Bandaging in stables is a common practice – often perceived as a convention, but without adequate consideration of necessity. Incorrect bandaging can pose a potential risk to the horse’s wellbeing, especially when applied too tightly or inexpertly. It’s crucial to understand the proper techniques of bandaging and its various purposes, such as the distinct reasons for using stable, working, and tail types.
The Potential Harm of Improper Bandaging
Despite being a prevalent practice, improper bandaging can indeed cause harm to horses. Extremely tight bandages can interfere with circulation, possibly leading to serious damage to the tendons that the bandages are meant to protect and support. Consequently, understanding how to correctly apply bandages is of paramount importance.
Distinct Purposes of Bandages
Excluding their surgical role, bandages serve distinct purposes based on their types. Here, we delve into the usage of stable bandages, working bandages, and tail bandages. Each has a unique role to play in taking care of your horse, from supporting the limbs during rest to protecting the tail.
Correct Rolling of Bandages
Before applying a bandage to your horse, ensure it’s correctly rolled. Tapes are attached at one end for fastening, and the bandages should be rolled tightly, evenly, and with the tapes folded inside. This rolling technique ensures smooth unrolling when applying the bandage, and it helps you maintain consistent tightness throughout the process.
The Key Steps in Bandaging
Now, let’s break down the application process. Starting on the outside of the limb, press the end of the bandage against it with your left hand and pass the roll closely around the leg with your right until you reach the starting point. Next, hold the end in place with your left hand, which then takes the roll while the right hand is brought back.
From this point, unroll the bandage in a downward spiral, ensuring that your left hand holds in place the previous bandage turn, which should be overlapped by the next turn by about half its width.
Once you’ve covered the necessary area, unroll upwards until the first turn is covered. Finally, tie the tapes around the leg, finishing with a secure bow on the outside and tucking in the ends.
Important Reminders for Bandage Fastening
When fastening the bandage, remember these key points. Avoid tying the bandage on the inside as it may be rubbed undone by the shoe of the opposite foot. Also, tying on the tendon may lead to lumps. Equally important is to ensure that no turn is tighter than the previous one, and the tapes shouldn’t be tighter than the bandage itself. These reminders help ensure a safe, effective bandaging technique that promotes your horse’s wellbeing.
The Use of Stable and Travelling Bandages
Stable and travelling bandages play multiple roles in maintaining the health and wellbeing of horses. These bandages can serve various purposes, such as providing warmth during illness, protecting surgical bandages, and preventing injuries during transport.
Purposes of Stable and Travelling Bandages
Stable and travelling bandages can provide much-needed warmth when a horse is ill, keeping them comfortable. In situations where surgical bandages are used, stable and travelling bandages can cover them to maintain cleanliness and secure their position. Moreover, these bandages also serve as a protective shield in preventing potential injuries when the horse travels in a box or trailer.
However, it’s worth noting that these bandages are frequently misused in cases of “filled” legs — when a horse’s legs swell due to inactivity. Creating a dependence on bandages can potentially impede a more effective medical response, which should always focus on treating the cause, not just the symptom.
Ensuring Circulation and Bandage Maintenance
The safe usage of bandages involves a careful balance. Bandages should never interfere with the horse’s circulation, and hence, they should be removed and checked at least twice daily. The horse’s legs should also be hand-rubbed during these checks to ensure no circulation issues arise.
When applying, make sure they’re not wrapped too tightly. The aim should be to secure the bandage in place while allowing easy blood flow.
Material and Sizing
Stable and travelling bandages are typically made of wool, stockinet, or a combination of wool and cotton. The appropriate size is around 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length and 10 cm (4 inches) in width.
Protective Layers and Positioning
A layer of cotton wool or Gamgee tissues is recommended below the bandage to prevent pressure points and offer additional warmth or protection. When the horse is travelling, foam pieces under the bandages can provide additional shock absorption and protect the horse’s legs from potential injuries during the journey.
The bandages should start from immediately below the knee or hock, cover over the fetlock and pastern, and extend right down to the coronet. The bandage might not lie smoothly over the pastern joint, but any loose folds can be covered by the following turn, ensuring a good fit and effective protection.
The Role of Working Bandages
Working bandages are primarily used for protecting a horse’s legs and tendons during activities where injuries are likely, such as fast work and jumping. However, these bandages are unnecessary for standard exercise routines, as healthy tendons generally don’t require extra support during regular activities.
