Bandages Question

[Colorado Sunset]

Sorry, this is a very random question!!

I have heard that using excersise bandages weaken the horses legs or something to that affect, is true?

Jo

[Samsky]

Pretty much.A horse that does not need bandages but is constantly worked in them will end up relying on the support from them and will more than likely go lame if worked without.

[Colorado Sunset]

Sorry, feel slightly ignorant here!! Umm, so what horses need bandages?

Every summer I ride at a dressage camp in poland and every single horse has its own bandages and have to where them in all their lessons. Should they not??

Thanks a lot for your help :)

Jo

[Volvic]

Umm, so what horses need bandages? Sky had a tendon injury a year or so ago & the vet said that if she came back into work, she would always have to wear support boots (also called sports medicine boots). However, I want to try to wean her off these boots, so I'm going to use bandages instead for flatwork as they offer slightly less support & should encourage her tendons to strengthen up.

I hope this makes sense!

[IrisSilverMoon]

bandages really don't offer much support for the leg if any. Medicine boots and splint boots however, do offer support. The bandages at the dressage camp are used as leg warmers to help the horses joints and legs warm up for work.

[Rips]

IrisSilverMoon what are splint boots?

Sorry Colorado Sunset I'm not hi-jacking your thread but my mare has had splint problems in the past and I really wanted to put bandages on her but YO says he would prefer if I didn't so that her legs can strengthen up on their own.
He also said same as above, they wouldn't give much support or prevent concussion.

[IrisSilverMoon]

oops...I believe they are called brushing boots in the UK...am i correct?

[galadriel]

Splint boots or brushing boots leave the fetlock joint free, and so do not offer much support if any. Bandages used alone also do not offer much support, as they shouldn't be wrapped tightly enough to provide that support.

The boots or wraps that do exert pressure on the fetlock are the ones which provide support. Sports medicine boots and bandanges wrapped tightly with padding provide support at the fetlock. Open front jumping boots also have some impact on the fetlock.

A horse might need support if he is going to be performing at a higher level than usual. A strenuous schooling session, or a competition in which the horse does a lot more than usual, might call for joint support.

[Rips]

Thanks , yep I know them as brushing boots.

[Colorado Sunset]

Thanks everyone, that was tres helpful! :)

(by the way, Rip, dont worry about hijacking my thread!! I always do that to everyone else!! oops!! :) )

Jo

[KarinUS]

So wearing SMBs frequently actually weakens the horse?

[galadriel]

I wouldn't guess that it weakens the horse; if they're only worn for riding, then he has lots of time in which he's actually using his legs in turnout etc. So the legs that he already has won't be lost.

But if you're in progressively increasing training, and you're working the horse to make him stronger & develop a basis for more difficult work...then using SMB's while working can prevent him from developing sufficient strength in his legs. Instead of adapting to the workload, the tendons & ligaments never feel the full workload, so they don't become stronger to compensate.

Again, that's really not a concern with splint.brushing boots, or even polo wraps. They just don't support the joint enough to inhibit it. I usually use splint boots if I'm worried about the horse knocking himself or knocking into things (sturdy jumps, brush on trail rides and so on). I tend to only use supportive boots or wraps when I feel that the horse will be exerting himself much more than usual.

[Silver1]

I'm glad these questions have been brought up, Now that its getting rainy again the pasture is now officially a mud bath and I'm wondering if I should wrap my horses legs before letting her romp. My concern isn't so much that she's going to pull a tendon, but that she's going to slip in the mud and step on/kick herself trying to maintain her balance. Or step on one of the ever present sticks lurking just below the mud...

[KarinUS]

That's an interesting idea but how will you keep the wraps from totally caking up with mud? I'd think if the wraps got muddy it would be very uncomfy... :(

[Silver1]

Oh, sorry let me explain. I live in California, which is not known for its rain. The mud isn't deep, and its not usually sopping either, just slippery, I doubt the mud would get much more then her ankles wet, but Mear does tend to slide around quite a lot when she gallops. I've got a picture of her playing in the mud somewhere.

[KarinUS]

I see what you mean. If it's that slippery though it might be worth looking into something to get her from slipping all together rather than provide protection for just this area.
If she slips a lot she could just as well injure her shoulder, etc.
Maybe studs om her shoes or sand added to the paddock?

[galadriel]

The drawback of using boots or wraps in mud is that if any gets under the boot, it can really rub. Unpleasant. And if a horse is playful in mud, even if the mud isn't sopping, they can still pick up a lot of wet mud on the wraps or bandages which can make them extremely heavy.

If a horse is normally turned out in muddy conditions, my impulse would be to say that they're used to it and can handle it. A horse who's not used to mud might be a big concern--in fact, I know of a really nice horse who damaged his back first time out on slippery GA clay :( But a horse who knows it's slippery and is expecting it should be able to handle herself.

And you know, in a serious wipeout, there's not a whole lot that a supportive boot could do to prevent injury. I would be inclined to think that it would be more of an aggravation to the horse than a protection.

[Silver1]

Ok, that is certainly a relief! No wraps then, but perhaps sand in the arena would not be a bad plan.

[galadriel]

Clean beach sand is best. Dirty sand can be a pain in the neck (dusty, full of rocks, roots, etc). Beach sand is nice and grainy with large unevenly shaped sand particles, which makes it easier for horses to grip on it.

Of course, it's also much more expensive. But just so you know :)