# Leg wraps for trail riding?



## katbalu

Interested in this answer as well 
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## Painted Horse

I don't believe in wraps while trail riding.
Too much of a chance to trap mud, sand, plant matter etc that can rub and cause bigger problems.

Wild mustangs do just fine wth bare legs and mine have also. They do get the occassional rock bite, nicks and scrapes on their pasterns. But when I work with my hands, I also get the occassional blister, sliver, and cut on my hands. Natures seems to deal with it and it's a expected event.

I suspect a lot of my belief comes from my early years of competing in Comptetive Trail Rides where leg protections is illegal and trail horses are expected to take care of their own legs. I realize others will have differing views. But I've just never had a problem.

My horses scramble thru rocks









Scrub Oak covered hills sides









They wade rivers









And find their way thru tangles of blow down


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## BlueSpark

All our trail horses are bare legged, in fact you cant have anything on their legs for compeditive trail. Be EXTREMELY careful with wraps, its easy for them to get snagged by branches and wetted out causing them to unravel. Seen a bad wreck caused by that.

I'm sure if you really wanted to you could get some sort of protective boot that is one peice and velcros on, But if at all possible I would go without.


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## PaintHorseMares

All our mares go barelegged, too. In my experience riding off trail, they're more likely to get pokes and stuff on the chest rather than the legs.


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## poppy1356

Ooo I wish our trails looked like that. Is there anything to maybe put on the legs to help soothe the skin perhaps. One fly bite and she's got blood running down her leg. I do put fly spray on before we go out. Her skin is very sensitive. If all I can do is hose down her legs after that's fine I'm just looking for something that might make her more comfortable. 

I'm not a huge fan of putting any wraps or boots on but I've never come across a horse with such sensitive skin before.


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## nvr2many

I have always wondered this too! Good question OP!!! I thought, hum if my guy had wraps or guards he would not have gotten hurt last year when my FIL took him out to check out hunting spots! Guess now I know its not what we should be doing! Thanks!


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## SorrelHorse

Once, my mom wrapped her horse's legs for a trail ride, and they fell in a sink hole. Set of four ridiculously expensive support boots and bells sucked right off. I often wonder if it would have been easier for them to get him out of the mud if the boots hadn't been sucking him down more.

Polos a definite no, too much to snag.

THe only boot I would EVER use, in the DRY summer, would be maybe some front splint boots, adjusted snugly, and not to go anywhere but on a clear trail....I'm too paranoid something will happen.


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## greenbryerfarms

I use aton ofboots wrapscome off with my horse I like legacy but perfesionals choice full splint boots are cheap andwork just as well cover more. 
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## poppy1356

Ok no boots for trails. I have never used anything but splint boots and that was a lease horse and owner wanted them on. I am always worried about them starting to come off. I guess I should have said just boots instead of wraps but when I say boots I just think of hoof boots. Anyways so for the skin do they make like horsey aloe lotion or something? I'm really just trying to prevent issues as mud, sand, anything makes her skin irritated (it's quite pinkish red).


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## greenbryerfarms

Then I'd just wrap them with vet wrap lol
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## themacpack

There is more risk of irritation by using wraps, especially vet wrap, due to the aforemetioned risk of particles (we are talking minute particles that can create issues) becoming entrapped within the wrapping and then creating friction with every step the horse takes. If/when the rides involve water you also have the added issue of a now WET wrapping that can create the rubbing issue even without having anything becoming trapped in it. At the end of the day, you'll be creating the very problem you are trying to prevent.


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## poppy1356

Thank you for all the advice. I will not use boots or wraps of any kind. I have never gone on trails before (all arena work) so this is all new to me.


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## greenbryerfarms

I don't know. I haven't ever had an issue but our trails areclear, my horse isn't sensitive, sorry.
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## cuttinmom

I have had great luck with RES Spint boots. Great material that doesnt collect stickers. The velcro is also replacable and very affordable. they have a online store @ resboot.com


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## HarleyWood

i use prochoice sport boots and legendary for their front legs only.


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## BlueSpark

you could likely just slather them with vaseline to keep flys from biting? it will pick up sand and dirt that you would have to wash off. I would not worry about it too much though, your horse should be fine "naked"


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## poppy1356

That's a lot of vaseline haha. For now I'm just using fly spray twice a day but she's still got scabs from the flies last week. I haven't noticed her having an issue yet I'm just afraid when her skin does get really irritated it will be when the two stores are closed and I won't know what to do or have anything.
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## flytobecat

I just fly spray my girls.
I know some folks that use splint boots & bell boots for the cactus, but watch out if a cholla gets under them.
I definitely wouldn't use the wraps. 
Painted Horse -Gorgeous -I'm so jealous.


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## Ne0n Zero

Yeah definitely wouldn't use wraps or boots while on trail, esp. for sensitive legs.


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## wetrain17

Im big on preventative care. I always ride with boots (unless competing). Why risk it? I usually use Woof Wear

Woof All-Purpose Boots | Dover Saddlery

and I use the double velcro when going on trails (water crossing purposes)
Woof Double Lock Brushing Horse Boots | Dover Saddlery


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## Rancher6

Nothing wrong with caring about your horse but consider that horses lived in the wild for 55 million years without leg wraps. But if your horse is worth a million bucks then bubble wrap him.


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## mildot

Rancher said:


> Nothing wrong with caring about your horse but consider that horses lived in the wild for 55 million years without leg wraps. But if your horse is worth a million bucks then bubble wrap him.


I find this argument meaningless.

Wild horses don't cost anyone any money in vet bills. When they get hurt they either recover and go on, go lame and get eaten, or die from infection. And nobody cares.

But when my horse gets a sore, infection, or ailment that causes lameness, then I get to pay for it both in vet bills and lost riding time.

And no, I don't have a million dollar horse.

I always protect my horse's legs with either brushing boots or polo wraps regardless of the trail conditions, be it dry, wet, muddy, or snowy.


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## poppy1356

mildot said:


> I find this argument meaningless.
> 
> Wild horses don't cost anyone any money in vet bills. When they get hurt they either recover and go on, go lame and get eaten, or die from infection. And nobody cares.
> 
> But when my horse gets a sore, infection, or ailment that causes lameness, then I get to pay for it both in vet bills and lost riding time.
> 
> And no, I don't have a million dollar horse.
> 
> I always protect my horse's legs with either brushing boots or polo wraps regardless of the trail conditions, be it dry, wet, muddy, or snowy.


What would you recommend is the best? I looked at the woof boots suggested earlier and they looked good kinda pricy but I'm not sure how much of the leg they protect. My biggest concern is bugs every day I clean her legs and apply fly spray and everyday she has more blood and scabs from flies.
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## mildot

Well boots are not for bug protection. They are for protection of tendon, bone, and skin from abrasions and strains.

Ones that I would buy:

Dalmar Eventer Boots at Bit of Britain

Nunn Finer Thermoplastic Open Front Boots at Bit of Britain


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## poppy1356

Oh I know they don't protect against bugs but I figured why not kill two birds with one stone. She is older and just being trained and I have no idea on her history and would like to do some pretty lengthy rides eventually so I would rather prevent injury then have to call the vet after. She is also not extremely balanced but is getting better so I would like her to not injure herself with her own feet. 

Thank you for the suggestions I am definately looking into all of them.
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## Lockwood

Poppy- if you decide to not use boots, perhaps coating the legs with Swat will keep the bugs away for your trail rides. 
Flies who seem to enjoy bathing in fly spray are usually deterred by swat or stick/roll on fly controls that have substance to them.


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## poppy1356

Ahh yes I have to get some of that. Thanks for reminding me of that.
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## Painted Horse

Now the real problem comes out. It's not that she has sensitive skin or that she is trashing her legs while riding down the trail. But rather that you have a bug problem.

Fly spray works on certain types of flies. If you apply the spray and still have bugs bitting her legs. Then you probably are not applying a spray that works for that type of bug. And no there is no generic fly spray that will repel all types of bugs. Some bugs are just going to ignor any spray you put on.

My gelding is plagued by gnats that chew on his ventral line under his chest and belly. I've yet to find a spray that will repel them. He gets itchy from their activities and bites, rubs, scratch himself raw in that area. He does more damage than the bugs every did. While I can't replel the gnats, I can treat the symptoms of that come from the itching. Thus reducing how raw he will scratch or rub his bottom line.

Covering your horses legs while she stands around may stop or reduce the bug bites. But I'm not sure that splint boots or other types of leg protection are the most cost effective or cover the largest area. They are usually designed to protect the tendons and ligiments for horses that are performing activities that have a greater chance of the horse stepping on itself. Laterial movements, spins, sidepasses etc.

I don't live in your part of the country, So I can't offer any advice on what works for your bugs. Ask your local vet what he/she might suggest to reduce the bugs or irriation they leave.

But in general, most horses can survive the hordes of bugs that come with summer, And a few scabs are part of life.


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## poppy1356

The bugs are only part of it. I do want protection for her legs as she is older and I don't want her straining anything or getting cuts from her kicking and or tripping over herself. She does have very sensitive skin and that was something I was warned about when I adopted her. 

I imagine fly spray works just like the flea and tick stuff for dogs. Not all products work on every animal and you have to find what works. But a few scabs would apply to half of one leg she's covered in scabs on her legs. Out of the 24 other horses she's the only with scabs already. She's a grey horse with white legs so she's more prone to issues anyway. 

