How to apply standing wraps to a horse's leg properly?

Question

I am wanting to know how to properly apply standing wraps to my horses leg for shipping.

Answer 1

If you are going to ship your horse, I would not recommend shiping boots. Even if they are very nice, the seem to fall of right when you need them. If you are trailoring less than an hour away you probably don't need to wrap, unless your horse is a kicker.

When you go to wrap a horses leg you will want to get the correct size wraps and a set of bandages.
1. Put your horse in a position where they will stand still.
2. Take the wrap (the white part) and begin to the hoof (if you are wrapping after you rode to prevent swelling or wind-puffs don't go as low.) (Don't buy wraps that long just roll it down their leg.)
3. The proper teqnique for wrapping a leg would be to pull the wrap to the inside. (When you wrap make sure the wrap comes between the legs and points forwards.)
4. Once you have put on the wrap, take the bandage (the colored part) and take the end of it and tuck it under the wrap.
4. Begin wrapping the bandage tightley, applying even pressure throught the leg.
5. Velcro the bandage.

Tips:
It may take a few tries to get it right, but don't give up.

When wrapping the back legs it makes life easier if you tie up their tail.

Sometimes when you purchase bandages they may be rolled backward. You will have to unroll them all and re-roll them.

Bandages and wraps can be purchased at any tack store or online. www.doversaddlery.com and www.statelinetack.com
Ebay is also a useful source, but their is no need to by custom monogramed wraps, unless you want them.

Hope this helped!

Answer 2

I wrap my horses 99.9% of the time. I believe that if the wraps are
properly put on and are not all stretched out from age and so forth,
then they should not come off in transit. I also do not like those big
'pillow' quilts as i don't think you can get the bandage snug enough to
prevent slipping. I like a medium thickness quilt with a regular
'track' bandage (no polos, flannel or such.) With the proper wrap and
quilt and if the wrap is put on snugly and properly (I learned leg
wrapping years ago while working on a STDB training farm that had a
trainer who was an *excellent* leg man) - then the wrap should not slip
in transit. With all the hauling I've done, I've never had one of *my*
wraps come off a horse - though, I've hauled horses where the wraps have
that someone else put on slipped. Although my students wrap their own
horses, I try to check the wraps of any horse getting on my trailer. I
also like to use shipping boots over my wraps for added protection. I
wrap my wraps like you'd apply a normal support wrap - below knee to
fetlock/ergot, rather than down over the coronary band (I think this
also contributes to the bandage slipping). I then use the shipping
boots to cover the coronary band, which they are designed to do. The
shipping boots also keep the horse from accidently stepping on, pawing
at, etc. the wrap and possibly causing it to come undone. Losing a
shipping boot will rarely panic a horse - I've lost a few shipping boots
with absolutely no problems with the horse becoming upset. On short
trips (under 10 miles), I sometimes don't apply wraps, but always at
least throw on shipping boots to protect the legs.

Answer 3

Be sure to use either a quilt rap, or pillow rap under your stable bandage or standing rap. You can also use vet rap and cotton if you do not have quilts and bandages. Your local feed store will stock the vet rap and a roll of cotton. The padding under the rap is going to support the leg (of course), but it will also help you to not rap it too tight. It is important that you rap BOTH legs so there will be equal pressure -and support for the uninjured leg that is barring more weight now. Always rap from the inside front of the leg around to the outside back of the leg and then inside and back around with a steady even pressure. I always start at the top just under the knee, work my way down and partially around the fetlock and back up (rap usually stops 1/2 to 3/4's of the way up depending on the length). You don't mention what part if the leg, but I am assuming the most commonly injured area - the cannon bone and tendon area. Don't forget to change out your raps at least once a day, and hydrotherapy for 20 minutes or so will do you some good too (even better if you can do it more often). Best of luck! I hope your horse gets better soon for you, and that it is not serious!

Answer 4

Standing wraps and polo wraps go front to back. Start with the free end on the outside of the leg somewhere in the middle, with the wrap going around the front of the leg and unrolling toward the tail on the inside of the leg. Work downward, overlapping half of each previous wrap. Wrap down to the ankle, one wrap going across the fetlock. Work your way back up to just under the knee, and wrap back down if there is extra. Hopefully I explained it right.

Shipping boots are better for trailering and much, much easier. For just trailering to a local show/trail or whatnot, you can put on protective boots (sports medicine boots, usually). If you're looking at a trip across the state or between states, long-distance shippers do not want boots on the horse at all, except for bellboots to protect the heel, etc.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

I started out using standing wraps with thinks quilts under them, but my horse knew what they meant(he didn't like the trailer) so he would get nervous, so i started using shipping boots and they are much more efficient. You can get a decent set through state line tack or Dover for around $50.

Answer 6

Hard to explain, I would use the padded shipping boots. Wrapping is really tough, you need it tight enough to stay on and loose enough to allow circulation.. Be careful

Answer 7

Get someone who knows how to show you and help you. It's too hard to explain in words without being there, and you could do damage to the horse if you don't do it properly.