Bandaging can be an important part of your daily care and needs to be done properly. It is important to know when and when not to use them. Bandaging can provide protection for your horse, however, it can also impede healing and create a dependency upon them. Much harm can be done if the bandages are not put on correctly. The art of bandaging requires practice and the correct materials to ensure success. Why Bandage? Leg bandages are beneficial Provide support for tendons and ligaments during strenuous workouts Prevent or reduces swelling (edema) after exercise, injury or during stall rest Protect legs from concussion and impact during exercise, turnout or shipping Prevent legs from injuries from overreaching during extended movement Support injuries such as fractures as they are trying to heal and set Keep wounds clean and free from contamination of debris

Materials needed: Cotton or padding Padding is needed to provide the protection to concussion and help prevent the bandage from chaffing. It is ideal to have at least an inch or more of a soft cushioning material under the support bandage to provide protection from concussion. Most typically used are sheet cotton or leg quilts that can be purchased from any tack store. For more therapeutic effects you can use ceramic fiber fabrics like the Back On Track materials. If there is an injury, you would want sterile pads involved that can keep things clean or be used to hold topical medicinal applications in place. It is safe to say that the longer a bandage needs to be left in place, the thicker it should be. Support Bandage as an outside wrap to hold things in place There are many choices. For a typical standard bandage you can use the standard cotton, cotton flannel, or knit bandages, in your choice of colors. Polo wraps are made from a plush or fleece type fabric with velcro closures and are used more often as stand alone protection You want the bandages to have some give to them so you do not wrap them too tightly that they restrict blood flow or cause a bandage bow. For bandaging of wounds you may want to use an Elastikon type product or a Vetrap type material. The height of the bandage materials should exceed two inches tall so that it cannot cut into the led and also allows for sufficient overlap as you are wrapping up or down the leg. If you need to bandage over a joint, it will be much easier with an elastic material that will form around the shape of the leg and allow for ease of movement when the bandage is completed. Closure methods Some bandages come with their own closure attached to one end, these may be strings that tie or velcro closures. Some additional masking tape (1" tall) may be used to make sure that these closures cannot be opened by the horse's mouth or by having them stepped on or caught on something. For exercise or competition you need to ensure that the bandages are additionally secured closed with specially designed bandaging safety pins, or extra masking tape to ensure they do not come undone while the horse is moving.

Bandage Guidelines: If you have never bandaged a horse's legs before, ask an experienced equine professional or your veterinarian to show you the correct way. You should practice under their supervision many times before doing it on your own. The first few times you do a bandage on your own, you should have a more experienced person check your work. Basic guidelines: Remove dirt, debris, soap residue or moisture from the area to prevent any skin irritation. If there is a wound, make sure it has been properly cleaned, and dressed according to your veterinarian’s recommendations. Start with clean, dry legs and bandages. (Bandages should be cleaned after each use if they are wet or soiled. Make sure they are completely dry before applying them) Use a thickness of an inch or more of soft, clean padding to protect the leg beneath the bandage. Use smooth, uniform pressure on the support bandage to compress the padding. Make sure no lumps or ridges form beneath the bandage. Never bandage tightly. The pressure should never be more than 20% - Avoid applying bandages too loosely. If loose bandages slip, they will not provide proper support and may endanger the horse. Check bandages daily to make sure they are securely in place and not cutting off circulation. Rewrap the legs every daily to minimize the chance of circulation problems caused by slippage, or skin irritation due to dirt or debris entering the bandages. Before rewrapping take a few minutes to examine the legs for any signs of heat, swelling or irritation. Problem areas are usually wet with perspiration. Allow the horse ample time to become accustomed to leg bandages before trailering, riding or leaving alone in a stall.

Steps to Proper Bandaging: Apply padding so it lies flat and wrinkle-free against the skin. Start the wrap at the inside of the cannon bone above the fetlock joint. Do not begin or end over joints - as movement will tend to loosen the bandage and cause it to come unwrapped. Wrap the leg from front to back, outside to inside (counterclockwise in left legs, clockwise in right legs) this helps to ensure that you will not put any unwanted or uneven pressure on the tendons down the back of the leg. Wrap in a spiral pattern, working down the leg and up again, overlapping the preceding layer by 50 percent. Leg padding and bandages should extend below the coronet band of the hoof to protect the area (especially important when trailering). Extend the bandages to within one half inch of the padding at the top and bottom. Warning Signs that the bandage might be too tight: The horse may be chewing or biting at the bandage trying to get it off. The area above or below the bandage swells indicating that the bandage may be restricting circulation.