Best alternatives to cold hosing

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BBP

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BBP has a fat hind fetlock, I don’t have running water so usually make do with an ice boot type thing or standing him in a bucket of water if swelling is low enough (which is what I’m doing now) but wondered if anyone has a particular favourite boot that holds the cold well as I’m not sure mine are cold enough. Thanks
 
This is my method:
Wet tea towel/ small towel (important in this case for the ice not to be directly against horse)
Then Ice cube bags (they can be broken and molded round a leg nicely)
Bangdage on.
 
I should add that he is a 14.1 pony with tiny twiglet legs, so most boot products fall off him. You are right MP not sure why I’m not thinking of just ice, I guess the boot types I feel like I can wrap around the leg better whereas ice i have always had slip. I did see tubigrip doubled over recommended, I might try that.
 
I tend to use gel ice packs as they wrap round better, I don't put anything under them as he has plenty of hair keeping it off the skin, lots of people use wine cooler jackets.
 
Batgirl said:
This is my method:
Wet tea towel/ small towel (important in this case for the ice not to be directly against horse)
Then Ice cube bags (they can be broken and molded round a leg nicely)
Bangdage on.
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This
Or.. my vet gave me the gloves that they use for their arms when putting their hand up bums. And I filled with ice and tied the end and made into an ice bracelet then tied around leg when mine had acute lammi
 
I recently used bandages left in water with ice in it. I just bandaged while I was there anyway doing other stuff. My mare wouldn’t tolerate a hose.
 
Put a normal boot on him, like a travelling boot or stable boots. Then soak it with the hose. The cold water will soak through the boot and keep the leg cold
 
Put a stable boot or travel boot on him. (Soak it in a big bucket of cold water first), make sure it's dripping wet then put on the boot. It will keep the leg cold.
 
I think the only real alternative to cold hosing is to bring some sort of ice/ice pack from home that has been chilled to freezing temperatures. Cold hosing works, because you are continually replacing the water in contact with the skin, so that there is a temperature gradient, and the leg continues to cool. If you just take material (boot, bandage, wrap) and wet it once, the water in contact with the skin will warm up quickly, and the leg won't cool any further. You need something that continues to be colder than the leg for a prolonged time to make it work, in other words: ice or an ice pack.
I also have a few instant ice packs for accidents that work on a chemical basis, but they are single-use only and don't work out cheap if you use them regularly. But for an emergency, they can be useful.
 
EKW as a general fan of ice cube bags, once they've melted do you stick them back in the freezer or do they leak?
 
BBP said:
BBP has a fat hind fetlock, I don’t have running water so usually make do with an ice boot type thing or standing him in a bucket of water if swelling is low enough (which is what I’m doing now) but wondered if anyone has a particular favourite boot that holds the cold well as I’m not sure mine are cold enough. Thanks
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I have these, and yes they are IN USA but shipping is quick and they are brilliant for tendons, swellings and anything https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roma-Ice...hash=item33c8475f09:m:m2XDL52F-GRZweu02RTJe3w
 
Just curious :). I'm ok sharing ice packs but if had an issue with more than 4 legs I could break out the ice cube bags :D
 
Pricey though in comparison to the other options, I'll stick with my human ones, mostly because they are always in the freezer anyway :)
 
Premier equine cold boots I’m freezing water with as much ice as you can. Soak them for an hour and they’re freezing.
 
ester said:
I tend to use gel ice packs as they wrap round better, I don't put anything under them as he has plenty of hair keeping it off the skin, lots of people use wine cooler jackets.
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I use the gel ice packs too. I put a cloth like a tea towel underneath especially if thin skinned or in some cases the hairs been shaved off for a scan.
 
Thanks all. I went old school tonight and bandaged a pack of frozen peas to his leg! (Cloth underneath of course). Seemed to do the trick and not too mushy so been able to bring them home to refreeze. Just need to remember to tell OH not to use that pack!
 
I keep a polystyrene cup in the freezer just for this, massage over affected area peeling back the polystyrene as the ice melts.

I tend to find a full cup takes about 20 mins of use to completely melt so similar length of time to that which I would cold hose for and no issue with ice burns as your constantly moving it. I’ve found it far more effective (but more labour intensive!) than hosing :)
 
Wine coolers.

the soft gel ones that slip over a wine bottle, i slit them down the seam and then use a thin tea towel against the skin and bandage the wine cooler over the top.

they stay cooler longer than the ice vibe packs IME and cost about £8 each!
 
Ice pops and a tubi grip bandage!!

Buy a large tubigrip bandage knee size usually does it for me, £1 form the £1 shop. Pull over hoof fold in two to make a pocket.

Ice pops also £1 for £1 shop. Freeze and pop into the pocket you have just created. - Ice boots for the pricely sum of £2. We have running water but this method gets swelling down more effectively than cold hosing. You can also bandage over thetop to make it more secure.

I freeze a pack of ice pops and take them to work in a cooler there are always enough left frozen for me to use if i go straight to the yard from work.
 
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