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Poultice is essentially wet clay used to draw heat and inflammation from a horse's legs.  It may be used alone, or (most often) under a standing bandage.  Some people may say that "mud" doesn't do very much...but having used it on myself for a severe bone bruise, I can assure you that it does work!  It feels like a soothing ice pack for about three hours, absorbing heat and swelling as it dries. 

Frequently, poultice is used after a strenuous workout (like a gallop or cross-country), or as part of a treatment regimen for an acute injury (bowed tendon, etc).  It should be applied about an eighth- to a quarter-inch thick around the desired area.  It can be irritating to broken skin; check your horse's legs thoroughly after cross-country, and do not cover any cuts or scrapes with poultice (or you may have a hugely-swollen leg the next morning!).  Use a wound ointment, like triple antibiotic, to protect the wound from any accidental poultice coverage.

When used under a standing bandage, wrap the leg with wet paper on top of the poultice.  This keeps it moist a little longer so it won't dry out too quickly; and it keeps your wraps clean.  Brown paper (often cut from a feed bag) is the traditional material, but it can be stiff and wrinkly when dried.  Instead, I prefer to use disposable blue shop towels-- they conform to the leg nicely, are pre-cut in a good size, and come off in one piece for easy removal.  In a pinch, any paper product will work...normal paper towels (the Quilted Quicker Picker Upper rocks), and even ripped pages from your event program can be used (though the newstype may rub off on white legs).

To remove the poultice, it can often be brushed off with a soft curry when dry.  If it is still wet, just hose it off.  For Sunday jogs, shampoo the legs thoroughly to remove any leftover white poultice dust... very tacky on dark legs!  If your horse has white legs, though, poultice dust leaves them extra bright and sharp.  (Thank goodness for small favors!)

Poultice comes in many different brands and varieties; some have additives like alcohol or menthol to induce an extra "cooling" sensation.  Some of these extra ingredients, however, may show up in a drug test (there was a scandal about this several years ago).  Your best bet is to use a plain, simple white clay poultice.  Uptite and FinishLine (blue lid, non-medicated) are my favorites.  They go on creamy smooth, and are pretty easy to remove the next morning.

Other poulticing hints:

-Wet your hands before grabbing a glob of mud.  This keeps it from sticking to your skin, and so is more likely to stick to the horse's hair, and not glop on the ground.  Dunk your hands often into a bucket of water to keep them moist, and dripping a bit of water into the poultice tub is a good thing, keeps it "slippy" and from getting too dry.

-For less mess, use latex gloves.  This will avoid the "crusty white leftover-nail-polish" look on the cuticles of your fingernails. 

-Scrape excess poultice off your hand (or glove) onto the rim of the poultice bucket; it cleans your hands and you can re-use it without wastage.

-Tie up the horse's tail BEFORE you start!  Inevitably, you will forget this step when you begin to poultice the horse's hind legs.  And the tail will swish right into the poultice, becoming covered in sticky white mud.  Knot it well!

-I usually apply the poultice in pairs and cover with paper, then wrap both.  I've found this the easiest way to avoid a big mess.  I hate when shavings sticks to the poultice leg, so I try to finish it quickly.

-Speaking of shavings...another big pet peeve is shavings/hay in the poultice bucket!  Keep the lid on it as much as possible, to prevent irritating debris from contaminating your clay.  Horses will stomp at flies, sending footing flying like a magnet to your tub of poultice.

Polo wraps are your favorite fleecy friends used for leg protection during exercise when you forget your half chaps.  Also great for your horse, too!  Seriously though, polos are a suitable alternative to galloping boots when the need arises.  Generally I MUCH prefer a good set of Woof (or other brand, such as Nunn Finer) boots instead of wraps: faster to apply/remove, easier to clean-- just hose off--, and safe in most weather conditions.  As we all should know, polos are completely unacceptable for cross-country...they slip horribly when wet, causing disastrous results as they come unwound on a galloping horse.  Why, then, would you waste your time rolling all those polos, and spending hours untangling them from the dryer?

