12/10/2025
Equine Winter Hoof Care
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board Certified in Equine Practice
Winter is here and it is important to remember the hooves that are between your horse and the snowy, icy ground. Although growth is reduced from about a quarter inch per month to half that rate, hooves still require care. Keeping hooves trimmed and balanced helps to prevent cracks and chips; it also keeps the angle of the hoof-pastern axis correct.
Plan and discuss shoeing options with your farrier, including scheduling and shoeing needs specific to your terrain and weather.
Horses that will remain in work through the winter may be kept shod, whereas other horses may not need shoes. Regardless of shoeing, horses should have their hooves picked out and inspected daily. Horses have better traction when left barefoot compared to being shod, and shod horses have more trouble with ice and snowballs, making it harder to walk and more likely to slip and fall.
Cold, hard, rough ground is more apt to cause concussion and therefore bruising and abscesses in your horse’s feet. This can be mitigated by using shoes with pads or hoof boots. Hooves can also be coated with petrolatum to make snow and ice not stick to the sole so easily. You may see a small crack and a darkened red area on the sole, indicative of bruising- or you may not as the bruise is deeper in the hoof capsule. Horses with bruising and abscessation can be obviously lame, requiring the abscess to be opened and drained.
There may be alternating wet and dry weather during the winter. The weakens the hoof wall and sole, allow bacteria to invade and multiply, causing an abscess. An abscess can develop acutely and cause the horse to be lame enough to look like a fracture. Improving hoof quality may help. The average sole depth should be 15-20 millimeters, more in large feet, with heavy walls and a strong frog. Good food or a supplement, such as Farrier’s Formula, can help. Shoes or boots may also help.
The wet and mud of winter can predispose horses to develop thrush, an infection of the frog tissue caused by a myriad of bacteria and fungi. The organisms will not be a problem when the ground is frozen, but as soon as it warms up and the freeze-thaw cycle begins, the frog will be weakened. Try to keep the feet as dry as possible.
Snow balling up inside your horse’s shoes can also cause sole-related injuries. A variety of pads are available to limit the amount of snow that can pack into the frog and sole areas: flat leather pads to keep snow out; urethane rim-type pads that force snow out; and bubble pads with tennis-ball-shaped centers that pop snow out. It may be better to leave your horse unshod as snow balls are smaller in unshod feet.
Snow pads wear down when the horse is ridden on pavement. Uneven shoe wear under dots of hard surfaces can cause ligament trouble quickly. Borium, caulks, and studs are other options for traction, but can also cause uneven pressure on the foot or even break off the shoe.
Mud can be a problem in winter on many farms. Standing or walking in mud can soften hooves, leading to internal hoof problems and hoof cracks. Steps to reduce the impact of mud include placing hay in different areas of the pasture, adding raised areas of fine gravel around water troughs and hang-out areas, and installing permeable geofabric in high-traffic areas, such as gates and walkways. Mud can become ice, leading to sole bruising. Ice is a danger to horses, causing slippage and potentially deadly injuries. These include lacerations, fractures, and blunt force trauma to the thorax and abdomen. Horses that fracture the pelvis or femur can lacerate large arteries and bleed out in little time. Some injuries result in permanent debilitation.
Remove obstacles and hazards from your pasture, driveway, and any walkway where horses are led.
Rake or harrow all your pastures where horses will be turned out after the first frost. On a dry day when the muddy sections are somewhat solid, walk the pasture. Look for nails, boards, and any sharp object that can hurt a horse.
Adjust blanket fit to eliminate your horse's chances of catching a hoof or shoe on too-long straps or ill-fitting blankets.
Check your fences, and gates. Gates are dangerous if horses gather there, and the ground is wet. When it turns icy, horses easily can slip a leg under a gate or through a gate (particularly a pipe gate) and hurt themselves.
Check the ground clearance on gates before it snows. Snow and ice buildup, decreasing clearance and makes them harder to open, especially with a prancing horse on the end of a lead. A gate that swings easily is safer than lifting one, or one that is frozen into the ground. Check latches and chains, too, to make sure you will be able to open and close the gate quickly.
Icy paddocks can cause slips and falls that lead to serious injury. If you are able, remove your horse from the paddock until the ice melts. Stock up on sand, salt, or shavings to use for traction, but make sure that your horse does not eat off the sand as this can lead to sand colic. Spreading a thin layer of wood ash or fresh manure can help. Make a habit of checking the pathways your horse needs to walk and sprinkle the way with something that will offer some traction. Another alternative is old carpeting or rubber mats that can be put in place to traverse ice, but be sure not to leave them out, as once they are covered with snow and ice, there is no traction provided. They may even freeze to the ground.
During heavy snowfalls, remove snow from paddocks to allow horses easy access to feed, water, and shelter. Avoid piling snow in low areas, drainage ways, septic tank areas, wellheads, and other drinking sources. Snow with manure, bedding, and soil can pollute streams and wetlands. Moving snow is expensive, so keep distances and travel time to a minimum. Removing snow helps the paddock drain and dry faster in the spring.
Fox Run Equine Center
www.foxrunequine.com
(724) 727-3481