It seems she may have had an injury to one of her back legs as her left is always a pain to pick up and she twitches if you hold it wrong. So I really do want protection for her joints and everything too.
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## equiniphile

We have a trail through the woods on our property that leads to 1000 acres of park-owned grass fields that I try to work my gelding in daily. I use Pro Choice SMB Elites because we do do some heavy canter/gallop work and I like his legs to be protected. I know the terrain and know that there's no deep mud, water crossings, etc., so I'm comfortable putting them on for trail riding on my property.

Whenever we trailer to the MetroParks to ride, I don't use them. Mud, thorns, pebbles....too much risk of getting in the boot and causing a problem.


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## Rancher6

mildot said:


> I find this argument meaningless.


 
yeah, probably is. I've spent most of my life around working horses and the ones we have here are pastured 24/7. they are sprayed for flies before saddling but never wrapped or booted. Nevertheless we take good care of them and never had a leg injury...but they're pretty tough critters and whats good for them may not be right for your horse. So my bad for the post from the p-nut gallery


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## HorsesAreMyPassion

I do agree with Painted Horse and themacpack and others comments on using wraps or protective boots on the trails. It would be ideal to not have to use them at all. 

However, with that being said, I will share my 2 cents on the subject. I have worked with many horses who have worn protective boots for turnout either half day or full day turnout for as long as up to 8 or so hours and have not seen any problems from it. My own horses have worn them as well for turnout, especially in the winter when they are shod on all fours with winter shoes as precaution against interfering/brushing, sometimes they don't get as much exercise as they should in the winter and they don't always get turned out for as long as usual depending on the weather, so when they are turned out they play hard! Winter shoes can leave your horse with a nasty injury if they happen to knock themselves while playing around. They have worn them in deep snow and even some mud without any problems, and my horses are all thin skinned, sensitive thoroughbreds. I have also used them for trail rides lasting around 3 hours. I also know a lot of fox hunters who wear them while out hunting without any problems. All of the boots that I am talking about here have been Woof Wear Brushing Boots, either the all purpose Club boot, the Single Lock boot, or the double Lock boot. I have never seen these boots cause any problems for any of the horses who have worn them for turnout and/or riding.

If you choose to use boots on your horse, there are some things that you can do to help to minimize the risk of boot rubs and irritation. Make sure that the boots you choose are the right size for your horse and fit well. Learn to put them on properly with right amount of tension, not too tight, not to loose. Keep your horse's legs and boots really clean. Brush your horse's legs well before putting on the boots and make sure the boots are clean, you can even give the inside of the boots a brush off. After riding, if your horse's legs get really sweaty it is a good idea to hose the legs off or sponge off to clean off the sweat, also a good idea to hose down the boots and let them air dry in the sun if they are really sweaty but not too much dirt on them and then brush them off when dry. If only mildly sweaty and not dirty just let them air dry and then brush off. If they get really dirty, and also on a regular basis, like once a week or so even if they don't look too dirty, it is a good idea to wash them with mild laundry detergent, add a second rinse cycle and air dry the boots. Also remember to keep your horse's legs really clean, regular brushing, especially before putting on the boots and hosing off if they get really sweaty and once in a while washing them thoroughly with mild shampoo or even a medicated shampoo.

Also, brushing boots only offer protection from brushing or any knocks and bumps, they are not supportive boots, they do nothing to support the joints, tendons and ligiments in your horse's legs. I don't have any experience with using support boots like some people have mentioned the proffesional's choice or other styles similar to those, so I don't know if they would cause rubbing or if they would be ok to wear for longer periods of time. 

If you choose to use boots, I would recommend the Woof Wear brushing boots.

Woof Wear - Protection By Design - Woof Wear


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## Painted Horse

I used to do Competitive Trail Rides. We would show up for a weekend and join 100 other horses/riders and spend 8 hours on Saturday and probably 6 hours on Sunday riding a trail. We would usually cover 50 miles on those trails. NATRC does not allow any leg protection during the weekend. So all the time spent on the trail, all the time tied to the trailer in the evenings, No leg protection was used on any of the 100 horses entered. If 100 horses can show up at a strange trail, be rode by everything from Novice to Expert riders at all speeds. and not need leg protections, I suspect, Most horses can do the same for avg trail rides.

Horses for me are the Ultimate 4x4 for getting through rough places.









Some times we ride on cow trails









Sometimes our trails are over grown









Sometimes we just bushwack cross country through what ever is growing









Sometimes it's just through the rocks

















Sometimes it's crusted snow









Pushing cows scrambling through brush









Some how my horses survive, I've never paid a vet to treat a leg wound to a lower leg. If you feel the need for leg protection, go ahead and spend the money, But there are thousands of horses doing trail rides on a regular basis and not wearing any protection.


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## poppy1356

Well thank you for all of the advice and suggestions. I will always take into account where I will be going and how the weather has been to determine if boots would not be a good idea. I realize many horses have and do survive fine without any protection but that does not mean mine will. I would much rather prevent anything than have to treat after the fact. also I will not be doing competitive trail riding but if I did I would follow the rules when competing.
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