From: llyons@next.com (Liza Lyons)
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: Wrapping/linaments - do you use them?
Date: 18 Nov 92 03:30:11 GMT

In article <1defnuINNqcu@morrow.stanford.edu> GC.GGG@forsythe.stanford.edu  
(Gwyn Gordon) writes:
> In article <1992Nov5.195505.25509@cbfsb.cb.att.com>,
> pfau@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (lynn.r.pfau) writes:
> >Question for readers:
> >
> >I'm wondering what people out there do to their horses legs
> >after a workout. I recently moved to a new barn - hunter/jumper,
> 
> >as well.  I come from the old school, which does a minimum - I like
> >to hose legs after a workout, but thats about it.
> >Everyone at the new barn is amazed that my horse is so sound
> >without all this fuss.
> >I am missing something - does this stuff really do something,
> >or just make the owner feel better?
> 

At our event barn, you generally see the following array of wraps/treatments  
for *sound* horses:

During dressage, about 70% of the horses work with no boots or wraps, and the  
balance seem to use a collection of polo wraps, Professionals' Choice and  
various neoprene boots.  I've never seen people wrap or message after dressage  
work, but I've also never seen anyone at a level higher than you would see at  
an Intermediate or Advanced event/horse trial.  If horses are hot and a hosing  
down is in order, you should always begin with the legs as a matter of course  
in a proper cool-down.

For cross counrty, the weapons of choice usually include bell boots (if you can  
find a pair that don't rub -- I second the request for some good suggestions??)  
and support/protection boots all the way around.  While support is an  
objective, protection seems to be the name of the game.  Hampa and Ulster are  
quite common (taped shut with waterproof tape for that extra edge :-)).  If I  
had to identify the most important tool here at the lower levels (again for a  
*sound* horse not predisposed to any particular ailment), I'd say the bell  
boots are key.  It's way to easy for a horse to interfere while jumping cross  
counrty, and injuries around the coronet band are difficult to treat and keep  
clean. I've never seen anyone go cross country using the Professionals' Choice  
boots because thay can pick up remnants of the terrain, although I've heard you  
can purchase some kind of a sleeve to minimize this.  Again, after a hard  
school on a hot day, any cool-downs begin with a leg hosing regardless of  
performance level.  

I haven't seen people use standing bandages and linaments as a rule until they  
are going Prelimary and above, then it's S.O.P.  I can tell you this, Kinsale  
*loves* a good leg message after a hard cross country school/course (he closes  
his eyes and makes an "ooohhhhhhh" face :-)), and even if it isn't doing a damn  
bit of good to his legs, I like rewarding my parter with a little TLC.   
Frankly, I wish he'd work on my shoulders when I'm done with his legs!!  

Standing bandages do seem to prevent stocking up and offer a certain amount of  
support, but I agree with a comment made earlier that 1) you don't want this to  
become a daily habit as these things have a way of becoming a "necessity" and  
2) always make sure you know how to apply any kind of bandage correctly before  
doing so to prevent accidents/injury.

For many of the horses that go cross country in Ulster-type boots, the program  
often changes to leather splint boots for stadium jumping.  

Frankly, it's my somewhat cynical opinion that a BIG percentage of the  
wrapping/booting etc. is fashion with little or no real understanding of the  
merits -- or pitfalls.  This might be a topic for your vet in conjunction with  
a good, objective book on tack (if only I could recommend one since I'd love to  
read it also !).

Liza & Kinsale (who'd be an extremely disapointed pony if the messages stopped)
llyons@next.com
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian