# polo wraps vs SMB



## NicoleS11

I just want to see what everyone uses for their western disciplines for leg protection. I personally use Professional Choice Elite front boots and bell boots then nothing on the back. 

Some people that I ride with at penning use polo wraps. They say there is better protection and they are less bulky than SMBs. Plus the cost difference is huge between the two. 

Ive noticed a few barrel racers using polo's as well.

Im trying to make my mind up if I should start using polos or stick with the pro choice boots. Every ones input would be great!

Thanks


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## franknbeans

I use SMB's or Pegasus. Would not think of using polos. But, then, I have never seen a reiner in Polos, and they are SO much work, and easy to screw up. Smb and the Pegasus are pretty fool proof. You really don't have the worry about putting them on wrong and doing more harm than good. I personally do not use bell boots, since I don't have front shoes on mine, but many of my friends do.

On the rears I just use leather skids when I need them.


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## Stillstandin

When I barrel raced I chose to use polo wraps all four legs and bells. This offered adequate protection and I never had any problems with leg injuries. But on really bad ground I would use SMBs. Using polos also lets you change things up and match what you are wearing.
But with penning and sorting, you have the added concern of the cattle kicking or stepping on your horses legs so I do prefer to use either SMBs or Classic Equine boots with bells. I will admit to occasionally using polos though if the cattle aren't as fresh. I am still addicted to the bling and matching from running barrels.


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## equiniphile

Polo wraps offer no protection to the leg, other than from small nicks. I use Pro Choice SMB Elites.


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## loveduffy

I use smb for trail riding in bad areas


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## COWCHICK77

I have posted this before in other threads, but I haven't used boots for a few years now and switched to polos.

Sure it takes a little practice to use them properly but the way I was taught from a vet it provides excellent support. Granted the polos probably aren't as great as neoprene as far as protection with getting hit but I still haven't had any issues. 

If I could get my videos off of my phone I would post a video of how I wrap polos for support.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SorrelHorse

Wrapping polo wraps are hard to do, but if done correctly there are studie suggesting they offer more support than any boot out there. But they are so easy to screw up, I only really use them for decorative events like a grand entry or carrying a flag. Too scared I'd mess them up.


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## beau159

I personally use the SMB III sport boots on all four legs, along with bell boots on the front. I don't know how much I believe that they actually "support" the ligaments and tendons in the ankle, but I do like the thickness of them to protect against knicks and hits. 

I personally have never used polo wraps, mostly because I don't know how to properly wrap them. I have plans on getting a vet to show me this year, so I can do it correctly. However, I don't know that they would provide as much protection from knicks and hits as a sport boot since a sport boot is thicker. But I would be inclined to believe that polo wraps support better than a sport boot. I have no scientific evidence to support that, but just kind of "thinking" through it from a medical standpoint. 

Has anyone hear of a medical study where the compared the support of a sport boot to a polo wrap? (for some hard evidence, anyway)


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## smrobs

On the very rare occasion that I feel a horse needs the leg protection, I use SMBs. They are easier, faster, and provide better protection against banging than polos do.

The only horse I used them consistently on has been retired now, though. He had a bad habit of knocking himself and popped several splints on each front leg over the years. So, anytime I rode him, I would put the boots on just to keep from popping any more.


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## DrumRunner

SorrelHorse said:


> Wrapping polo wraps are hard to do, but if done correctly there are studie suggesting they offer more support than any boot out there. But they are so easy to screw up, I only really use them for decorative events like a grand entry or carrying a flag. Too scared I'd mess them up.


I'm interested in seeing the studies that say this...All the studies I've ever seen say that polos aren't as good protection as boots like the SMBs. There may be pros and cons to each type of boots..But more often than not the polos lose in the "which is better competition". 
_____________________________
http://www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/newsimages/thehorse_051410_1.pdf

*Polo or Track Bandages*

*Pros:* These bandages are inexpensive. Most can be machine-washed and dried. Correct wrapping produces a custom fit. They're made of breathable, washable materials, and most have easy-to-use hook-and-loop closures. They are available in a rainbow of colors and patterns; white, the traditional dressage color, creates an even focal point on each leg, making visual assessment of a horse's movement easier. 

*Cons:* Polo or track bandages can be wrapped either too tightly (damaging soft tissues) or loosely (leading to dangerous slippage). Fleece material traps burrs and other debris, making polos unsuitable for riding outside the 
arena. Single closure is not sufficiently secure for high-intensity workouts, such as eventing cross-country, and these are not suitable for turnout be-cause bandages can unroll, frightening the horse, catching on objects, or 
both. The wrap material is highly absorbent, making polos a poor choice when water (or, simply, moisture on grass) is involved. Applying and removing bandages requires squatting next to horse's legs for a prolonged period 
of time, which can be dicey around a kicker, a horse that is prone to spooking, or in busy and crowded environments, such as a horse show warm-up ring. 


*Support Boots*

*Pros:* These boots offer protection from the top of the cannon to below the fetlock, which makes them popular for use in high-intensity activities (jumping, reining, barrel racing, etc.), as well as for turnout. The fetlock-sling straps found on many boots of this design can offer some support to this joint. Support boots tend to be sturdily 
constructed of rugged synthetic materials. Most are machine washable, but must be line dried. These boots are generally available in a wide range of colors, and most do not have elasticized straps, making overtightening 
much less likely. Copying among manufacturers and the development of other leg-boot technologies have made these boots' prices more reasonable. 

*Cons: *According to researchers, there is insufficient data on heat retention and protection. Application is somewhat more exacting than regular leg boots, due to the sling strap, and an inexperienced user might need to practice applying the boots under the supervision of someone more experienced. Some designs tend to trap grit and sand between the boot and the leg, especially if they are not applied properly. Many of these boots' designs are such that the exterior surface is the "loop" type of material for securing the hook-and-loop straps.
_____________________________

Polo wraps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
*Disadvantages of polo wraps*

Perhaps the most notable disadvantage of polo wraps is their close proximity to the horse's tendons and ligaments; incorrect application (uneven distribution of tension, too tight, etc.) can damage the tendons. Polo wraps only stay on the leg as well as they are put on; if wrapped too loosely or the velcro is weak, you may be creating a potentially dangerous situation.
Polos are not suitable for use in potentially wet conditions (such as cross-country riding or riding through puddles), as they absorb water and become very heavy and sag. Also, polos are more time-consuming to apply than boots and need to be washed frequently to remove irritants like dried sweat or sand. Polos can also be pulled down and tighten around the tendons if a horse were to step on himself while wearing them.
_____________________________

*Professional's Choice *
Our Research

http://profchoice.com/files/uploads/2010/10/Protecting-Your-Horses-Most-Important-Assets2.pdf

Boots

Research was conducted on our Sports Medicine Boots at Oklahoma State University under the direction of Dr. Michael Collier and Dr. Olin Balch of the Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory. The results from their tests confirmed the ability of our Sports Medicine Boots to absorb an average of 26% of energy, and up to as much as 45% of energy from hoof impact, while also preventing hyperextension of the fetlock. Standard polo wraps and adhesive bandages that were also tested under similar conditions registered at only 6-10% average energy absorption. Our boots were then examined to see if they restricted the movement of the horse’s ankle. Not only was it found that movements was not inhibited, but that horses actually shifted their weight to the feet that were wearing the boots. During a workout as horses get tired, they naturally shift their weight to different feet, but in this study they immediately shifted their weight to those legs wearing the boots, enforcing the belief that horses should wear supportive boots on all four legs to maintain normal weight distribution.

During a workout as horses get tired, they naturally shift their weight to different feet, but in this study they immediately shifted their weight to those legs wearing the boots. Professional’s Choice is the only company to have rigorously tested protective equine boots with certified veterinarians in a laboratory setting.
_____________________________
HorseNetwork - Ask the Vet

"DEAR DR. BHUYAN: 
Is it better to use polo 
wraps or sports medicine
boots on barrel horses.? - Kila

ANSWER: 
Dear Kila,

Thanks for the question. I believe that sports medicine boots provide much better support for the stresses that barrel racing puts on horses because they are a bit stiffer, and also can be put on more consistently than polo wraps. With polo wraps, the tension and location of support will vary every time they are put on. Bear in mind that it is very important that your sports medicine boots fit your horse well and are in good condition. If there are tears in the boot, or if the velcro is torn or worn to the point that it does not stick well, you are not going to be giving your horse as much support as he may need and also may expose him to risk of injuring the skin in the areas in which a boot is torn.