Appropriate Use of Working Bandages
While working bandages can offer some additional protection against injury during high-intensity activities, they should only be used when necessary. Otherwise, applying the bandage excessively could result in reliance and potential issues in the future. They should be removed after the completion of the activity to ensure proper recovery and circulation.
Materials and Sizing for Working Bandages
Working bandages are made from materials such as stockinet, crepe, or other synthetic elastic substances. They should be approximately 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length and 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) in width. Due to their elastic nature and application over cotton wool, they can be applied slightly tighter than stable bandages.
Proper Positioning and Fastening of Working Bandages
Working bandages should extend from just under the knee or hock to the fetlock joint, without impeding any movement. When applying, take caution not to overtighten or leave the ends loose, as this can cause potential risks.
It’s common for the ends of the bandages to be stitched in place or secured with sticking plaster to avoid them coming undone during the activity. After applying the bandage, ensure that the final effect is neat by pulling out enough cotton wool to be visible above and below the bandage. Approximately 1.5 cm (0.5 inches) of cotton wool should be visible for optimal results.
Understanding the Use of Tail Bandages
Tail bandages may not be a common accessory in daily horse grooming, but their use is crucial in specific situations. These are mostly for protecting the tail from rubbing caused by continuous tail movement or during travel. However, caution is needed when applying tail bandages, as improper and prolonged use can result in serious injuries.
When to Use Tail Bandages
Tail bandages come into play to protect the horse’s tail from rubbing – a repetitive issue with some horses or a bother during travel. Despite the need sometimes, it’s essential to remember that these bandages should never stay on longer than required, and definitely not overnight, as such practices could lead to injuries.
Risks of Improper Use of Tail Bandages
It cannot be stressed enough that tail bandages should be used judiciously. Incorrect application, like applying too tightly or leaving it on for prolonged periods, can cause serious harm. Proper handling can prevent possible tail damage and reduce discomfort for the horse.
Material and Positioning of Tail Bandages
Tail bandages are typically made of stockinet, a sturdy and flexible material. When tying the bandage, it should cover the dock, stopping right before the last tail bone. The final two loops of the bandage should overlap the first couple of loops around the root of the tail. Tying the bandage’s ends into a bow on top, with the ends tucked in neatly ensures a secure fastening.
Removing the Tail Bandage
The removal of the tail bandage should be gentle and straightforward. Instead of untying or unwrapping it, simply slide the entire bandage off down the tail. This method is more comfortable for the horse and reduces the chance of any accidental pulling or discomfort.
Overview of Other Protective Equestrian Clothing
Apart from bandages, a variety of other protective gear can be utilised to guard particular regions of a horse’s body. Knee caps, hock boots, coronet boots, and travelling boots each serve unique protective purposes.
Understanding Knee Caps
Knee caps are designed specifically to protect a horse’s knees, particularly during roadwork in icy conditions or if the horse tends to stumble regularly. Made of felt and leather, these feature a padded upper strap that fits securely while the lower strap is designed loosely to ensure freedom of movement.
Insights on Hock Boots
Hock boots share similarities with knee caps in terms of function – they offer protection. They become particularly useful during travel or for a horse that continuously kicks the stable walls, safeguarding against potentially injurious situations.
Wearing Coronet Boots
Coronet boots, also known as “over-reach” boots, are rubber-made and wrap around the pastern, covering the foot. Their role is primarily to protect the heels, and it’s advisable to use on horses that tend to over-reach during exercise. They can also protect the coronet from tread wounds while travelling, although traditionally this is managed through travelling bandages.
The Purpose of Travelling Boots
Travelling boots offer comprehensive protection, acting as three-in-one protection, covering the needs of knee caps, hock boots, and travelling bandages. Made of foam rubber, they extend from the knee and hock down to the coronet.
Other Types of Protective Boots
Horses that are prone to self-inflicted injuries due to some defect in their movement might need additional protective boots. For instance, fetlock boots, featuring a protective leather pad, can shield the inner part of the fetlock joints from brushing wounds. Speedy cutting boots prevent injuries from the hind leg to the inside of the foreleg, while tendon boots help prevent injuries to the tendons.
Regardless of the type of boot, exceptional care is crucial when fitting. They should neither be too tight nor too loose to fall off during exercise. Remember, straps and buckles need to be fitted on the outside of the leg, starting with the middle strap, then moving upwards and downwards.
