Exercise bandages

squidsin

squidsin

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2013
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I am loving the colour-blocking trend with bright colours on horses (I am so fashion, dahhhlings) and my finger is hovering over the purchase button for a royal blue Equest saddlecloth and matching leg bandages. Basically I am getting her wardrobe together for horse camp! But I've never bandaged and I know some people think exercise bandages overheat the horses legs. They look super-cool though! So - to buy or not to buy?
 
I think it's cool to have so much colourful stuff available and add a bit of life to your riding kit, and I'm not opposed to dressing Mouse up in his black-and-red kit from time to time (he does look super handsome in it after all!) - but I do think the whole matchy-matchy thing has got a tiiiiny bit out of control. Those sets cost a small fortune but I know people who have multiple (like 5-10) sets for one horse. Of course they can spend their money on whatever they like but it seems like such a waste of money to me! And the fact that people still insist on using their matchy bandages when the temperature's in the 20s, I don't get that at all. I don't like exercise bandages personally for the over-heating reason and because they seem so excessive. I can't see what benefit there is from wrapping a horse's legs up in layers of material when there are plenty of brushing / tendon / fetlock / sports boots available that offer the same level of protection but allow the legs to stay cool. Plus there is all the faff of applying, removing and re-rolling the bandages every time you exercise your horse, compared to the 10 seconds it takes to put on a pair of brushing boots!

If you already ride your horse in boots, why not just stick with those? - there are plenty of colourful boots on the market. And if you don't already use boots, why would you feel the need to use bandages? Everything I use on my ponies, I use because they need it. Using extra kit for no reason other than that it looks cool makes no sense to me. When they do need something I like to get it in a colour that goes with the rest of their kit, but I wouldn't just bung it on them for the sake of it.
 
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I've tracked down some royal blue brushing boots - Woof do some, not sure if they're any good though. I do love the look of exercise bandages on horses. I would probably do it just to make her look pretty and actually ride in the boots! I'm thinking of mixing royal blue and lime green....
 
Woof boots are great. I've both the club and double lock boots (also the event boots!). If you haven't bandaged then I'd avoid exercise bandages. Uneven tension can do damage. I often bandage in preference to boots but that's because I feel the correctly applied bandages provide Toby with the support he needs as he's getting older. I never bandage kezzie, he wears pink woof club boots :p
 
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If you don't normally ride in bandages or boots, I wouldn't buy any just for the sake for fashion. But then again, I ride in Aldi jods and t shirts from Matalan! Ben does have a few lovely personalised saddlepads which my husband buys me every year for our anniversary.
 
Bandages can be tricky, if you aren't practiced at putting them on you can end up with pressure spots which can damage the legs, polo wraps are less likely to cause this as they don't have elastic in them. I actually think bandages are less likely to overheat the legs than neoprene brushing boots (as most are now days) I have various boots but avoid using them unless there is a specific interference I need to prevent or if I am doing something particularly tough when the horse who doesn't normally interfere might do. When I finally get round to going XC I plan to get some sheepskin lined boots for Jess as they have better temp regulation and after reading a paper studying tendons and the temp the fibers start to break down at, being just 1-2 degrees above the temp of the tendons of a horse exercised without boots I am very wary.
 
I use bandages all the nearly all the time. At the moment if I am riding during the day I don't because of the heat but if I am riding in the evening then I do.
His skin is so thin he cuts at the smallest thing so no matter what I am doing he has some form of boot on.

I love my bandages and sorry @joosie he has at least 5 matching saddle clothes and bandages sets. Which seems a lot to some but once used they get washed (he is a sweaty boy) so they are changed nearly every day plus I have different ones for jumping/xc/hacking and yes everything matches. But he is Ginger so just generally Black, white, brown and green and all can be used on Chanter as well.

I also have about 6 or more pairs of boots.

I make seem a waste of money but it's my money to waste and they look good
 
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I love buying 'kit' and the girls have bling browbands, personalised saddle pads etc. But fashion is fashion and performance is performance. In the endurance world there was a phase of everyone wearing compression tights/socks when training but there is no evidence of their usefulness so I don't bother. I would not use bandages or boots unless my horse needed them -eg after an injury - as there is little evidence that they either prevent injury (apart from cuts etc) or provide support, or promote recovery. And they may be as likely to cause problems via rubs over over-heating as they are to help.
 
Jessey said:
Bandages can be tricky, if you aren't practiced at putting them on you can end up with pressure spots which can damage the legs, polo wraps are less likely to cause this as they don't have elastic in them. I actually think bandages are less likely to overheat the legs than neoprene brushing boots (as most are now days) I have various boots but avoid using them unless there is a specific interference I need to prevent or if I am doing something particularly tough when the horse who doesn't normally interfere might do. When I finally get round to going XC I plan to get some sheepskin lined boots for Jess as they have better temp regulation and after reading a paper studying tendons and the temp the fibers start to break down at, being just 1-2 degrees above the temp of the tendons of a horse exercised without boots I am very wary.
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This has occurred to me too - that legs probably get a bit sweaty in neoprene. I don't normally put boots on in the school, but I do if we go hacking (reflective ones) and I will use boots for our sponsored ride. I'm still going to get some funky bandages though, if only for the photographs! I am a total sucker for a coordinated set. I always wear matching underwear (even if what's on top is a total mess)!
 
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Hi @Emma10, welcome to the forum. This is an old thread - you may find you get more replies if you start your own new thread. And by the way, we love pictures! Got any pictures of your horse? ;)
 
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