# Standing Wraps for Trailering?



## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Hi! I recently bought a two horse bumper pull to trailer my two babies in :lol: I've looked into some standing wraps and they're only sold in pairs. I definitely want to wrap the front legs, but is it typical to wrap the back legs as well or would that be a waste of money? Just looking for some opinions! Thanks  I was considering these: https://www.smartpakequine.com/wilkers-comboquilt-wraps-4756pb

or these! Just found them!

https://www.smartpakequine.com/cent...CS-_-Centaur Standing Bandages-_-NA&cm_vc=Rec


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

It is common to wrap all. There is a technique to wrapping so you do not injure the horse. So if you haven't done it before get someone experienced to show you how.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

The quilts/pillows are sold in pairs so you can purchase the size you want - many use a taller quilt on the hind legs.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

If I use any protection I use splint & bells boots. If a wrap comes undone it can be a mess.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Firstly, it's commendable that you're thinking of protecting the legs. I don't think many people give that a lot of thought.

I started out (many years ago now) using quilts and wraps. That got a bit tedious as you've got to get everything just right so I purchased a couple of proper shipping boot sets (I don't know if that's the proper name for them) - the hind leg ones are taller than the fronts. They are made with a heavy padding covered in a fuzzy material and are secured by wide Velcro strips; also they didn't break the bank. You can put them on in seconds -- I like that. I also use bell boots with these.

I've actually given this some thought. I believe the best situation is going with the shipping boots plus bell boots, of course; however a good situation is using just the bell boots. Now I'm talking a minor incident in this scenario but if you study horses standing in a trailer, you will see that the coronet is probably the most vulnerable spot on the horses leg as it is near the floor and protrudes somewhat making it a more likely target by another horse moving to get its balance or even the owner of the coronet stepping on itself for the same reason. Therefore if you have a four set of bell boots on you prevent most injuries. I do, by the way, have one bell boot that got ripped by that exact reason as I just mentioned - I was hauling a friend's horse with mine to a show; it was wearing shoes and step over on my guy's side but he was fine because the bell boot took the hit.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Unless you're good at wrapping then the risk of a bandage slipping down the horses leg is too great - and after having one bad experience with shipping boots and known many people have the same I wouldn't use them either
Its a lot easier and safer to just travel your horse in some good tendon boots and bell boots, they'll stay where you put them, generally offer better protection and remove the risks of mistakes made from incorrect wrapping


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

There are pro's and con's to wrapping the legs in the trailer. 

I think the first thing you need to consider is how FAR you are going to trailer your horses. For trips that are 4+ hours, I would never never wrap the legs. Having wraps on that long will trap heat, which can be damaging to the tendons and ligaments. Most reputable horse haulers (or people who do travel long distances) don't put anything on the legs for that reason. 

If you are going to stick to short distances, then you'll have to decide if you want to go the standing wrap route (with quilts) or shipping boots. Both are good options. However, make sure you have a vet show you how to properly do a standing wrap. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it, and you can damage the tendons/ligaments if you don't do it right. 

Myself personally, I've been hauling my horses places for over 25 years and I can never remember ever having a trailer injury except for a minor scrape or cut (usually on the face....). However, I do like to use shipping boots for the "what if". I'd feel horrible if someone came out with a huge leg injury that I maybe could have prevented. 

With that said, I've tried several different shipping boots and I _hate_ them all. So I made my own. 











Several layers of fleece, with a "thicker" fabric on the outside and industrial grade velcro. Easy to wash too, and they stay up just fine. I can also put them on low enough to protect the coronet a bit too.

I will also use Back-On-Track quick wraps for my other horse, but I don't use those when it's excessively hot out. 

And I may not wrap the legs at all if it is a really hot day (90*F or above), especially if we are on the way home after a long day. It's important to not trap heat.


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Thank you all for your input. I think I'll stay away from wraps...does anyone have recommendations for splint boots? I think that'll work better. My trailer does have a divider down the middle so my two mares can't get to each other. The both ride in Prof. Choice Elite's on a regular basis and the splint boots would only be used for hauling. So thoughts on which ones to invest in? I'm also going to look into bell boots for all four ( so eight) legs. Thoughts on those? Thanks


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Thinking about these so I don't break the bank. 

Basic Neoprene Splint Boots - Horse.com


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

An opposing thought on shipping boots and wraps......I have 2 horses that WILL NOT tolerate anything on their legs when they travel! Both of them pull the boots off, and when I get to the destination, I have boots tromped in manure, with shoe nail snags on them. They do make GREAT carriage padding, though! 

Tootsie has traveled all over the US with nothing on her legs.


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

My mares don't mind their legs wrapped. I think if I knew my trailer was a little more...comfortable...I wouldn't worry so much. I've heard that it's not advised to ship in SMB's, thats why I was looking into simple splint boots, but I'm still concerned that splints may trap heat too. Thoughts?


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

That lil onyx said:


> I've heard that it's not advised to ship in SMB's, thats why I was looking into simple splint boots, but I'm still concerned that splints may trap heat too. Thoughts?