Polo wraps are perfect for sensitive-skinned animals.  They rarely rub, and are perfect to use after your horse has had its legs shaved (either body clipping white socks, or shaving for a tendon ultrasound).  I've learned the hard way...do NOT use a boot on a shaved leg, the friction will irritate the skin into blowing up huge!  Polos only, please.

I also have an "off-label" use for polos: instead of standing wraps for turnout.  Horses who live outside 24/7 occasionally have need for a standing bandage (a cut that needs sweating, for example) yet full-on standing wraps would be unsuitable.  Thick and bulky, standing wraps tend to soak up dew from the grass, and shift too easily on an outdoor horse, so I do NOT use them in turnout!   If I must wrap a leg, I'll use a polo wrap instead.  In such case, I'm careful to end the wrap higher on the ankle, to stay up out of the mud and wet grass, less likely to slip.  The wrap should be changed twice daily, and if there is much risk of it coming undone (rain! or anything but a quiet horse) do not use this method on unsupervised animals.

Because of the possibility of slipping down, use polos with caution: preferably for flatwork only.  If you do use them for jumping or fast work, be extra sure they are wrapped securely and keep an eye out for any loosening or displacement.  Don't use them in muddy or wet environments-- that's just asking for trouble!


How to Apply Polo Wraps:

Some methods (including the Pony Club Way...even though PC believes polos are the devil) call for unraveling the first 6" of material to use as a "protective strip" placed vertically down the tendons.  I generally don't see the need for this...it takes a little extra time, and honestly a thin extra layer of fleece isn't likely to provide much extra protection to the tendons anyway.

I start my polos just like any other wrap: place the edge of the tail-end along the inside of the leg, about 2/3 up the cannon.  Wrap from front to back, inside to outside, maintaining consistent tension.  Since there is no extra padding to disperse pressure, use extreme care not to wrap too tightly!  Wrap down the leg, overlapping with even spacing.  Go under the fetlock to "cup" it, making a nice V at the front to allow for flexion.  Continue back up the leg, even spacing, until you end just below the knee or hock.  Ideally, the velcro will fasten on the outside of the limb, to reduce the risk of the horse brushing it and loosening. 

The finished wrap should be neat and trim, following the contours of the leg nicely.  The polo should not be "tight," as it does not provide support.  The wrap should just be snug enough to maintain its position.

A "protective strip" down the back of the tendons.

Continuing the wrap down the "strip."

Starting the wrap normally, from the inside of the cannon bone. 

Continuing down the leg, making even overlaps with consistent tension.

The finished product.  Velcro ending on the outside of the leg.

Beginning the wrap on a hind leg: starting lower, about halfway down the cannon.

A finished hind wrap.  Note the centered "V" at the fetlock.

Hints for pretty polos:

-As with stable bandages, roll your polo wraps tightly!  I prefer to roll them on my knee, pulling some of the stretch to make it very snug as I wind up the bandage.  Your rolled polos should be very firm-- not loose-- when you're finished.  Tuck the corners under, throw the polo at a barnmate and she should respond with "Ow!!"  Otherwise, it isn't rolled tight enough (or you need to work on your aim.  Yes, long hours in the barn will make you seek strange entertainment at times, like pelting people with polos.  It is fun though.)

-New polo bandages are always awkward to use.  Thick and fluffy, they often look very bulky on the leg.  The new fleece is also "slick," and tends to slip.  Wash your polos as often as you can to "break them in."

-Older polos are the bomb.  A bit nappy, with some "pilling" on the fabric makes them grip better, becoming less likely to slip or shift.  Take care of the velcro, and your polos will easily last for years. 

-Speaking of velcro: it accumulates lint when you wash them.  Pick out as much as you can from the "hook" side, or else you run the risk of un-sticky velcro coming undone while you ride.  If the velcro loses its adhesion, don't use the wrap anymore!

-Select one or two colors and stick with it.  I know it's fun to "accessorize," but there is really no need to have a set of polos in fifty different colors.  They only get lost (one at a time), and you'll end up with mis-matched legwear.  Stick with white, black, navy (etc) so that as singles disappear over time, you can still have plenty that match.  Conservative colors also look good on a variety of horses.

