Pads under fleece bandages?

[alice.j]

I've read a lot of mixed opinion on this over the years, and just wondered what the current thoughts were on using or not using pads underneath fleece bandages (for exercise, I always use gamgees for travelling). In the past, I would have only ever ridden in bandages with pads underneath, but now I'm not so sure if they're necessary. Plus, full length bandages on a 14h pony end up being quite wide anyway, and he's currently fairly narrow in front, so I worry that adding extra padding will just make him bash his legs together!
What would you do?

 

[shadowboy]

There are a couple of brands of bandage that I don't use pads under as they are designed to be safe without. Equilibrium bandages don't require pads and is it Whitaker? I think they are designed with padded fleece for the first half then elasticated bandage for the remainder. I don't use other brands so perhaps they require pads as they are difficult to get even pressure over the tendon?

 

[kc100]

I'd be too worried about overheating the tendons if I used pads under fleece bandages - they are designed to be used without so I dont see what purpose pads underneath would have, I think they'd do more harm than good. There are lots of arguments out there for not using anything on legs at all due to heating issues so I'd be very reluctant to add another layer, and if your pony is not a straight mover and often brushes his legs together I'd actually be looking at a pair of ventilated boots over bandages, bandages are more aesthetic than offering vast amounts of support/protection.

 

[Jo_x]

I don't use pads with fleece bandages, the fleece is padding enough.

If you want your pony's bandages to be less wide you could always trim them so they are shorter though?

 

[khalswitz]

With fleece bandages I don't use pads. Polo bandages though I do. My preference though is sport wraps - much less bulky than either and less likely to overheat, more like a boot to apply but softer. My fleece bandages are mainly eskadron etc - no problems with them.

 

[alice.j]

Thanks everyone, mostly echoing my own thoughts but glad I checked!!

I'd be too worried about overheating the tendons if I used pads under fleece bandages - they are designed to be used without so I dont see what purpose pads underneath would have, I think they'd do more harm than good. There are lots of arguments out there for not using anything on legs at all due to heating issues so I'd be very reluctant to add another layer, and if your pony is not a straight mover and often brushes his legs together I'd actually be looking at a pair of ventilated boots over bandages, bandages are more aesthetic than offering vast amounts of support/protection.

He is quite straight moving, just very narrow at the moment (fingers crossed work and feed will widen him up!), but boots sound like a good option to look into too. I know of some support boots that eg lemieux do, but not ventilated ones? I will probably be using them a lot more in the winter than in the summer anyway, would it make a huge difference if they were ventilated?

 

[kc100]

Premier Equine tend to do some good value ventilated options - either the ventilated neoprene sports boots type:
http://www.premierequine.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=2015804

Or you've got the air cooled boots:
http://www.premierequine.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=2015813

However I think the latter are more for eventing/speed work as the air flow system would only really work at a canter/gallop.

If he's straight moving you should be fine not using anything to be honest, bandages offer minimal support in the grand scheme of things and boots are only really for horses that brush. I personally like fleece bandages (eskadron) as they are matchy (I'm terrible I know!) but wouldnt use them in the summer due to heating. Never use them with pads below however.

You can argue the heat vs support thing forever, some people claim bandages give great support and then there's a lot of evidence out there that says they do naff all for support. You can argue the same with boots as well - I personally think we've all got a bit over-cautious and often follow what we see other people doing without having a real reason for doing so. If your horse over-reaches; use over reach boots. If your horse brushes either front or hind legs; use brushing boots. If your horse doesnt do any of the above then bandages or boots will be purely decorative and wont offer anything other than the potential to heat the tendon; in this case dont use anything at all. Jumping is another matter and being cautious when jumping is understandable - but for flatwork/dressage there really is no need unless your horse over-reaches or brushes. Even in lateral movements the legs should never come close enough to touch. Maybe if the horse is a baby and makes a lot of mistakes in the lateral work then yeah a bandage might be a good idea.

Work with the horse you have underneath you and the particular schooling you are doing on that day - but most of the time you shouldnt need either boots or bandages. And that means less faff for you, yey!

 

[alice.j]

If he's straight moving you should be fine not using anything to be honest, bandages offer minimal support in the grand scheme of things and boots are only really for horses that brush. I personally like fleece bandages (eskadron) as they are matchy (I'm terrible I know!) but wouldnt use them in the summer due to heating. Never use them with pads below however.

You can argue the heat vs support thing forever, some people claim bandages give great support and then there's a lot of evidence out there that says they do naff all for support. You can argue the same with boots as well - I personally think we've all got a bit over-cautious and often follow what we see other people doing without having a real reason for doing so. If your horse over-reaches; use over reach boots. If your horse brushes either front or hind legs; use brushing boots. If your horse doesnt do any of the above then bandages or boots will be purely decorative and wont offer anything other than the potential to heat the tendon; in this case dont use anything at all. Jumping is another matter and being cautious when jumping is understandable - but for flatwork/dressage there really is no need unless your horse over-reaches or brushes. Even in lateral movements the legs should never come close enough to touch. Maybe if the horse is a baby and makes a lot of mistakes in the lateral work then yeah a bandage might be a good idea.

Work with the horse you have underneath you and the particular schooling you are doing on that day - but most of the time you shouldnt need either boots or bandages. And that means less faff for you, yey!

The heat thing was something else I was looking into; I'd only really use them in the colder months, so over-heating shouldn't be a problem. I am a bit paranoid about his legs; he's just recovered from a really bad abscess and seems just as accident prone as I am!! He does over-reach a little but I think it's a baby thing and he's just getting used to having shoes on at last (I don't want an over-reacher!!), and has brushed his legs a couple of times but not badly; the main reason I'd be using any sort of leg protection would be to keep his legs warm and unstressed, more than for physical protection from other legs etc.

I think for now I'll just keep an eye on how he's going and only use them if it's cold out!

Thanks again everyone