Anti-snow pad
Anyone who has his horse shoed even in the winter knows the problem. As soon as the first snow falls, the solid lump forms in the horse's horse shoe. Due to the pressure when moving, the snow turns to ice. At some point, the horse then moves as if on high heels made of ice and only slides around.
This is unpleasant and dangerous for the horse, because it can easily injure itself. However, it is easy to prevent the snow from sticking inside the hoof.
What are snowballs packed under the horses hoof?
An anti-snow pad is a horseshoe-shaped rubber plate with a bead on the inner edge. The flat part of the grip comes between the hoof and the horseshoe so that the rubber bead is on the inner edge of the horseshoe. By nailing the iron to the horseshoe, the snow grip is also held in place.
From now on, the rubber bead moves with every step of the horse and throws the snow out of the hoofs again before lumps form. The horse no longer "stalls" and can walk safely.
These anti-snow pads are relatively expensive at about 40 Euros for one set. However, the insoles can be used several times and last about two to three years if well cared for. Sharp-edged stones and broken glass destroy the snow pads.
The disadvantages of anti-snow pads
- In addition to the relatively high costs, snow pads have other disadvantages.
- Firstly, moisture and dirt can get stuck under the rubber lip. This is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and can lead to smelly and crumbly hooves in sensitive horses.
- The anti-snow pad is also an additional layer between the hoof and the iron and reduces the hardness of the iron on the hoof. It is therefore easier to lose an iron - especially when the horses are moving in the paddock in the cold. Therefore it is worth to keep some old snow pads so that you have a replacement when the iron with the grip is no longer to be found.
The anti-snow pads are available under different names, for example, snow inlays, hoof grips or snow grips.