-Nothing dresses up a horse better than a set of white polos for flatwork.  Something about the flashing optical illusion always makes a "decent" mover appear amazing.  Unless you have an endless supply of white polos, save a set of four for special occasions when you want that little bit of "pop."  White polos tend to stain, and the dingy-ness is not appealing.  Retire your old white polos to schooling use, and keep your others bright.  White polos look a little silly on light gray horses-- go for the contrast and use a dark color instead.

FEATURED RIDER:

Name: Susan a/k/a "SueCoo2" 

Age: 51 

Location: Houston, Texas 

Primary horse's name: Cross Fox Kelenna a/k/a "Kikki" 

Age, breed, pertinent info: 

Kikki is a five (5) year old 15.2 Connemara Thoroughbred cross I bought three years ago as an un-started two year old from breeder Beth Blankenship @ Cross Fox Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. She is extremely well bred with Grange Finn Sparrow and Leam Bobby Finn (Carna Bobby) and Ashfield Jovial in her Connemara lines. Ashfield Jovial Joker is one of the top sires of jumping ponies in Ireland. 

On her TB side her dam (Mistflower) is by With Approval who is a very good sire and his sire in particular Caro has an extremely good sport horse reputation. Denny Emerson's stallion Loyal Pal was by Caro. The Caro sire line horses are super athletic, correctly built and they love to jump. Mistflower traces to Boudoir, a VERY high class mare. Her daughter Lady Ambassador produced Coraggioso who was a top 'chaser. My thanks to both "Linny" and "Sassenach" from the COTH BB for assisting me in researching her lineage. 

Kikki and I had a rough start. I had some health issues (I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict) which needed addressing and it prevented me from really working and riding her in a consistent manner. She excels when in a consistent program and has an excellent work ethic. Kikki , though backed and started when she turned three, could be a little difficult. Though she is a "HOT" mare, she is the type of horse I have always been drawn to, as she is super smart and extremely brave. 

With my health issue addressed, a new set of goals, and a plan (see short term goals), we are forming a wonderful partnership and I am very much looking forward to our journey together. She has taught me patience, perseverance, trust, and humility. She's learning that our journey will be fun. 

Level currently competing: GAG / Beginner Novice 

Short term goals this spring/summer: 

To attend the Lucinda Green clinic in June at Greenwood Farm and to successfully compete at her first show. We'd like to end the summer with a trip to the beach for a good gallop, and a Jim Graham clinic in September. Year-end goals: To have a happy, healthy, and well educated horse who enjoys her work and our time together. For myself, to remain sober, develop my skill set and apply for the 2011 USEA Worth the Trust Scholarship. 

Overall goals? 

To one day do a Training 3Day. I also want to clinic with Jim Wofford (I loved his book "Take a Good Look Around") and attend a Denny Emerson Adult Eventing camp. Ultimately, I'd love to take Kikki to the AEC at Carl Bouckaert's farm Chattahoochee Hills one day. 

What's the best thing you've learned recently? 

That a horse can be the best medicine no matter what ails you. 

Favorite eventing moment/story? 

In 1998 I attended the first CCI **** event ever to be held in North America. The Rolex 3Day in Lexington, Kentucky. I was a "Hunter Princess" at the time and didn't really know a lot about the "crazy" sport of Eventing. All I knew was that they did three phases and jumped BIG solid obstacles. I met fox hunter extraordinaire Mat Simpson and a slew of other people I'd been communicating with on the COTH bulletin board. Here is a picture from the "The Officially Scheduled Internet Equestrians Rolex Bank Photo". That's me in the center knelling. As long as I live I will never forget what it was like to walk out there on that first **** course! It literally took my breath away. It was like the Wizard of Oz and I was Dorothy dropped into some amazing wonderland!! But unlike Dorothy, I NEVER wanted to go home! The horses were spectacular, the riding simply amazing and the camaraderie I witnessed and felt between the spectators and competitors was truly heartwarming. I fell in love the Spring of '98 with this amazing sport. 

