Snow pads: alternatives to snowballing in the hooves

Hi!

❄️Smearing oil on the inside of the hooves can help a little. In my experience, though, it is not foolproof.

❄️If the going is icy and you have no snow pads, take a hoof pick with you when you ride or lead your horse through the snow.

❄️ Several products clip onto the underside of the hoof if your farrier has not fitted permanent snow pads. The removable versions usually screw on with the studs.

❄️One year I tried cutting lids out of ice-cream tubs and clicking them under the edge of the shoes. They held up so-so. As a stopgap it might buy you a little time. How well they stay on probably also depends on how much the horse moves its legs and feet, and my horse at the time was a livewire who pranced about no end in the snow😅🐎💨