Yes, splint boots will trap heat the same as SMBs trap heat. 

Neither should be left on longer than 2 hours.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

To counter the other posters: I've wrapped hundreds of legs and never had a quilt/standing wrap combo slip, come loose or otherwise bother a horse, whether an hour trip or a cross country journey. Incidentally, I've never seen a polo wrap slip, either, even on big money reining horses performing their athletic spins & slides.

If you wrap correctly - which is actually fairly simple once you learn it - there shouldn't be any issues. Unless you drive like a maniac and the horse has to scramble around to stay upright and somehow manage to snag a foot in the wrap, or you don't have the common sense to make sure the Velcro is clean & snugly attached, I suppose. 

Wrapping legs is part of my basic training of every youngster, so it will never be a surprise if they experience a leg injury or they get wrapped for shipping.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Agreed Cynical. If polo wraps are used for performance, and standing wraps are used for shipping by the highest dollar race and performance horses in the world; they can't be all bad.

Just because you don't know how to do something correctly, doesn't mean there isn't a correct and safe way to do it. It's done every day.


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

What about polo wraps for trailering? or should I just go ahead and buy some standing wraps?


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Also, do standing wraps not trap heat?


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Also thinking about tendon boots....do those hold heat?
sorry for all the questions!! thanks for the help though!


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

These are my favorite. They don't slip and turn and come loose, they don't over heat the legs and they don't collapse endimg up around their feet. Ive hauled long distances with them and had no problems. They protect the hocks, knees and heel. No bell boots needed as they have rubber on the bottom.

Shedrow Traditional Plaid Full Coverage Shipping Boots | BOD2904 | Greenhawk


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

That lil onyx said:


> What about polo wraps for trailering? or should I just go ahead and buy some standing wraps?


Depends on what you are hoping to achieve by wrapping! 

Polo wraps and shipping boots don't offer much in the way of support IMO, but they may minimize bumps and bruises from knocking into trailer walls or their own scrambling legs. Standing wraps over quilts offers bump protection and support to the legs, which is often helpful on longer rides. Any object placed over the leg or body is capable of trapping heat, so nothing should be left on indefinitely. That said, I live in TX and we absolutely wrapped the legs of those $60,000+ reining horses if they so much as set foot in a trailer, even if it was 110°F outside.


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

Cynical25 said:


> Depends on what you are hoping to achieve by wrapping!
> 
> Polo wraps and shipping boots don't offer much in the way of support IMO, but they may minimize bumps and bruises from knocking into trailer walls or their own scrambling legs. Standing wraps over quilts offers bump protection and support to the legs, which is often helpful on longer rides. Any object placed over the leg or body is capable of trapping heat, so nothing should be left on indefinitely. That said, I live in TX and we absolutely wrapped the legs of those $60,000+ reining horses if they so much as set foot in a trailer, even if it was 110°F outside.


I'm really just looking for something to help with minor bumps, but I'd really like something with support as both of my mares are rather fine-boned. I was thinking about starting out in tendon boots with bell boots then hopefully investing in those nice shipping boots posted above  ^^


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

NBEventer said:


> These are my favorite. They don't slip and turn and come loose, they don't over heat the legs and they don't collapse endimg up around their feet. Ive hauled long distances with them and had no problems. They protect the hocks, knees and heel. No bell boots needed as they have rubber on the bottom.
> 
> Shedrow Traditional Plaid Full Coverage Shipping Boots | BOD2904 | Greenhawk



Those are definitely the dream boots! I'll have to save some money though


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

jaydee said:


> Unless you're good at wrapping then the risk of a bandage slipping down the horses leg is too great - and after having one bad experience with shipping boots and known many people have the same I wouldn't use them either
> Its a lot easier and safer to just travel your horse in some good tendon boots and bell boots, they'll stay where you put them, generally offer better protection and remove the risks of mistakes made from incorrect wrapping


---Should I get tendon boots for all four feet or just the fronts? Also, bell boots for all four or just front? Thanks


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

The amount of money you are going to spend on bell boots and tendon boots for all 4 will be the same or more as those shipping boots lol. A set of 4 is only $99 for those boots ;-)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## That lil onyx (Jul 3, 2014)

NBEventer said:


> The amount of money you are going to spend on bell boots and tendon boots for all 4 will be the same or more as those shipping boots lol. A set of 4 is only $99 for those boots ;-)
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lol good point


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

That lil onyx said:


> but I'd really like something with support


No matter what you choose to go with, nothing is going to "support" the leg.

Many companies (mostly sport boot companies) claim their product will support the leg by a crazy amount (like 45%). I've read the actual scientific studies and they always like to pick the highest outlining number. The "real" number is somewhere in the single digits of "support". 

Sport boots have slightly more support than polo wraps do, but again, we're talking single digit percentages.

Does that help much in the grand scheme of things? Probably not. 

Personally, I don't use sport boots or shipping boots or any kind of boot for the purpose of "support". I use them for physical protection. Boots are easy to replace; horse flesh is not.


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