Exercise bandages - leaving on all day?

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BeckyD

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Following a relatively minor impact injury (with a water bucket - don't ask) to his superficial flexor tendon, Ronnie is now allowed out in the field in the day, but the vet (whose opinion I value) has stated exercise bandages must be used. I'm using normal exercise bandages over Eskadron pads but am wondering what everyone's views are on using bandages all day and what the best ones to use are?
 
Presumably the bandages are for support purposes? I personally wouldn't be chuffed about them being on all day and would be happier with something like turnout boots as the pressure is pretty much guaranteed to be even whereas if your / yard bandaging skills aren't 100% then the pressure might not be consistent.

If you have to use bandages then ordinary ones with a tiny bit of stretch over good pads should be fine.
 
Yes, the vet said the bandages would give a little support to the tendon (especially as Ronnie is the biggest idiot you've ever seen in the field). I am anxious about the bandages being on all day, and the lady doing the bandaging is extremely experienced and capable but I do know how easy it is to do them wrongly - at least if it was me doing them I'd have only myself to blame!

Hmmm I have a multitude of boots but they're all brushing boots and therefore not very supportive. It's so hard to know what to do for the best, I'm following the vet's advice but just feel a bit
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about the bandages.
 
I wouldn't turn out at all in bandages tbh - all you need is for them to come loose and you've got another potential disaster
crazy.gif
I am surprised the vet has recommended this. I would have thought if the tendon is so weak it needs bandaging for support the horse should still be on box rest....

I'd rather fence off a small area for turnout so that the horse can't hoon around too much and leave the legs with nothing on (or turn out boots/brushing boots max).
 
I wouldn't even turn a horse out that I'd bandaged and I'm the best bandager in the world :P
I agree with jumpthemoon, I'd turn out in a confined space, round pen or arena even at first, with tendon boots or turnout boots.
 
what about a double tubi grip with a brushing boot over the top, would be a bit more supportive than just a boot, but easy to apply evenly?

Fx
 
Did the vet know your horse would be out all day though?

He may just have ment turnout for an hour or so in them?

Generally not a good idea to leave them on more than a couple of hours as can cause other problems. If you have to put them on, make sure they are sewen up, rather than just tapes as this will stop them unravelling if they come undone.
 
I'm doing as the vet recommended, and yes the vet knew he'd be out all day in them, as I double-checked with him that it would still be ok. The bandages are the ones with double velcro do-ups so unlikely to come undone, plus he's been in them a week with no problems yet. I'm just concerned that the longer this goes on the more there is likely to be a pressure problem, which by the sound of it you all are in agreement with!

I like the idea of tubigrip under boots, and may go down that route.

Thanks guys, it's good to know that I'm not worrying unnecessarily!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't turn out at all in bandages tbh - all you need is for them to come loose and you've got another potential disaster
crazy.gif
I am surprised the vet has recommended this. I would have thought if the tendon is so weak it needs bandaging for support the horse should still be on box rest....

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I must say I do rather agree with you, but I'm assured the damage is minor and that we'll be back in normal work in no time, that it's not a "proper" tendon injury... I have to trust the vet in this as he's the expert and has scanned it twice (and believe me he knows Ronnie's legs just about as well as I do after all the problems we've had this year!!).

[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather fence off a small area for turnout so that the horse can't hoon around too much and leave the legs with nothing on (or turn out boots/brushing boots max).

[/ QUOTE ]

I very much doubt that I would be allowed to restrict his tunrout any more than it is already (he's on a very small patch), and he's quite capable of hooning around in a space not much bigger than him (you should see what he manages whilst never leaving the proximity of the gate!!).
 
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