Spring Has Unsprung

I got up early this morning to soak Tonka's foot before heading to work and it was so cold that my hands were aching while I was preparing feed and the epsom salt solution. Tonka seems to like his pedicures, but there is a critical point at which he will pull back (and knock over the bucket if I'm not careful). There is a large piece of material breaking away from his right heel now, and I suspect this has been the problem as he becomes uncharacteristically impatient and intolerant when I poke at it. Not sure whether there's an abscess under there, but I assume that softening it up can't hurt. He does seem to be walking more comfortably, which is a relief. It started to snow about 10 minutes after I left the ranch, and David took this picture sometime later: