Horse Leg Protection: Boots, Polo Wraps, Standing Wraps and Shipping Boots Explained

What leg protection is for

Horse boots and wraps protect against a few main risks:

• Interference, or brushing: a hoof hitting the inside of the opposite leg, often around the fetlock. More common in horses with crooked legs, young horses, tired horses and horses moving fast or in tight circles.
• Overreaching: a hind hoof catching the heel of the front hoof on the same side. Common when jumping, galloping, or in deep footing.
• Impact: hitting rails, rocks, logs or fences.
• Shipping injuries: knocks and scrapes in the trailer.

What boots don't do well is support tendons. Studies show that most boots and wraps add very little support to the tendons during exercise. Their real value is protection.

Types of horse boots

Compare our picks for bell boots, cross-country boots, dressage boots and sports medicine boots.

Does my horse need boots?

Probably yes if:

• Your horse jumps, gallops, runs barrels, does reining or works in fast, tight turns
• It's young, green or has crooked legs that make it hit itself
• It wears front shoes and tends to pull them off (bell boots)
• It's on a rocky or brushy trail

Maybe not if:

• It's an adult horse doing light work on good footing, with clean movement and no history of hitting itself

Look for clues: scuffs, hair rubbed off, small cuts or swellings on the inside of the fetlocks or heels.

Heat: the hidden downside

Boots and wraps trap heat. Research has shown that tendon temperatures under some boots rise noticeably during exercise, and tendon cells are sensitive to heat. To reduce the risk:

• Choose breathable, ventilated boots for long or hot rides.
• Put boots on just before work, and take them off soon after.
• Hose or cool the legs after hard work.

Polo wraps

Polo wraps are long fleece bandages wrapped around the lower leg during work. They offer light protection and a neat look and are popular in dressage schooling.

Downsides:

• They're easy to put on too tight, too loose or unevenly.
• They hold water and sand, which makes them heavy and abrasive.
• A wrap that comes undone can trip a horse.

If you use them, learn to put them on from an experienced person, and keep them for arena work on dry footing.

Standing wraps

Standing wraps are used when a horse is standing, not working. They help:

• Reduce swelling ("stocking up") in horses on stall rest
• Hold a dressing in place over a lower-leg wound
• Protect legs in the trailer
• After hard work or an injury, on your vet's advice

A standing wrap has two layers: a thick pad (quilted wrap, pillow wrap or sheet cotton) and an outer bandage. See our leg wrap picks.

How to put on a standing wrap

1. Start with a clean, dry leg.
2. Wrap the padding smoothly around the leg from just below the knee or hock down to just below the fetlock, with no wrinkles. The edge of the pad should finish on the outside of the leg.
3. Start the bandage at the middle of the cannon on the outside of the leg.
4. Wrap in the right direction: on the left legs, wrap counterclockwise (looking down from above); on the right legs, clockwise. The simple rule: pull the bandage across the front of the cannon from outside to inside, and never pull tight across the tendons at the back.
5. Work down to the fetlock, overlapping each turn by about half, then back up to just below the knee or hock, and back down to finish.
6. Use even, firm tension, about as firm as you'd wrap a sprained wrist. Leave about a half inch of padding showing at the top and bottom.
7. Fasten with the Velcro or tape on the outside of the leg, never over the tendon or the front of the cannon.
8. Check: you should slide one finger under the top of the bandage.

Wrap both legs of a pair (both fronts or both hinds), since the other leg takes extra weight. Remove and rewrap at least every 12 to 24 hours, and check the legs for heat or swelling.

Why it matters: an uneven, wrinkled or too-tight wrap can damage the tendon underneath, sometimes causing a "bandage bow." If you're unsure, ask your vet to show you.

Shipping boots versus standing wraps for trailering

• Shipping boots are quick, padded boots that cover from the coronet to above the knee or hock. They're easy to use and protect the coronet band, but some slip down on long trips.
• Standing wraps with bell boots give secure protection on long trips but take more skill to apply.

Many owners use shipping boots for short trips and standing wraps for long ones. Practice at home first, because some horses kick or walk strangely the first time. See hauling horses long distance.

Fly boots and ice boots

• Fly boots are mesh tubes that protect legs from biting flies and the stamping that comes with them.
• Ice boots cool legs after hard work or injuries. Use them for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, as your vet recommends.

Caring for boots and wraps

• Brush or wash off dirt, sand and sweat after every use. Grit trapped inside a boot rubs the skin.
• Check straps and Velcro for wear.
• Wash wraps and roll them neatly, Velcro end first, so they're ready to apply.
• Make sure boots fit: snug, without gaps or rubbing, and with straps fastening toward the back so a passing branch doesn't pull them open.

Sources

• The Horse: Do Boots and Wraps Overheat Horses' Legs?
• EquiManagement: Horse Skin Temperature Under Boots After Exercise
• University of Minnesota Extension: Basic First Aid for Your Horse