Leg care after strenuous exercise.

[EllieBeast]

Well Hellooo, as some may/may not know, i am planning to do the milton keynes 3DE this september. now, this is my first ever 3DE, and i really want to do everything right. I have never done roads and tracks before, and am fully aware of the toll the second day of competition can take on a horses legs.
i was going to grease Ellies legs up for the xc phase (applying it in the 10 minute box). can anyone reccomend a good quality Event grease that is relatively easy to wash off afterwards?
Also, i feel that i should use a cooling paste/clay once the day is over. again, any recommendations. do i bandage over it? how long should it be left on? also, would it be ok to use whilst turned out, as Ellie isnt in the temp stables (she would demolish them) but in a small paddock.
thankyou in advance, and sorry for all the questions! 0 i just want to do all i can to prevent damage.
(also forgot to say that she will be booted upto the eyeballs for this phase too)
Sarah xXx

 

[Nari]

I went to a 3 day a few years ago & a lot of horses were standing with their legs in tubs of iced water ater the xc & before the run up the next morning. I think you'd have to practice at home first though, these horses looked old hands & were quite happily standing munching hay!

I don't know a lot about cooling pastes etc, if I feel the need to do anything I hose then put on arnica & witch hazel gel.

 

[Bossanova]

Personally I hate the clay things, esp after xc when you need to monitor the horses legs carefully.
I prefer to wash them well in cold water and use a gel such as tendon cooling gel. check them regularly until last thing and put stable bandages on just before you leave her

 

[EllieBeast]

Thanks Guys - Boss, i was worrying about that too. she has massive ID legs, so i really need to keep an eye on the old tendons. i will grab some cooling gel (one of those with arnica and witch hazel?) and bandage that night. Personally i am very glad that she isnt being stabled, as i hate the idea of working her really hard then making her stand in a box. i much prefer for her to keep mooching around and preventing stiffness.
Sarah xXX

 

[Nickymac]

I use udder cream to grease with - it's cheaper than event grease and not too difficult to wash off afterwards (although the tub that I got was a very girly pink - not sure my boy liked that much!)

I normally use ice boots after cross country and only use Ice Tight much later in the evening when I'm sure I haven't missed any cuts/scrapes/heat/swelling.

 

[severnmiles]

Another thing we used to do for front legs is to use a long length of tubi-grip double it up, put it on(like a sock) and fill it will ice, make sure you double it so that the ice doesn't burn the legs and keep checking it, obviously you couldn't turn out with this or leave a horse in a stable like this but you can leave them on for about half an hour whilst you're still around.

Only used the clay thing once and I personally wouldn't use them, a cooling gel would be better. If you do decide to use the clay then pack the clay around the leg, use a brown paper bag or news paper sheet and wrap that around the clay and then the gamgee and then bandage.

Good luck

 

[EllieBeast]

Fabby, thankyou! however, i doubt that i will be able to get hold of any ice! might have to mug a passing ice cream van!

definately cooling gel methinks - cleaner to use aswell. added bonus
Sarah xXx

 

[Claireg9]

there is a really new thing out trying to remember there name... Anyway to xplain what it does, you take these bandages out of a silver packet and there ice cold and stay ice cold for a number of hours, this is better thn any ice boot and once warms up acts as a bandage as well so you get the best of both worlds without having to keep going back to put more ice on. there really is nothing better, i had it put on my arm at Hickstead and it was brill, so Hayley brought some and used them and said there fab. You can also apply a reenergizer fluid to them after use re seal the bag and they can be used all over again! Reusable and good.
If only i could remember there name!
Any one else know what im talking about?
ice is in the name i know that much you know like n-ice but obvioulsy not nice...
Help!!!

 

[Nickymac]

Just check with the leg cooling gels that you can bandage over the top - I've heard a horror story of it blistering the legs when they'd been bandaged.

 

[severnmiles]

There may well be ice provided, if not you can buy packs from Tesco or Sainsbury's to freeze, I'm sure there will be a spare compartment in a freezer somewhere on site. You really should use ice boots at the very least.

 

[Claireg9]

http://www.equiplus.co.uk/equinice_products.htm
Ok just found it, i was close its called equi n-ice!
the ink shows you, they are truely the best on the market IMHO!
Good luck x

 

[EllieBeast]

Thanks Guys, i will do my level best to get hold of some ice for her. now also need to find tube bandages with a large enough circumference!
i know i sound like a complete amateur asking all these questions, but i am just trying to do the best for my horse.
Sarah xXx