This Snow knocker hammer has a wooden handle and an iron head with a flat face on one side and a long 5 1/4 inches spike on the other and was homemade. Hammers like this one are used to clean ice out of horse hooves. As horses walk through snow, some of it sticks under their hoof and gets compressed into ice every time they take a step. Removing the ice mass helps the horses balance and prevents injury. The sharp tip was used to pick under the ice mass and the flat hammer head was hit with another hammer to chisel the ice out. This was often done before bringing a horse into a stable or other indoor area to prevent injuries to the horse from tripping or slipping on a slippery surface. Removing the ice build up also keeps the horse from slipping when going up a hill.