# Is this safe?



## ponypile (Nov 7, 2007)

You'd be better off doing a stable bandage on all his legs. They are less constricting than a poll as they have the quilt for cushioning. I usually put shipping boots on horses with white socks to keep them clean over night. They're not at all constricting (the ones I have anyways). Just whatever you do, if you put a wrap/bandage on one leg, you have to put it on the other leg too and its best if you put them on all 4.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

ponypile said:


> Just whatever you do, if you put a wrap/bandage on one leg, you have to put it on the other leg too and its best if you put them on all 4.


^^ Curious as to why this is?? If my horse hurt one leg and I bandaged it, I would not expect to put it on the other, or all for that matter.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I think it is better to scrub them clean in the morning and then bandage them up for the ride to the show.

I will never EVER recommend turning them out or stabling them with polo wraps on. It's not safe.


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## ponypile (Nov 7, 2007)

nvr2many said:


> ^^ Curious as to why this is?? If my horse hurt one leg and I bandaged it, I would not expect to put it on the other, or all for that matter.


Wrapping with stable bandages and polos provides support. If one leg is supported and the one on the other side isn't, it causes the horse to stand a little differently, or move more on one side than the other. This can cause stress on the unwrapped leg from uneven stance or movement.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Just take some cornstarch with you and brush it into his white parts. Then brush out the excess. He'll be white and no wrapping necessary.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

A true "Pony Club" shipping bandage does come down to the ground, like this:

http://midcalponyclub.org/images/images/Newsletter/Bandaging.jpg

Many of us cheat and simply use a stable bandage when we trailer, which usually cups around the fetlock but does not wrap around the pastern. If you opt to do a true stable bandage, it should keep the legs clean. I would also not use polos, as they are intended to stay on for only a few hours.

As to wrapping both or just one leg, I have also heard that you need to wrap both legs, even if one is injured, to keep the support consistent. However, I've had my fair share of leg lameness and my vet has never mentioned it to me. The longest I had a horse in a wrap for was a vertical wound with proud flesh on a rear cannon. My mare was wrapped for several weeks (changed twice daily, of course) on only one leg.

If anyone has any information about wrapping only one leg being detrimental, I'd be interested to read about it.


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## maddog1991 (Jan 29, 2013)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Just take some cornstarch with you and brush it into his white parts. Then brush out the excess. He'll be white and no wrapping necessary.


Baby powder works too! It works great, I've used it when I show Holstein heifers (ENTER THE COW DORK!) when they get manure stains on their white patches. Works every time.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

ponypile said:


> Wrapping with stable bandages and polos provides support. If one leg is supported and the one on the other side isn't, it causes the horse to stand a little differently, or move more on one side than the other. This can cause stress on the unwrapped leg from uneven stance or movement.


Thank you! Then if it is just to keep them clean, why not just wrap with vet wrap???? And it is cheap too!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

The wrapping one leg being detrimental thing is total hogwash.
If you don't need to wrap, don't wrap. It restricts the vascular system and when removed can actually cause stocking up.
Also please dint wrap with vet wrap. That stuff will very, very easily bow a tendon if you aren't extraordinarily careful.
As far as for the white legs, if you keep the horse well bedded on clean shavings, you shouldn't have the issue. I would wash in the am, apply clean shipping boots and make sure there are shavings in the trailer and at the show, keep the poo picked out and they will stay white. The baby powder and cornstarch will also work.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

I don't have a problem with wrapping if you are positive you wrap correctly/safely, and your particular horse is okay being unsupervised with wraps on. If I was showing multiple horses in one morning, I absolutely wrapped white legs to help my prep time (I had several predominately-white Paints to keep clean.) That said, if you clip well, baby powder, chalk or show paint are great for touchups.


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