Use A Screwdriver As A Hoof Pick

A screwdriver can make a great hoof pick.

Below: A screwdriver often used as a hoof pick.

Hoof picks are a great tool for use with our horses. We're particularly fond of the style with a pointy end that widens into a triangular shape. We find this shape can make a handy difference when prying packed-in mud or dirt out of our horses' hooves.

However, a lot of the time our favorite hoof pick is a screwdriver. We prefer a narrow, flat head over a Phillips head, and a long handle. While the narrow head lets us easily pry under packed-in mud, dirt, or rocks, it's the long handle that we really like. The length of the handle gives us more leverage than a conventional hoof pick and makes prying stubborn stuff out of our horses' hooves a lot easier.

Below: Our favorite screwdriver to use as a hoof pick. It is 10 and 3/4 inches long tip-to-tip.

Not everyone will prefer a screwdriver over a hoof pick. For a lot of folks, though, a screwdriver is a great choice. The extra leverage it provides can make hoof cleaning noticeably easier for people with young hands, old hands, injured hands, or any hands that can use the extra leverage a screwdriver can provide.

We still love an actual hoof pick. They're inexpensive, come in several variations to suit your preference, and easily slip into or out of a back pocket or saddle bag. Even so, when it comes to cleaning our horses' hooves, a screwdriver is often our hoof pick of choice.