Dr. B"
______________________________
The Horse | Boots and Bandages: To Support and Protect

"A common procedure for many equestrian disciplines is the use of polo bandages or wraps placed on all four limbs during exercise. Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, MRCVS, Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University, has pioneered research on locomotion and sports medicine, and she is especially devoted to the discipline of dressage. She notes, "Polo wraps do not support the leg. They give some protection against trauma, but less than some of the boots."

*
On support boots *

"The soft tissue structures and blood circulation of the hooves themselves do a good deal to absorb concussion to the limb. Technology has produced horseshoe polymers that further add to impact absorption. The lower limb joints also contribute to concussion damping, but at a cost. One area of concern is that of hyperextension of the fetlock joints as the horse loads the limb. "Support" boots allegedly provide stiffness to the lower leg to reduce hyperextension on the fetlock joints. The degree to which this can help is dependent upon the materials used in construction of the boot: the thicker the material and the more elastic it is, the greater the restriction on hyperextension.

Clayton comments, "The amount of fetlock extension determines the amount of strain on the superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament. Injuries to these structures most often occur as repetitive strain injuries due to loading of the limb during locomotion. By reducing fetlock extension, there is less likelihood of repetitive strain injury. During rehabilitation, it's particularly useful to control fetlock extension to prevent re-injury."

__________________________
https://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=6908
"Support given by boots and wraps--Whether winding a polo wrap or sticking the Velcro of a performance boot, horse owners across disciplines use leg wear to support and protect their horses during exercise. Many research studies have determined just how much concussion those wraps and boots really absorb: polo wraps and racing or standing bandages were each shown to absorb around 1% of the force sustained by the legs of a 1,000-pound horse. Sport boots with a neoprene tab that cradles the suspensory were only marginally better, at 5-7%. Peters pointed out that while this study demonstrates that horse owners cannot look to boots or wraps for significant support, they do provide protection against bumps and bruises."

__________________________________________________________________________________________

These are just from a Google search. And I didn't even go into detail with all of the kinds of support boots out there, just Professional's Choice, because that's what I use and IMO, the best....I've found no studies that say a polo wrap provides better support and protection than any support boot. I'm not saying support boots provide protection in every way..They don't..NO support boot OR polo wrap can give all of the protection needed. They can just make the chances less likely for injuries..Also, if a "newbie" is trying to use polo wraps for anything and they don't know how to wrap a polo wrap correctly, they can and probably will do more damage than good. 

Those are my facts.


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## beau159

I have seen the stats by Professional's Choice before. But I'm always leery of a company that does their own research, because it is very easy to bias the results of a clinical study. 

Thanks for posting that DrumRunner. That's kind of what I was mostly thinking myself. Boots tend to give a little bit more support than polo wraps, but not a clinically significant amount by any means. Still, I think it's good to have some sort of protection on your horse's legs for asking them to do maneuvars with speed.


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## DrumRunner

I'm not so much leery of a company that does their own research..simply because that shows me that they care about their products and the things they put their name on. To me Professional's Choice is the best for many reasons, one being the fact that they DO research their own products and back them 100%, they are constantly coming up with new ideas and way to better their products for their customers, and they have so many options for their customers...When it comes to their boots they've done SO much research to back their product. Yes, they have pretty patterns and a wide choice of colors and things..but they've also looked into what fits best, like the different boot for the front and hind in. To me, that's important. None of the other boots do that, take the legacy for example, Classic Equine has one boot fit for all four legs..That doesn't say much to me. Professional's Choice also has a bigger variety of sizes to please all of their customers and their horses' needs, they have every size from an XS to an XL...Professional's Choice may be one of the most expensive boots, but IMHO, you get what you pay for. Quality doesn't come cheap.

My horses always have boots on when working..No questions asked.


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## sierrams1123

I will be coming back to this thread,its hard for me to say what I want on this dang thing, going to find a computer.


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## RoosHuman

I have always used Professional Choice SMBs... I just love the support, and the thick/tough/durable material. My mare has sets for front and hind, as well as two super cute pink bell boots. My only small pet peeve... the velcro gets constantly stuck on the boot, haha.


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## COWCHICK77

beau159 said:


> Has anyone hear of a medical study where the compared the support of a sport boot to a polo wrap? (for some hard evidence, anyway)


I do not have any hard evidence like a controlled study, but this was the selling factor for me switching from boots to polos.

