Turnout in snow?

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moodymare_1993

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Hi everyone, just a quick question to ask you all, may sound a stupid one and all but,

Is my shoeless horse ok to be turned out during the day in snow??

I have some people say its fine if there barefoot cuz the snow doesn't build up on Their hooves...but I've also had people say no because they say it still builds up? I left my mare out last night, and it happened to snow here I am for the first time this winter, she was completely happy, lots of hay etc, but her hooves did have some ice build up?

Would this just be there cuz she was on the snow all night and morning?

How can u stop build up of ice?
Please help
 
Mine are all out, none have shoes and none have ever had problems of it building up..I think I have heard that some people put grease on the soles to stop it building up, but please don't hold me to that as I have never done it and have visions of horses sliding all over the place :)
 
Snow rarely builds up in unshod horses and even when it does, they just get a flat wide disk, not the stilts shod horses get. It's actually pretty good for their feet as it stimulate the sole and frogs. 2yrs ago, when there was that couple of months of knee deep snow, my lot had AMAZING loooking feet as they spent some much time off mud and on a hard flat (compacted snow) surface.
 
Don't worry, the snow will fall out naturally. Horses manage, they are quite sensible and don't hooley about if they don't feel safe.

Mine are frequently out in the snow, all unshod, and I don't do anything to their feet, just let them get on with it. :)
 
Thank you for all your replies. She is only out during the day tbh, and all I did this morning was pull the ice/snow of the bottoms off her feet. I just wanted to make sure she wants uncomfortable. But now thanks to all your replies she can go out with me not having to worry :)
 
Turn out when it snows??? You must be mad. All mine come in and have a hot cocoa with me in the kitchen. Slippers and dressing gown with a copy of "chat".

You cruel people.
 
Fine :) 16 at our yard all out barefoot. Just brought my mare in a d picked her feet out and no snow in them at all. Suprising as we have 1ft of snow! Horses are loving it!
 
Well, ours are all out and 3 out of 5 are shod - they don't have issues, barefoot's probably preferable in the snow TBH as it doesn't get as built up in their feet. However, our shod and unshod all manage no probs - can be funny though trying to bring two of the shod ones in at night though when they are walking with 'heel's on! (and before anyone says anything, they have to go all of about 15 ft from gate to stable on hard standingand yes I do take the snow out when at the stable :) )
 
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