We are often asked if our glue-on EasyShoes can be applied in below freezing temperatures. And most importantly, do the shoes stay on in below freezing temperatures? The answer is yes!
While gluing in below freezing temperatures is absolutely possible, we do recommend taking a few extra precautions to ensure a successful application. Consider these tips before your next application.
Find a clean, dry location to glue.
Having a dry location to glue will make the gluing process much easier. A covered barn or run-in shed is ideal, but you can also successfully glue outdoors, either on pavement or a rubber mat. Trimming and gluing in remote locations? No problem. Bring a rubber mat with you to provide a clean, dry workspace.
Make sure the hoof is completely dry and ready for glue.
Many of us deal with mud, snow, and soggy pastures in the winter. To prep the hoof for glue, we highly recommend using a Hoof Buffy, wire hoof brush, and butane torch to prep the hoof. Repeat 3 times. We encourage you to prep the hoof this way regardless of the weather, but in the winter, this is even more crucial. You can check your hoof prep using a moisture meter. If the moisture meter reads “0” on the hoof wall, you are ready to glue.
Keep your glue, shoes, and hoof warm.
We recommend trying to keep the glue, shoes, and hoof wall as close to the same temperature as possible. If one is cold and the other is hot, it makes gluing more tricky. To keep your glue and shoes warm, we recommend keeping your supplies in a heated truck or heated tack room. Or, you can bring a heating pad to cover your glue, shoes, and supplies. To warm the hoof wall, we recommend a heat gun.
Allow extra time for glue to set.
The cold will increase the time it takes for the glue to set. Whereas we normally recommend leaving the hoof wrapped for 10 minutes, we recommend leaving the hoof wrapped twice as long to ensure the glue is set.
As you can see, gluing in cold weather is possible. If you take the extra time to complete these steps, your shoes can stay on for a full trim cycle even in sloppy turnout conditions.