A trainer I worked for used to use boots for dry work, cutting and going down the fence. Horses were coming up with injuries, not injuries from dinging up their legs but strains from not enough support. 
A vet came out and showed us how to wrap, and never had a problem since. I am talking about tedon and ligament support not protection from banging legs. Because I will agree that boots are better at protecting against dinging up legs. Just want that to be clear.

I tried to find a video on YouTube on the way I wrap, but could only find the conventional method. Anyhow I take the tail of the polo and leave tail a little longer than the length of the cannon bone. I position it at a 45 degree angle across the knee, make my first wrap(my locking wrap) then fold the tail down over my first wrap. The tail runs down the length of the backside of the cannon bone protecting the digital flexor that runs down the backside. Then continue wraping down like you would normally wrap. When it comes to the bottom I take two wraps to form the "sling" under the fetlock joint for support then wrap back up and secure velcro and with tape. The porpose of the tail on the back side gives a little more cushion to the sensitive tendon the back and reduces the horizontal pressurefrom the wrap on a vertical tendon.
I hope that made sense..

It has worked very well and I have never had issues nor the trainer I worked for. However I would be willing to try Iconoclast boots, they look like they might provide more support than boots in the past.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dynamite.

equiniphile said:


> Polo wraps offer no protection to the leg, other than from small nicks. I use Pro Choice SMB Elites.


Not true. They provide support when wrapped correctly.


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## DrumRunner

dynamite. said:


> Not true. They provide support when wrapped correctly.


Not true...If you go back a page you'll see where studies have proven that polos offer almost no protection and/or support. More often than not they can cause more damage than good.


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## Tennessee

I use SMB2s on the front legs of my gelding. I have a bazillion pairs of polo wraps, and was a huge fanatic until I found sports medicine boots, which are sooo much easier to put on.


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## SorrelHorse

I really do not agree that SMBs offer more support than polos, especially since I've been hardwired NEVER to trust the research fully of a company producing the product (Debate student here)

Anyway. Saying polo wraps offer no support is not correct. When wrapped correctly they offer quite a bit of support. Not saying boots don't offer any. But I would take the polo over anything if the horse wasn't knocking his legs. (I don't have a horse that does this currently) but if I did have a horse who knocked himself, I would be slapping on some pretty tough SMBs/Legacys/Splints, because there is no argument here that its better to knock legs in a boot than it is in a bandage.

This is an article explaining support from polo players, with the wraps and the boots included.

Polo Tip #13: Polo Bandages, Pro Choice, Boots? | PoloGringo.com


Similar question with more diverse answers, pick and choose:

Equestrian Life - Questions: I was wondering what the difference is between using polos and splint boots. I jump,trail ride,some…

Excerpt from horsehealth.co.uk:

_"Bandages have gone slightly out of fashion in recent years. This is particularly the case with exercise bandages where boots have become more popular. However, from a support point of few, a well put on bandage can offer far more support to the lower limb than most boots. You can never achieve the closeness of fit with a boot. Stable bandaging and bandaging for injuries are still of great importance. The selection here features some of the most modern therapeutic Gel bandages as well as the traditional fleece Polo bandages and elasticated exercise bandages. "_

From Oddsonracing.com:

_Bandages used on the front legs generally are used for *support*, often times with horses that have old tendon injuries. Sometimes bandages are used beneath protective boots. Many times trotters will wear brace bandages behind, and a boot will be placed over top of the bandages for added safety when a horse interferes with that area severely.

After a race is over and the horse is bathed and either walked or left to cool out in his stall, he is often times "done-up" in standing, or stall bandages. These are thicker and offer more *support* than the brace bandages, and their purpose is to support and protect the legs while the horse is resting in his stall.
_

Article about leg protection:

http://www.horsechannel.com/media/horse-health/protective-legwear-3128.aspx.pdf

Not really relevent but I liked this article, it made me chuckle to myself.

