Would you trim?

[andabigmac]

It is a snowy mess here. My goats are all limping because the pads of their feet get sore from walking across it. They were trimmed 3.5 weeks ago so they don't have bad growth yet. Nothing is folding over or anything like that. There is just a bit of hoof wall that is longer than the pads. I tried putting Vaseline and Pam on their hooves hoping that the snow wouldn't stick. It doesn't work.

So my question is would you trim their feet so snow couldn't pack in there or would you leave them a little long hoping the hoof walls would elevate their pads off the ground a bit? I don't want to make it worse by trimming their hooves if that is the case. They're all getting fat and waddle-y from being pregnant anyways. I don't want walking to be harder on them.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I try to keep mine trimmed in the winter months otherwise snow packs in them & turns to ice I've noticed even if it's just a little bit too long.

[CaliannG]

When I lived in Colorado, I had to keep them well trimmed in winter, or else they would get ice packs in their hooves.

[andabigmac]

Trim it is! It sure didn't help my horses though. They were trimmed last Friday and have no extra hoof and the snow packs into 1" ice platforms. They pop right off with a well placed hoof pick but I have to do it multiple times a day. What a pain in the patootie.

[CaliannG]

Horses are "special" that way.

You could always make them snow booties!

[andabigmac]

I could see me knitting snow booties. My husband would probably leave me.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

You could go to a sporting goods store and pick up some Musher's Secret. I keep it around for my dogs and so far it's working on the goats too.

If you can't find it Beeswax would help but it doesn't stay on as we'll as the Musher's.

ETA: Liberty Mountain in Salt Lake carries it for sure.

[andabigmac]

I'm going to Salt Lake today (ugh) I"ll try to find the store and the product. Thanks.

[SilverFlame819]

I bought my Musher's Secret online... In fact, I bought FOUR different kinds of paw wax to try them all to see which I liked best. *lol*

Good luck with your trip. I shoveled a foot of snow off our pack patio area this morning so my little old dog wouldn't have to brave it to potty. I have errands to run, but they'll have to wait until the roads are better. I don't want to deal with all the awful, entitled drivers with all that snow on the ground.

[Frosted Mini's]

Was a surprise to come home tonight to snow after being in Boise, where most of it was too wet to stick (there was a tiny accumulation, but hardly anything..not enough to play in)...I live in Buhl, ID. What kind of goats do you all have? I am not far from some of you.

I have never noticed a problem with snowy goat hooves...then again my goats are such princesses and stay in a lot more when it snows too.

[andabigmac]

Salt Lake wasn't bad. I live in Carbon County near Price and Wellington so I had the privilege of driving Highway 6 over Soldier Summit. What a mess that was. I agree with SilverFlame. The drivers here are idiots in the snow. Most of them anyways.

I've never had a problem with the snow before either. It is usually too powdery to pack but it has been the perfect annoying snow this year. I usually use a broom and sweep the snow off of my sidewalk. I had to shovel and use an axe to break up ice on the sidewalks. It's 2' deep here and the wind fills in any paths we shovel with snow in an hour. I'm okay with that though because it means there's more water from the snow and we're on drought alert for next year.
I have Nubians mostly.

[Frosted Mini's]

Oh wow, you are out there! My ex-bf from back in high school had a grandma that lived in Eureka, UT...the only town in that county if I understood right...very cute town. We only got a couple inches. Good luck with the goats and snow!