The finished bandage should feel firm, but not tight. If it is too loose, the bandage will migrate down the leg as the horse walks around his stall. If it is too tight it can damage the leg. To check for the correct amount of tension, a good rule of thumb is to be able to get two fingers under the bandage below the pastern and one finger under the bandage at the top. If your horse chews on its bandage, coat the flannel with something vile-tasting.
Soap is popular, as is red pepper mixed with water and painted on.
A horse wearing a bandage for the first time will sometimes panic in the first few minutes of being wrapped. Walk him around the stall a few times, getting everyone out of the way before releasing. Sherry Whetzel is an instructor at Kentucky Horse Park. This article was published Winter 1997. Visit our Contact Us page.