Magnetic Boots

[Joyous70]

Do any of you use magnetic boots, and if so what do you use them for and in your opinion do they work?

My boy has coffin joint arthritis and i was wondering if they might help?

 

[Jesstiggs]

I use the bioflow boots on my boy who has arthritis in his pasterns, I used them throughout the winter when he was stabled at night, and saw such a difference with them, as one night i was in a rush and forgot to put them on, and he came out the stable the next day very stiff...

 

[TableDancer]

Did you use them all night? Ive just bought a pair of Veredus hock boots for one of ours but I havent been putting them on for that long: no reason why you couldn't tjough, they are very light...

 

[Jesstiggs]

Yes I put them on all night, the packaging does say not to use for more than 12 hours, but he was in from about 7pm-6am, and i really did find they made alot of difference

 

[Joyous70]

Can they be worn when turned out, or stable use only?

I have seen some NEW equine brushing boots, designed for turn out, light hacking & schooling, but as the problem is in his coffin joint wasn't sure if they would help or not

 

[clydesdale]

I have a set of four magnetic boots that we have used on my old mare who had joint problems now we use them on my sisters horse whos legs are liike glass and he is always doing tendon/ligament damage they work a treat i swear by them u are ment to start off with half hour and build it up we have turned out in small paddocks with them on in dry weather aswell wouldnt be without them now

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

No they dont work. I did a project/research into them at uni and they have no effect. There are also no papers or research that show magnets work either. They seem to be a waste of money unfortunately and have a good placebo effect on owners

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I use Harpley magnetic boots, i use them in the winter to keep legs warm and also the bell boots to help with laminitis blood flow.

Yes I see some results with them.

http://www.harpleyequestrian.co.uk/

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Magnets boots have no effect on blood flow or tissue healing.

Any heat is due to the fact the horses has a boot on (insulating) not due to the magnets

 

[Zargon_91]

Ive looked at the research connected with magnetic boots too- unfortunately magnets are mis-marketed. They have no effect on either blood flow, soft tissue healing or easing stiffness. The ease to stiff horses you are seeing is a result of the heat by the boot, not the magnet. As far as easing coffin joint arthritis- is you're horse lame and had X-rays? Often the vet can give an injection of corticosteroid directly into the joint which reduces inflammation and helps with mobility, it can also be covered on most insurance policies so long as it's not a pretreated condition or a veteran policy. Feeding vegetable or linseed or corn oil is also quite effective- as is bandaging overnight for lower leg arthritis. Best of luck though!

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Ive looked at the research connected with magnetic boots too- unfortunately magnets are mis-marketed. They have no effect on either blood flow, soft tissue healing or easing stiffness. The ease to stiff horses you are seeing is a result of the heat by the boot, not the magnet. As far as easing coffin joint arthritis- is you're horse lame and had X-rays? Often the vet can give an injection of corticosteroid directly into the joint which reduces inflammation and helps with mobility, it can also be covered on most insurance policies so long as it's not a pretreated condition or a veteran policy. Feeding vegetable or linseed or corn oil is also quite effective- as is bandaging overnight for lower leg arthritis. Best of luck though!

I believe we looked into this together

 

[clydesdale]

i do not believe that they dont work!!!! i have a horse would damaged his tendon significally and is permently lame when ridden unless he wears these boots for an hour before work then is is alot sounder and mores so much more freely i have seen with my own eyes the differnce these boots can make and they do work!!!!

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

If you can prove they work do! Have a look into previous research and studies into equine and other animals. Not one paper suggests magnets have any beneficial effect, both with normal magnets and electromagnets.

If you could conduct research that proves magnets work then you could make a breakthrough that would be useful in veterinary and medical fields.

I am not sure why companies are allowed to sell these boots, claiming they have an effect, when not one paper out there suggests that they do.

If you dont believe me or zargon have a look into it yourself (you can find plenty on the topic online and in library's)

I think because companies sell them people think without doing researching that the boots, rugs, roll pads ect work. There seems to be a strong placebo effect where people are looking/wanting an improvement and so see one, not because its there, but because they want to see it.

The joys of an equine science degree....

 

[Zargon_91]

I'd say the improvement you're seeing is more likely due to the boot it's self rather than the magnets. But there are no detrimental effects so if it's helping you're horse by whatever means then fair enough.

 

[Woodykat]

OP I asked a vet this exact question last weekend - her answer: "well it won't harm..."

So I think I'll save my money tbh

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

The vet is correct they do no harm, they do seem a waste of money.

Premier equine do a stable boot, an alternate to bandaging. I would recommend this is your horse is stiff/arthritic. Ive used it on my horse to prevent swelling after nerve blocks and for some support for his injury. If I found magnetic boots to work, trust me, I would use them!

Save your money and spend it on something that works!

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Have to admit I have a verudus set and swear by them, they were recommended to me by a top event yard. My vet also is a fan. Who knows if the magnets have a real effect but something does to reduce swelling.

 

[rhino]

I am not sure why companies are allowed to sell these boots, claiming they have an effect, when not one paper out there suggests that they do.

They are not, and there have been many successful lawsuits against those companies who have. They are allowed to use vague, meaningless words like 'aids', 'promotes' and 'supports' which is obviously enough to convince some...

It's a 'belief' vs 'science' thing, and anecdotes will always be enough for some people

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

I agree with you there, but to someone not clued up in the field I think it suggests to the consumer that these products work.

Its an interesting subject area.

 

[stencilface]

I can't say if the magnetic boots helped my horse recover from PSD, but my parents older dog showed a significiant improvement from the first day he had his magnetic collar on, something does work, but I couldn't tell you what.

FWIW, I think the cost of these compared to the cost of ongoing vet treatment is worth it, and you can always sell onto some other gullible fool like me if they don't work. I also think there are more things in this world that we don't understand, than those that we do

 

[Joyous70]

As far as easing coffin joint arthritis- is you're horse lame and had X-rays? Often the vet can give an injection of corticosteroid directly into the joint which reduces inflammation and helps with mobility, it can also be covered on most insurance policies so long as it's not a pretreated condition or a veteran policy. Feeding vegetable or linseed or corn oil is also quite effective- as is bandaging overnight for lower leg arthritis. Best of luck though!

yes my horse has been lame and seen by the vet with X rays to confirm, he wanted to do injections following a lameness work up, but i wanted to try with some help from my farrier first before having the injections, a) as he is not insured and b) would rather put off having it done if at all possible if he will stay sound with alternative treatment

It does look like i have opened a can of worms though i think its probably like a lot of products out there isn't it? it works for some and not for others.

So maybe i'll give some a try - like you say Stencilface, its worth it compared to the cost of ongoing vets treatment, and i can always sell to some other guillable fool like you or me

 

[Saratoga]

I use magnet boots and also have a magnet rug for my event horse. I wasn't sure if they worked or not, but thought it couldn't do any harm. I then bought a magnet bracelet for myself as I get a lot of headaches. Again didn't really notice if it made a difference, took it off for a week when on holiday and a few weeks afterwards I forgot to put it back on. Started getting more frequent more extreme headaches, realised I hadn't had my bracelet on for a while so thought I'd put it back on and see. A week or so later the headaches were gone.

So who knows!