Horse Leg Wraps – how to shop for the best ones

Is your horse going to be on stall rest? Some horses stock up, and wrapping as a preventative measure is a good idea, especially on the hind legs. This is very much where and how it helps to have the right leg wraps. When it comes to leg wraps, there are various different options and types of wraps able to protect your horses legs. There are no end of brands in the market and always new products being released into the market too.

Choosing the best and most correct wraps for your horse

While many of us remember the days when traditional gamgee and bandages with string ties were the norm, the potential for damage if applied unevenly has lead all but the most traditional of owners to move away from them. They have been mainly replaced by ribbed or quilted horse leg wraps or wraps made using layers of foam to provide even pressure. For the bandages, the longer they are the more support they will give, while bandages with a Velcro fastening tend to reduce the likelihood of uneven pressure on the tendons. If you think you will be bandaging over wet legs, it is a good idea to choose wraps made of breathable fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin and bandages made of knitted fabric for the same reason.

Sizing

Wraps are sized by the length of their short side. To find your horse’s size, measure from just below the front of the knee to just below the fetlock. Back legs usually are longer than front. If your horse is an odd size, e.g. 13”, go up one size to 14” rather than too short.

Does my horse definitely need to have leg wraps

You need to wrap your horse’s legs to protect and cover an injured area; provide warmth to stiff/old tendons, ligaments, or fetlocks; control acute-injury swelling and movement; and to protect his legs while trailering hauling. Improperly applied wraps can do a lot of damage. Do not leave on for longer than 24 hours without removing and re-wrapping (Some experts recommend not leaving on for longer than 12 hours without re-wrapping).

Stable Wraps or Standing Bandages

In the stall, standing wraps or stable wraps help prevent ‘stocking up’. Stocking up is when fluids settle in the legs because the horse is standing on a hard surface and not moving around to keep the fluid flushed out of the tissues. You many have to secure a wound dressing or poultice if your horse is injured. You may wish to avoid possible stall injuries if your horse is particularly fractious when kept in.

If you’re headed for a show, stall wraps can help keep your horse’s legs clean, and if there is a wound, bandages can help keep that clean and protected. Horses can be turned out in wraps. This is to protect the horse from pasture injuries and protect existing injuries.

Polo Wraps or Exercise Bandages

Bandages or wraps used while riding protect a horse from scraping itself on obstacles such as jumps or gymkhana props and provides support when doing high-performance activities such as jumping, barrel racing or other sports that put a lot of strain on a horse’s legs. Polo wraps or exercise bandages may also be used to protect and support the legs as the small circle the horse is traveling in can put a lot of stress on the legs.

Polos are used for decoration too. People have used wraps for their pony’s and horse’s legs so help the team look coordinated. You might also see wraps on parade horses. Since polos come in lots of fun colors (and are easy to make) there are lots of decorative choices.

Choosing Wrap or Bandage Type and Length – how to make the perfect choice

The wraps used for shipping (trailering), stable and turn out are longer than polo wraps. Standing or shipping wraps are also applied over ‘cottons’ or thick quilted pads. Polo wraps are used alone. The exact length you must buy will depend on the size of your horse. The lengths of the wraps are usually are designated in pony, horse or large horse sizes, exact measurement by the inch or centimeter or small, medium, long and extra long. Stable bandages are usually about six inches wide.

Polos will be narrower and are shorter in length than stable or standing wraps. This is because polos are not applied over padding. Most horses will require medium or horse sized wraps. A pony or small horse with fine bones may need pony sized wraps and if you have a very large boned or draft type horse, you’ll need to get the longest wraps. The good thing about long wraps is that most are easy to shorten with a pair of scissors if they happen to be to long.

Older wraps may have shoelace like ties that were tied in a bow. Newer wraps have hook and loop fastener strips. When choosing a set of leg wraps, if you have the choice, get wraps with wider fasteners. Narrow lace ties and fasteners will not distribute the pressure as evenly as wide fasteners. This is important because tight wraps and pressure points can be very damaging to a horse’s legs. This is the last thing you will want to do.

Also worth noting

When traveling, wraps or bandages help support and protect your horse’s legs. As horses balance themselves in a truck or trailer, they can easily step on their own or each other’s feet or scrape up against the side or partition of the box. Wraps also help keep the legs clean if you’re traveling to a show. Shipping boots may be easier to put on and take off. Most horse owners agree that bandages actually provide more support than a boot. This is why they are so widely used also in the eventing arena and why so many horse owners choose to buy them too. Time and time again, they are very much the product of choice.