Another warning about ice and minis..

[targetsmom]

The ice in our mini turnout area is FINALLY melting, after covering the area (along with snow) since early December. We thought we were keeping it safe by spreading used bedding and even manure over the surface to provide traction.

Well today while I was exercising the stallion in there, shortly after my last ice chopping session, he was trotting along and then suddenly went right down on his knees!! Luckily he got right back up and seems fine, but he had fallen into a HOLE IN THE ICE several inches deep. As the ice is melting, it is doing so from the bottom, creating an unseen air space over a layer of water that makes the ice unstable. And everything is hidden under that layer of bedding which provides fine traction.

So, those of you who are still dealing with ice, please, please be very careful, even if it isn't slippery.

 

[CyndiD]

I remember some years ago we had a big horse with several cuts on her leg from falling thru an ice pack...it cut her like a knife!!

Dangerous stuff to man AND beast!!

 

[Dona]

The ice isn't "melting from the bottom" first. What has happened is, when we have lots of rain, or standing water & it is very cold. The top of it freezes & what's below eventually soaks into the ground before it gets cold enough to freeze. This results in nothing but air between the layer of ice & the ground. When it starts to warm up enough to begin to melt....it becomes much easier to break thru the ice into the holes below.

It can, indeed, be very dangerous!

 

[PaintedMeadows]

I have found here that hay bedding can actually insolate the the ground and allow ice to build underneath it. Then they slide on the bedding. Sand is the best in my opinion. I hope your boy is fine.

 

[Sue S]

Ya don't know what to do, I'm so afraid mine might fall from the ice, they have about 4 feet outside their stall doors that is flat than there is a slope than it goes flat again, I really worry about my preg. mares falling. They all love running up the hill than back down in their pasture. Its going to be 45 here the next couple days and suppose to get some rain tonite, hopefully the ice will melt.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Can you buy sandbags there? We buy them here at gas stations for weight in vehicles for winter. If you can buy some of those and then cut them open and pour them on the ice. It will also help the ice to melt faster when the sun is out. I hope that helps you out.

 

[Sanny]

be very careful about icy areas. I know someone that had one horse chase another up a icy and rocky hill and the first horse stumbled and fell and slid/rolled back down the hill and both knees are sliced open in several areas like it was done with a knife down to the bone.. They had to trailer her to the U of M equine hospital to be treated (and left for a couple of days) and her legs are still not healing well because of the location right on the knees and size of the gashes.

The owner had been talking about putting sand on the slippery area but hadn't gotten around to doing it.

 

[capall beag]

I just noticed deep air pockets today in the ice.

About 8" or more deep from where my full size mare has gone through.......so dangerous!

Now it is ice and deep dangerous holes, what a mess!

Spring needs to hurry along here in Maine.

 

[WLS]

Ya don't know what to do, I'm so afraid mine might fall from the ice, they have about 4 feet outside their stall doors that is flat than there is a slope than it goes flat again, I really worry about my preg. mares falling. They all love running up the hill than back down in their pasture. Its going to be 45 here the next couple days and suppose to get some rain tonite, hopefully the ice will melt.

Salt works wonders to get rid of ice. I buy the 40 pound bags at the feed store (never use the de-icer salt, it probably has lots of chemicals) Sprinkle it down, and you can hear the ice crackling and breaking up. It may be a more expensive solution, but cheaper than a broken leg for your horse or yourself.

Another solution, is to load up the horses and all move South..........and days I have considered it. It has been a long cold winter,

Wendy

 

[targetsmom]

I like the idea about using plain salt - I don't dare use the "ice-melt" with all the chemicals in it. The worst part is that the ice is constantly changing.

An update on the stallion, which I am sharing so others might learn even more from this incident: He was having some trouble eating so I had the vet out to check him. I never thought of checking his mouth after he fell, even though he is three and getting new teeth. He had a bit in his mouth when he fell, and the vet thinks it must have hit his teeth and knocked some of his (sharp) caps loose. The vet removed the loose caps, did some floating, and Buckshot seems much better. He was also an extremely good patient with no sedation!