how do exercise bandages work?

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sophiebailey

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They sure do look pretty in the pictures but what's their function?

Do you have to put something under them?

Are they only for schooling?

What's the difference between bandages and boots?

Sorry for the dumb questions! :)
 
The simple answer is that they dont work .No bandage can prevent the forces exerted on a tendon ,from rupturing that tendon . The only thing they can do is protect from casual knocks.This is certainly not a dumb question. Bandages are a legacy from the days before all these fancy boots were designed. Also some of us older folk would prefer a well fitted bandage to a boot that slips down at the wrong moment. Anyway keep asking questions ,there is far to much "myth" in the horse world.
 
Mike007 said:
The simple answer is that they dont work .No bandage can prevent the forces exerted on a tendon ,from rupturing that tendon . The only thing they can do is protect from casual knocks.This is certainly not a dumb question. Bandages are a legacy from the days before all these fancy boots were designed. Also some of us older folk would prefer a well fitted bandage to a boot that slips down at the wrong moment. Anyway keep asking questions ,there is far to much "myth" in the horse world.
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LOL - agree up to a point, I used to put my pointer in front tendon (top of the range of boots) but if his poor legs were going to crack after 3.5 miles and 19 fences they would, and no boot would stop that happening - as I found out the day he did break down (he is fine now, sound, and doing another job......in case you were concerned) But what boots and bandages (properly applied) will do is prevent against minor schooling injuries - especially young horses, getting to grips with co-ordination generally. Or in schooling when you are asking horses to do different movements (dressage) where they might bang their legs into each other) or relatively low level jumping schooling.
A reasonable analogy might be football players wearing shin pads.......
 
Trying to compare the bandaging of human legs/arms, in comparison to just putting a support on, and suppose it provides a bit more of a firm and secure support, which in the case of horse boots maybe doesn't. They are generally looser in contact than a properly fitted exercise bandage.

And no you don't need to put anything underneath.

I don't think it makes a huge difference anymore, but if I was doing very high impact exercise, I would still go with an exercise bandage, as I do think they provide a tiny bit more support than your average boot.
 
Oh right... I thought they were there to give you a bad back from bending down for too long. Duh! Silly me.

:D
 
They are the same as brushing boots and will prevent brushing/slight knock injuries but cannot support the lower leg.
They won't help with proper strike injuries which only boots with tendon guards can help prevent/make less serious.

You can put padding underneath or if they are the fleecy polo bandages, you can just apply by themselves.
 
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