Ready for Winter: How to Keep Your Horse Sure-Footed on Snow and Ice

Fall rides are winding down, and in much of the country the first frosty mornings are already here. If your horse wears Duplo composite shoes, now is the time to plan for winter grip, before the trails turn to ice and packed snow. This guide covers which shoe to choose for the cold, which studs fit which shoes, how to choose a height, and how to keep your horse safe.

Step 1: Choose the orange shoe for winter

Duplo shoes come in two hardnesses, and you can tell them apart by the colored knobs or dots on the shoe:

• Standard (orange) is made from a slightly softer synthetic material.
• Extra (green) is a little harder. It holds up better in heat and stays wear-resistant at high temperatures, which makes it a great summer choice.

The orange knobs mark the softer Standard version.

In the cold, that difference matters. The softer orange Standard material stays flexible and shock-absorbing even at low temperatures, while a harder material can stiffen up and lose some of its grip when it freezes. That's why Duplo recommends the Standard material for the cold season. If your horse wears green Extra shoes in summer, consider switching to orange at your fall reset.

Step 2: Know which shoe you have

Not every Duplo shoe takes every stud. The deciding factor is how the threaded holes are built into the shoe.

• Threaded inserts set in the urethane only: the Duplo Clipped and Threaded shoe (and the clipped and threaded HDS). These are made for Anti-Skid Studs with Disc and are meant to be fitted once for the season, not swapped back and forth.
• Threaded inserts anchored in a metal bar: shoes such as the Duplo Jumper and other straight bar models with solid inserts. These are strong enough for Hexagon Studs and Conical "Ice" Studs, and they handle regular stud changes.

Hexagon and ice studs should never go into the urethane-only inserts of a Clipped and Threaded shoe. They put too much load on the insert.

Duplo Clipped and Threaded: sale on remaining stock. All Clipped and Threaded shoes still in stock are on sale while supplies last. Need a size that's sold out? Contact me and I'll order it for you at the regular price.

Step 3: Match the stud to how you ride

Ice and frozen pavement call for the right stud and shoe combination.

Trail and pleasure riding: Anti-Skid Studs with Disc

For most winter riders, this is the right choice. The small disc spreads the load across the shoe, and the hardened tip bites into ice without being harsh on pavement.

• 4 mm is the recommended everyday height and works well for most conditions.
• 6 mm is for limited use, mainly when there's good snow cover. On hard, bare ground it offers little extra grip and adds strain.
• Don't go taller than 6 mm in these shoes. Taller studs can harm the horse and weaken the threaded insert.

Disc studs are designed for leisure and trail riding. They aren't intended for high-strain work like jumping, eventing or hunting.

Performance work and serious ice: Hexagon and Ice studs

If you need more bite, or you ride in demanding disciplines, choose a shoe with metal-anchored inserts and fit hexagon or ice studs. In very icy regions, riders often prefer the Jumper because it has more stud holes.

• Hexagon studs come in 6, 8 and 12 mm. About 3 mm of each stud sits inside the thread, so the working height is roughly 3, 5 and 9 mm.
• Conical "Ice" studs (12 and 14 mm) are self-tapping and built for icy, frozen ground. Skip them on asphalt and other hard surfaces.
• Tall studs (12 to 14 mm) should only stay in when the ground allows it, such as deep, steady snow. Take them out for paved areas, stalls and hard paddocks.
• For open-toe shoes, stick to 6 or 8 mm hexagon studs.

Everyday trail grip, all year round: GripStuds

Not every horse needs studs. For extra grip on trails in any season, GripStuds are a lighter option. These small tungsten carbide spikes screw straight into the Duplo shoe with the matching adapter tool, up to eight per shoe depending on the model. Placed in the toe area, they also help protect the shoe from wear. They come in sizes M and L; size L isn't suitable for the toe area of the STS (Straight Toe Shoe).

Step 4: Fit the studs

Until you need studs, keep the holes filled with Stud Blanks so dirt and gravel can't pack into the threads. When it's time to switch:

1. Clear any dirt from the hex socket of the blank.
2. Unscrew the blank with the matching Hex Key (5/32" for M8 blanks, 3/16" for M10 blanks).
3. Clean the threads with a Thread Hole Cleaner. Self-tapping ice studs can skip this step.
4. Start the stud by hand until it catches, then snug it down with a wrench.

Anti-Skid Studs with Disc fitted and ready for the season.

For disc studs in Clipped and Threaded shoes, a small drop of thread locker on the threads helps keep them secure. Remember that these inserts aren't built for repeated changes, so plan on switching from blank to stud just once.

Step 5: Stop snow from balling up

Studs help with ice, but packed snow can build up under the hoof and leave your horse walking on slippery snowballs. Here's how to handle it, from first line of defense to last resort:

• The built-in debris guard. Duplo shoes have a molded lip around the inside edge of the shoe. It acts as a snow grip and keeps most wet snow from packing in under the hoof, so for many horses no extra gear is needed.

Ground side: the debris guard is the raised lip around the inside edge of the shoe.

Side view of the same shoe.

• A closed-sole shoe. If snow keeps building up anyway, a model with a closed sole area, such as the Duplo Clipped Closed Sole, gives snow nowhere to collect.
• The Hoof Sole Protector. When nothing else works, the Hoof Sole Protector closes the open sole of a Duplo shoe completely.
• Steel shoes. For horses in steel shoes, Protective Insoles do the same job. Their elastic rim works as a built-in snow grip, and they also support the frog and absorb shock. I keep size 0 in stock, and the Protective Insoles now come in larger sizes too. Contact me and I'll special order the size you need.

The Hoof Sole Protector closes the sole completely.

Safety first

• Check daily. Look at the studs, the shoe and the clips every day and before every ride. If a stud or insert looks tilted, the fit isn't right anymore. Call your farrier.
• Think about the herd. Studs raise the risk of injury, both to your horse and to pasture mates. Many boarding barns don't allow them, so check with your barn owner first.
• Slow down. Even with studs, ice is ice. Ride at a pace that suits the footing.
• Work with your farrier. Correct shoe size and fit decide where the studs end up at the heel, and that matters for comfort and safety.

Shop winter gear

You'll find studs, blanks, tools and snow protection in our Duplo Anti-Skid Protection collection. Not sure which setup is right for your horse? Get in touch. I'm happy to help you choose.

Kathi van der Gugten
Equine Hoof Solutions