Magnetic therapy boots - useful or quackery?

[Bonnie Allie]

Retired eventer (20) is a bit arthritic. She is a paddock terrorist when not kept active or engaged and the vet has suggested gentle riding, walk and trot only at least 3 times a week for her mobility.

She is on a collection of magic powders which seem to help her but I’m wondering if I put magnetic boots on her 30mins before hacking out whether that might help the first 10mins when she steps a bit short until she loosens up?

Or maybe put them on after a hack as well?

Any views appreciated

 

[TheMule]

The boot part will warm the joint which will help. The magnet part does nothing

 

[Red-1]

I can only speak for myself: I once had a really sore shoulder, my friend loaned me his magnetic wrist strap. I thought it was all quackery and thought no more than, ah, nice friend, what a load of rubbish though.

That night, I was at a party, friend was also there. He asked how my shoulder was. I had forgotten all about it because... it was no longer hurting!

Bought one for myself, shoulder started to be a lot better.

 

[meleeka]

In use magnetic stable chaps with my old mare. They stop her legs filling overnight. She has some without magnets and they don’t work as well and her legs do fill a bit.

I’ve no idea if a putting them on for a short time would work.

 

[J&S]

I have used nagnetic boots, like brushing boots, for many years. Elderly NF mare started to look a bit iffy on corners in the indoor school, I went to the Equine Fair at West Point, probably 20 + years ago and decided on balance for the price they were a better bet than guessing which pot of powder to use. Worked a treat. I now use them at night on my 24 yr old mostly retired but lightly ridden 24 yr old. She struts out of her loose box each morninglike a good'un. Step daughter Vet agrees with TheMule, that the only good they do is to keep the joint warm, but magnets have been used for centuries and I beleive different!

 

[cauda equina]

Purely on the basis that magnets help my own old bones I put them on my horse too
He has magnetic brushing boots; they do no harm and may help, so why not? is my reasoning

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have written about this on the forum before but I'm happy to repeat it. I had a 24 yr old arthritic mare, who was lame on 2x bute per day. My next step was going to be pts but a friend who used magnetic legwraps to manage her laminitic pony persuaded me to try magnets. I put a pair on for 24 hrs (as advised by the company) and from hobbling in the day before at teatime, she *trotted* across the field. After the first 24 hrs, she wore the boots for 12 hrs per day, I alternated which legs I put them on. The boots gave her another 3 months when, sadly, she had to be pts because of a completely (afaik) unrelated issue.
However, I have tried the boots on other horses (not all my own) to no effect. I obviously depends very much on the animal. I have also been recommended to use boots on an elderly dog by a vet.
OP, I think if you decide to go down the magnetic boots route, you must commit to using them as the manufacturer recommends, or you won't see any effect at all.

 

[Otherwise]

Science says magnets don't work, any perceived improvement is just the placebo effect

 

[AUB]

I don’t really believe in magnets. I do have the PE rug though (won it) and use it when the farrier is here and during transport. I don’t feel any difference when riding but horse seems to relax well when it’s on. I think it’s just because it’s quite heavy.

For stable boots I’m more into infrared/ceramic technology like Back on Track. Probably just coincidence but I’ve seen several horses that the vet had written off recover from ligament and tendon injuries with the use of BoT.

If I should invest in something therapeutic right now it would either be Equine LTS or Catagos new fir-teach pro back warmer.

 

[rara007]

Quackery

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Awesome - thank you team. Excellent views with a number of alternatives and options for me to try. Really appreciated.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Awesome - thank you team. Excellent views with a number of alternatives and options for me to try. Really appreciated.

Let us know how you get on, please.

 

[ycbm]

I don't think there is any properly peer reviewed research that shows magnets do anything at all. But that's the same for homeopathy and acupuncture.
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