Epic Polo Wrap Fails « The Cowgirl Manifesto

From Horseback Riding Lifestyle and Supply Blog

_Polo wraps__ provide the most tendon and ligament protection. They are made of fleece and should be wrapped evenly from the bottom of the knee down to the coronet band. It is common for Dressage and Race horses to be exercised and ridden with polo wraps because they provide the most protection of all of the boots. Polo wraps may provide the most cushioned support but the downside to them is that putting them on a horse’s legs can be meticulous and time consuming. If the legs are not wrapped evenly and correctly they may cause a horse to trip or stumble and seriously injure themselves or the rider._

Alright I'm done. My purpose here isn't really to prove that polo wraps are 100% better than any possible boot and are the gift form the holy gods in leg protection, but I would definately not go anywhere near saying they are never beneficial and offer no support.


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## DrumRunner

I'm not going to argue with you because everyone has their own opinions and preferences...But when I asked for studies I mean STUDIES, not questions and answers on a forum or board like this..Even your very first article posted says "boots offer the best protection by far". The rest of the articles say hardly anything about a **performing* *horse wearing the polos. Just that they are nice to use for horses with old tendon injuries, horses who are standing in their stalls being 'done up', and using the polos as bandages...There are holes in your "studies" and some aren't really studies at all.

The OP asked what we thought what was best for performance Western Disciplines. Not what dressage people prefer...That's a whole different ball park. There is a VAST difference in the needs of a horse that's reining or barrel racing than a dressage horse or polo ponies.


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## SorrelHorse

DrumRunner said:


> Not true...If you go back a page you'll see where studies have proven that *polos offer almost no protection and/or support.* More often than not they can cause more damage than good.


I am not trying to prove that boots offer absolutely no support or protection. I love using SMBs myself. Legacy boots, Iconoclast, splints, the works.

My purpose to that post is that polos _do offer support. _Since you stated right there that they did not. 

I am more than willing to go back through my email if you really are dead set on looking at the study. It'd just be a hassle for me to do so. I get quite a bit of newsletters/emails/links.

And I'm also not disagreeing that *incorrectly wrapped *polos have been the cause of many a horse injury. Because they certainly have, I've seen quite a few.


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## DrumRunner

If you're going to quote me you should know it says *almost*...Polos offer *almost* no protection and/or support. I never said they were useless and didn't offer any support at all...My. whole opinion is that polos aren't as good as boots. THAT is my point.


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## SorrelHorse

Then we are on the same page. Problem solved.


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## COWCHICK77

I would never suggest a "newbie" to use polos, but boots need to applied properly as well. Horses have been crippled from boots being applied improperly as well as polos. Of course boots are more of the fool proof method, but not entirely. I think some people have the urge to over tighten to get snugness of a polo. Just like anything else, it needs to used properly to achieve maximum effectiveness. 

I think people get confused with the difference between support and protection and put it in the same catagory, which would be incorrect.
Support would be for keeping the tendons from overextension whereas protection from interference from hooves, legs..whatever.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CLaPorte432

I use these... Professional's Choice Sport Medicine Boots II I've been very happy with them. Have used this brand for years and years and much prefer them in competition when I'm running hard. I also have the bell boots... Professional's Choice Ballistic Overreach Boots And have been very happy with them as well.

I only use skid boots when my horse is running Speed and Action where they slid and stop in a box. Kind of like keyhole. I have yet to find a good solid pair of them. My horse literally tears them up. Within a few runs, they are ripped.


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## dynamite.

DrumRunner said:


> If you're going to quote me you should know it says *almost*...Polos offer *almost* no protection and/or support. I never said they were useless and didn't offer any support at all...My. whole opinion is that polos aren't as good as boots. THAT is my point.


Then why did you reply "not true" when I said that polos do provide support?


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## DrumRunner

If you'll go back and read I said *ALMOST* no support and protection...it looks to me as though you're just trying to start an argument, the conversation was done, over. 

And me saying they provide *almost* no protection is very very true. All of my studies and srticles have said that. Then even when SorrelHorse tried to argue with me she was proved wrong. Even one of her articles say "boots are the best by far".

I answered the OP's question on polo wraps vs a boot for performance western disciplines. I'll say it again...Polo wraps provide *almost* NO protection and/or support when being used on working horses... This is a PROVEN fact. What you have is a personal opinion, which everyone is entitled to. I use facts when it comes to my horses, not someone else's opinion. 

If you want to try to have a debate with someone have facts, not opinions.


