is pressed out of the hoof. As a non-permanent solution, there are flexible metal rings with a plastic coating that can be stretched into the horseshoe if necessary and offer effective protection against galling.
If there is ice, the horseshoes need additional “anti-slip protection” in the form of metal studs. These are hammered into the holes provided in the horseshoe or screwed in with a special wrench. There are special winter hoof shoes for barefoot horses, which are also equipped with studs and prevent dangerous slipping on frozen paths.