What To Do

Whenever you are faced with a horse that is having difficulty walking, always start by trying to pick up the feet and inspect them. In some cases, with multiple feet involved this may be very difficult because the horse resists putting additional weight on the lame limbs. Use a hoof pick to remove the mud or ice. Hard packed ice or frozen mud may be difficult to remove.

If your horse is still sore after an hour or two after removal of ice or hard mud, their soles may be bruised. Talk to your vet about giving your horse oral medication to temporarily relieve the pain and inflammation.

To prevent snowball formation on the soles, try spraying Pam cooking spray (or use Vaseline or Crisco) on the sole of the feet, or cover the soles in duct tape temporarily. Packing like this is mostly a problem for shod horses. Pulling shoes will help prevent this problem. Leaving the horse barefoot in the winter may be the best option. If your horse must be shod during wintry months, talk to your farrier about the variety of shoes and pads available that might reduce the buildup of snow or mud on the sole.