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## Allison Finch

Drumrunner posted excellent information on polos. I very much agree that polos offer good protection against concussive injuries, yet almost no actual structural SUPPORT. In fact, few boots can be said to offer much SUPPORT either. 

The study that was offered by a company promoting polos should be looked at pretty closely. There is a definite conflict of interest. All independent I have read have said that they offer little to no support.

Here is further info from the Sustainable Dressage information site;



> Bandages & Polo Wraps
> 
> 
> Hard shell leg protection.
> There are all kinds of leg protection devices out there in the tack shops. Most of them are made to protect the horse's legs from either his own hooves, or from poles and obstacles hitting the leg and causing bruises, inflamation, woulds, pain, etc. This is all good. Even for the dressage horse this is good, since an unbalanced horse simply trying to move along in regular gaits very easily can hit his own legs with his hoofs because he is unbalanced. Now, I hope you understand that the hoof does not bend up and hit the leg it is attached to. That would be terribly unnatural. But the left foreleg's hoof can hit the right foreleg. Or it can hit the left hindleg. Or even the right hindleg. It is more common for the hindlegs' hooves to hit the forelegs or each other, or for the frontlegs to hit each other. Muscular imbalance can cause the legs to slant inwards and the hooves to be placed tighter together on the ground and not on two separate tracks. Their line of travel can also be affected by muscular imbalance and move the trajectory towards the other side instead of in a vertical bow. But I will not go into that here.
> 
> 
> Soft wrap leg protection.
> Polo wraps or bandages can protect from that too, although not as well as for example a shell made from leather or plastic lined with neoprene or fleece. Those kinds of splint boots work like a helmet on the horse's legs. In a bandaged leg, you do not have the outer shell that spreads the impact for the lining to absorb the shock.
> 
> Bandages can protect from brushing injuries which are small cuts in the skin. But splint boots are sometimes better, at least if they fit. If they don't fit, sand and gravel can sneak in between the leg and the wrap and cause abrasions and blisters.
> 
> Bandages and polo wraps can cause blisters as well. If you wrap them too tightly, or the pads are misaligned, or they are too loose and shafe. It is an art to wrap correctly. Wraps can also cause serious accidents if they come undone. The loose end can scare the horse, or he can step on it and trip. He can also get caught in fencing or other things and tear the whole place down, fall and land on top of you, etc, etc. Horrible.
> 
> Those accidents are however rare and keep getting rarer because the fastening devices on bandages are getting better and better. 40 years ago, they were two little cotton strings that one tied in a bow. Neat, but hardly safe. Now we have velcro. Amen.
> 
> 
> The stress on the fetlock joint.
> But, to be honest, most dressage riders don't use polo wraps to protect the leg from the other legs. They usually use them to support the leg that is heavily loaded. Now, what is it that is being protected, here? Well some say it is the tendons at the back of the leg. The wraps are supposed to keep them in place and support their position. The thought might be nice, but it does not work that way. The tendons are kept in place by strong sheaths of ligament and other tissue. This is doing all the work. If it needs support from some flimsy fabric on the outside, the horse is desperately lame and needs operation. Think about it - horses land from 5 feet obstacles, usually on one leading leg. Imagine the impact of the entire warmblood horse plus the rider's weight. The tendons take this, and the sheaths keep them im place. As the horse lands and loads the legs like this several times a week, the tendons and sheaths are reinforced becoming stronger and stronger. If a horse can withstand this, what extra can relatively loosely wrapped fabric do to aid it? The answer is - Nothing.
> 
> The dressage horse is not under such strain, ever. He is also supposedly more meticulously trained, and his tendons are really strengthened over the years.
> 
> 
> Tight, tough neopren wrap.
> Some say that the bandages support the fetlock joint. The wrapping will stop the fetlock joint from overbending as the leg is loaded. But again we are talking about much greater forces than fabric can handle. It will simply stretch or compress the skin and the padding to allow the give that the weight of the horse will cause in the fetlock. Science has even tried to construct devices that can be scientifically proven to lessen the give in the fetlock. These devices are made from 1/3 inch thick neoprene, reinforced with nylon webbing and velcro fastenings, and are wrapped around the leg with fantastic effort. The wide velcro fastenings have to be extremely firmly tightened in a precise crossing position under the fetlock, to have any effect at all. So what will some semi-loose bandages do in comparison? Nada.
> 
> So do they have really no effect whatsoever?
> 
> Well, no. They do have one effect that is positive. And when you think of the origins of wrapping horses' legs, you see why. The whole wrapping tradition comes from English thoroughbred racing. They always wrap their horses legs, during work or at night in the stables and so on. Why?
> 
> Not because it supports the tendons or the fetlock, but because it warms the leg and promotes circulation. The racing industry is a fast one. Horses are not exactly warmed up with 10 minutes of walk and then a jogging trot to get the juices going. They are taken out to the track, the jockey is shoved up and away we go!
> 
> Dressage horses are not ridden that way, or at least they shouldn't be. Dressage horses don't need wraps, because they are supposedly constructively trained, and are warmed up slowly to get the synovial fluids going.


