reasons to ice hooves

 

Why ice your horse’s hooves?

 

Hoof health starts inside the horse, and icing hooves helps reduce inflammation. Thankfully, most horses will never experience laminitis, and many ways we can help prevent this from happening.

 

hoof boot on a gray pony

Boots are one way to get icing done. These are designed for laminitis and will cover the fetlock and pastern, cooling the blood going into the hoof for added oomph.

 

When to ice

 

Call your veterinarian for a complete diagnosis and treatment plan or with any questions. It’s time to ice if your horse has or does any of these things:

 

  • Bad or questionable footing! Hard ground creates a lot of concussion, which can be uncomfortable. Icing the hooves after a hard work out, bad footing, or a lot of jumping takes some of the sting out of the hooves.

 

  • Your horse has a fever. The inflammation that occurs in your horse’s body during a fever can spread rapidly into the hooves via the enzymes that are involved in the inflammation process. For more on fever and founder, read this.

 

digital thermometer reading horse temperature

Regular monitoring of your horse’s temp will alert you to a fever long before he tells you.

 

 

  • Your horse is injured. Injuries may cause your horse to shift weight from one leg to the others. Over time, this can cause supporting limb laminitis. Use ice to help those supporting legs and hooves feel better and hopefully stay free of laminitis.

 

inside of ice boot showing three ice packs

The inside of an ice boot. Ice reduces inflammation, which is good for all parts of your horse, especially his feet. Ice is also a pain reliever.

 

 

horse with crazy mane

The hard ground can lead to sore hooves.

 

  • You found your horse binge eating. Binging on grain or hay or pasture creates a storm of problems in the hindgut. All of that food hitting the hindgut rapidly lets the microbes have a feast, triggering a chain reaction that can affect hoof health. For more on the horse that binge eats a concentrated meal, read this.

 

 

horse in ice boots

Don’t forget to call your vet! A little bit of proactive hoof icing can go a long way to keeping your horse sound and happy.


go shopping button for horse products


Go shopping!

These fantastic links set you up with hoof health care and icing hooves. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, and this is ZIPPO extra charge to you! I thank you for your support.

The best-known hoof supplement

 

Hoof and joint supplement

The gold standard in hoof dressings

AniMed hoof Supplement

 

Durasole – for hoof hardening

 

CleanTrax helps with white line disease and hoof infections.

 

White Lightning for hoof infections in a soaking kit

 

White Lightning Gel

Hoof clay.

Another type of hoof clay.

SteriHoof Spray for thrush and white line

Magic Cushion takes the sting out of hooves

Ichthammol salve for wounds and hoof issues.

 

Bright green salt poultice for hooves.

 

These ice packs make for easy cooling of your horse’s legs and hooves. They last for hours.

This tall boot can be filled with ice or ice packs to help the horse with laminitis.

 

These affordable boots can be filled with ice to help your horse.

 

 

Cavallo Simple Hoof Boot for Horses, Black – thick-soled hoof boot for riding and hoof wrapping.

EasyCare Easyboot Glove Soft Hoof Boot – these boots are designed for riding, not hoof packing, and have a more precise fit.

 

These Cloud boots are great for the horse that needs extra cushion, like the horse with laminitis

 

Hoof Wraps Easy Soaker with pads

 

 

Hoof Wraps Brand Bandage – Affordable wrap for hoof protection

 

Good reading if the hoof is fascinating to you!