Wrapping a horse's legs?!?

Question

I have trouble putting polo wraps on my horse's legs. I always get confused about which way they go on and how to wrap them, even though my trainer has shown me once. I'm afraid I'll put them on wrong and hurt his legs.
We have a show saturday and I want to wrap his legs for trailering. Can someone help me out?

Thanks everyone. Of course I'll have my trainer check them tomorrow, and she has shown me several times. but I really needed a simple way to remember which direction to wrap (thanks KK horse Crazy). Don't worry, I'll take good care of my baby. Wish us luck!

Answer 1

Ok, there's 2 ways, one for traveling with pads under them and another for work. With pads under them, it's hard to do them too tight and as long as you can fit your fingers down the top, you are fine. They need to be firm so that they don't slip without being too tight.
For work, they should be wrapped going from outside to in if that makes sense. The idea is that it pulls the tendon towards the back of the leg and doesn't force it out. So on your near side, you wrap anti clockwise, on the off side, wrap clockwise. They need to go down around the ergot at the back of the fetlock and come up more at the front to avoid hindering joint movement. They are worn tighter but again, check with your fingers. Keep each wrap of the bandage evenly spaced all the way up.
It takes a lot of practice to get them right for working in. Ask your trainer again to go over it and see if you can practice while they watch.
Good luck with the show.

Answer 2

Practice. If you aren't sure, make sure someone else who knows how is there to help you. Wraps can seriously injure a horse if done improperly, so don't ride with them until you are proficient at applying them. Always, remember to awrap from the inside to the outside...you will always tighten against the front of the cannon bone, not the tendons. I agree with others that watching once is not enough. Ask to be shown regularly and watched as you apply them to be sure you are doing it correctly.

Also, you don't use polo wraps to wrap for shipping. You use standing wraps over leg quilts or shipping boots. Standing wraps are a lot less elastic and will not stretch as much as polos, so you are less likely to wrap the quilts too tightly on the legs. I would recommend you use shipping boots to ship, wraps are likely to come undone and do more harm than good unless you wrap them perfectly.

Answer 3

Lisa M is correct, or at least that is how my instructor taught me. From the inside - out, from bottom to top. But my instructor also told me to take a piece of electrical tape (you can get in a lot of colors) and secure the Velcro by wrapping the tape all of the way around the leg, making sure not to pull it too tightly. But learning to do this correctly every time take a lot of time and patience. The appearance should be very smooth looking and feel very smooth. Good luck and keep practicing.

Answer 4

don't be afraid to ask your trainer for help... your trainer knows that improper wrapping can do major damage to a horses legs so there's no reason that he/she wouldn't show you again and even think more of you for asking and wanting to do things correctly. when a trainer knows you are serious and want to best the best rider you can and learn everything you can they will help you out and teach you all they know whenyou show little intrest they'll just blow you off as one of those girl going through the horse phase and not put time and effort into you. just ask, there's nothing wrong with asking for help it could possible save your horses life.

Answer 5

It definitely takes more than watching ONE time to properly learn how to wrap a horses legs - and its one of those catch 22's - if you do it wrong, its a way to seriously hurt your horse -but if you dont practice, you wont learn how to do it properly.I would reccomend shipping in shipping boots - and save the wrapping for later.Practice Practice Practice - ask your trainer/instructor at the beg. of your lesson if you can stop 15 mins early and spend the time learning to wrap.Its a skill thats worth learning in both the time and effort.
Good Luck,

Answer 6

there are various varieties of wraps. the elementary fabrics ones human beings experience in are called Polos. some human beings deliver in uncomplicated polos, yet truly, they could be utilising delivery wraps which will properly be "created" with cotton quilts below the polos or offered synthetic. There are additionally status wraps, various wound wraps, and so on. They fluctuate in how lots stream they permit and what they have been designed to do. they could properly be form of frustrating to get on wisely except you have somebody practice you some circumstances. in the event that they're positioned on incorrectly they could reason greater harm than they could ever wish to avert. with the aid of situation and the actuality that they do sometimes slip or shift, some human beings use activities drugs boots or Splint boots. individually, i do no longer use any on my horses. the prospect for harm is in simple terms too lots for the point and quantity of using I do now. i could evaluate them if I have been nonetheless doing larger stages of dressage, leaping, reining or doing pretty amassed and frustrating movements.

Answer 7

I wrap my horses legs ONLY when trailering and Jumping (I jump with boots not wraps.) I put the wraps on any way backwards or upside down. Doesn't matter and it won't hurt there legs.

Answer 8

how i wrap is i start with the wrap on the inside of the horses leg and wrap towards the tail in other words the right legs get wrapped clockwise and the left counter clock wise

Answer 9

This site is great and has pictures to show you how to do it.

http://equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/tack_apparel/miscellaneous/polowrap/

The key is to practice it a ton. I used to practice on my own leg or my boyfriend's just so I could get the motions down without making the horse stand there all day.

Answer 10

why do you need to wrap him ,, ??? Leave him alone , if he never had wraps on before you mught be in trouble Plus No One I dont care what they say cant tell you VIA -E-MAIL or COMPUTER,, You have to be there,,
so dont wrap him leave him be if he hauls good ,
And next time learn before you have a show
what state are you from ??/