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## DrumRunner

Thank you Allison. Very good post and information.


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## BarrelRacer23

I use professionals choice ventech elites, there light, fit well and they have air flow. I like the look of polos and have some, but I hate wrapping them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mudpie

If applied incorrectly, polo wraps can cause a lot of damage... and it's really easy to do them wrong! It takes a lot of practice and they must be perfect or you risk serious injury to your horse.

I'd stay stick with sports medicine boots – they're effective and safer!


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## Horsesdontlie

Personally I don't like polos that much, too much time and care for not that much more protection, ill take my SMB any day. Plus this scares the crap out of me :


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## sierrams1123

Although I am a fan of polos for light work inside of the arena, I myself will not use them for any extensive riding.

I also agree with some of the previous comments about polos not offering much support or protection.

In my mind polos remind me of leg warmers that ballerinas wear before they practice or preform.
They use them to help prevent injuries but the leg warmers themselves do no prevent injuries.

In my opinion, polos are better then nothing and offer some help in preventing injuries but not as much as sport boots do.

I do not believe either are 100% and studies back that, but when it comes to my horse I want to use the tools and equipment that is the best for preventing injuries.
Boots can offer protection from outside elements better then polos and they offer more support because they were made to support the most important areas every time, I will continue to use boots over polos.

I also enjoy they no worry that goes along with using boots.
I do not have to worry about them being too tight or too loose, or having been put on incorrectly, or having to worry about them slipping, or them catching on something.
I am not saying there is no worry with boots but there is less worry because there is less room for error.

These are my opinions, based on my personal experiences with both polos and sport medicine boots.


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## SorrelHorse

DrumRunner, Ipromise I'm not trying to argue with you, but I do sort of take offense to you saying I was proven "Wrong".

If you look back, I did not get proven wrong. I agree with you completely, I would take boots over polos because they do scare me slightly. But they do provide support, which you also said. I stated what I read in a study link in my email, and did not argue it very far. My entire argument was that polos do in fact offer some support and/or protection (Depending on who you talk to, apparantly).

In the end, we are pretty much saying the same thing.


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## DrumRunner

We're actually saying very different things..we may have some ideas in common but when I say polos give a little support I mean a horse standing in a stall, used as bandages, English riders warming up..slow things...not performance western disciplines, like the OP asked. Polos vs boots? I answered her question and corrected where you said in the beginning that polos offer enough support for a hard working horse..that is not true. 

We may be skirting the edge of an debate but we're both talking about different things. I'm saying they polo create very, very little support when being used in a performance setting, like barrel racing, reining, jumping...things that cause greater stress on a horse's legs. Boots are, scientifically proven fact, better at protecting and supporting a horse's leg.

It doesn't matter how you word it or what your opinions are...polos offer little support, they don't offer even close to enough support when seriously working a horse, are more likely to be useful as standing wraps, bandages, warming up the horse's legs, and more often than not are used incorrectly and can cause more damage than good...that's my point.


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## DrumRunner

Not sure why this posted..posting from my phone..it has a mind of it's own.


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## beau159

> I'm not so much leery of a company that does their own research..simply because that shows me that they care about their products and the things they put their name on.


, 

I wasn't "putting down" Professional's Choice for their studies. I absolutely love their sport boots. Probably won't ever use anything else. But my point is that with a company doing their own study on their own product, you always have to take the results with a grain of salt. 

After all, they want their product to look good, right? I'd love to see the actual written study where they list abstract, methods, participants, results, statistics, etc because that is where things can get skewed to favor one direction or the other. (I wonder if they'd give that information out if someone asked for it? I might...) With me being in the medical profession, that is one of the first things I look at when I read a medical study. Who sponsored the study and do they have an interest in the results? Doesn't mean all studies are then a fluke, but you do have to keep that in the back of your mind when you read the conclusion of the study. I spent an entire semester learning about that stuff so there's a lot of questions I ask before believing the quoted results. 

Just a random example here, there is a well-known optometric (eye doctor) drug on the market to treat glaucoma. The company did a study on their medication and claimed that it reduced progression by over 50%. We all should think WOW, right? Wrong. When you look at the hard data, people who were not treated at all (the control group) progressed around 18% of the time. And people that were treated only progressed about 9% of the time. So the company picked the "overall" stats to report: The 50%. Rather than reporting the true relative stats to report. Does the drug help. Yes. Does it help 50% of the time? No. But it's still worth using. So that's kind of my point when reading any study that was sponsored by the company itself. 

Again, not saying they are a bad company, but I don't know if I completely believe the percentage of support they came up with versus polo wraps. I do believe they offer_ some_ support, but not sure if it is as much as they say.

I'm gonna email them and see if they'll give the entire study to me. Worth a shot.

Okay, I will quit ranting about nerdy studies now.


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## DrumRunner

I'm definitely interested to what they say, always like learning something new. Even if it's not in this thread let me know please.


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## beau159

Well, they have one link right on their webpage for a 2010 study on artificial horse legs, but only the conclusion and not the whole thing. 
http://profchoice.com/files/uploads/2010/10/Energy-Absorption-Capacity-paper.pdf

But I thought this line was interesting in the first PDF:
​"The current data, and that previously obtained at University of Wisconsin-Madison, have inherit limitations of in vitro data, and their extrapolation to in vivo conditions must be approached with caution. Measuring the effects of commercial equine sports boots on the kinematics and kinetics of the distal limbs and fetlocks in live horses working at speed are necessary to validate the use of sports medicine boots as techniques to prevent and rehabilitate injuries. "

Meaning that their artificial limbs they used (not real horses) didn't quite simulate the "real thing", so you can't take the results to be the absolute truth. 

And they basically say the same thing (that they need to actually test the boots on real horses to confirm the results) after quoting a study that tested sport bandages on Thoroughbreds.
"This experiment and a previous one (4) support the concept that appropriate support bandages and boots may absorb some of the energy associated with high speed locomotion." 
 
Anyway, thought that was worth throwing out there. I'll see if they are willing to share the data on their most recent study that they talk about here Our Research that seems to have been done on live horses. Funny how they don't say if a horse wearing polo wraps also tended to rest their weight on the leg that was wrapped. I wonder if they checked. :think:

....devil's advocate........

Don't get me wrong. Still love Prof Choice's stuff.


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## DrumRunner

Yeah, I've seen both of those..


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## beau159

DrumRunner said:


> I'm definitely interested to what they say, always like learning something new. Even if it's not in this thread let me know please.


I just sent them an email asking for copies, so I will let everyone know what they have to say.


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## beau159

Well I have emailed them three times. 

No response. 

What'd'ya think _that _means? (Maybe they did report their percentages to their advantage.) 

They open at 7 AM in the morning. I'm going to attempt a phone call, out of sheer curiosity. I have no doubt that they do indeed provide some protection, but I question if it is truly the amount they say it is, especially now since they will not even respond to my emails.


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## DrumRunner

Huh..That's a little ridiculous, so much for good customer service.


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## beau159

Well they were very nice on the phone! Guess they can't ignore me if I call, right?

Anyway, she's mailing me the copy of the Oklahoma State study. When I get it, I will scan it in and post it.


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## DrumRunner

Cool deal! glad they were nicer to you on the phone..


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## BarrelRacingLvr

When riding I usually just ride in Bellboots, when running I use Pro Equine SMBs on the front and Polos on the backs.


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## suncolorsranch

SBB Elite all the way around and either quick wrap or no-turn bells by PC. They are the best and proven to be.


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## beau159

Started a new post on the topic of SMB research, that can be viewed here: http://www.horseforum.com/western-r...here-professionals-choice-115044/#post1389160

Since I have gotten a copy of one of the studies, anyway.


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## xxdanioo

I love pegasus air boots ^_^


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