 All Wrapped Up:  Stable Bandages

Wrapping legs is a skill that every horse owner should have, and preferably before they actually need to do it. There's no need to routinely wrap a horse's legs, but it can be helpful in some situations:

Improperly-applied wraps can do a lot of damage. The blood supply to the tendons in the back of the horse's leg is easily compromised if the wrap is too tight, if it is applied with uneven pressure, or if it slips down and bunches up as a result.

How much tension to use when applying a wrap depends on the materials and is something you just have to learn by experience. A properly applied bandage will stay in place without slipping and will lie snug against the skin, but not snug enough to indent it. You should be able to slide a fingertip between the bandage and the leg.  Gentle twisting of the wrap should not allow it to slide around the leg.

Materials:

A stable bandage consists of a leg pad ("quilt") and an outer bandage.  The leg pad comes in several different styles: foam-filled, cotton batting, sheet cotton, "no-bows," etc.  Make sure the padding is adequate and even, without any lumps which could cause pressure points.  Most prefer Wilkers brand wraps (cotton outer, quilted flannel lining, foam padding between), or plain cotton-batting filled wraps.  An average horse will wear 14" quilts in front, 16" behind (18" for taller horses).  A very large horse will go up 2", smaller horses/ponies down 2". 

The outer bandage may be flannel, or the popular, colored polyester wraps. The polyester wraps stretch just a little, so be aware of this and don't pull them too tight!  Flannels are the traditional wrap of choice, but their lack of stretch means you have to work a bit to keep them wrinkle-free.  Whatever you choose, the wrap should be at least 10 feet long, preferably 12 feet so you don't feel "rushed" to finish a hind leg wrap. 

First, make sure the leg area that the bandage will cover is clean. Brush the hair so that it is lying smoothly.  Apply any topical medications that you wish to use (we will discuss poultice, liniments, sweats, etc in a future topic).

You can find several different sets of instructions on how to wrap legs properly. One frequently quoted says to always wrap from outside to inside, front to back, going clockwise on the right leg and counterclockwise on the left. However, if you're right-handed, the counterclockwise wrapping is awkward, making it difficult to apply smoothly, and vice versa if you're left-handed.

The important things to remember when bandaging are:

• Always start the wrap over bone, not the tendons.
• Bring the wrap around the front of the cannon bone first.
• End the wrap along the cannon bone as well.
  

Apply the leg pad so that it lies smoothly along the leg, with no wrinkles. While holding the padding in place lightly with one hand, begin the outer bandage by tucking it under the end of the cotton for a short distance, then wrapping in the same direction, first down to cover the fetlock joint, then back up again to end at the top of the leg. Each layer should overlap the one before by about half the width of the bandage.

One of the trickiest things to learn is where to start the outer bandage so that you finish wrapping at the top of the leg without too much bandage left over, or not enough left. This is going to depend on the length of your bandage (9 or 12 feet), the width (between 4 and 6 inches) and how much stretch it has, as well as how long the horse's cannon bone is. In most cases, you're just going to have to experiment with your bandaging materials to find out what works best, but in general the outer bandage is started anywhere from halfway up the cannon bone to just above the fetlock joint, worked down to take in the fetlock, then brought back up again.

When you first start learning to wrap legs, you'll feel like you could use at least one other hand and will likely botch your first attempts. Be patient. Like any skill, it just takes practice.  The more you wrap, the better you will be at maintaining even tension throughout, and knowing your materials.  Having someone experienced give you a few hands-on lessons is very important! 

What makes a good wrap?

Even tension!  Consistent pressure from inside to outside, top to bottom.  You can use FIRM pressure, so long as it is the same throughout the leg.  Use the "thump test" (flick the finished wrap with your finger) to listen for tight or loose spots. 

Practice!  The more you use your wraps, the more comfortable you will be knowing where to start/end for the best finished product.  For instance, I know with my 9' wraps, I will have ten revolutions around the leg until I reach the velcro.  I like to have four circuits down to the ankle, then six remaining circuits to finish it off below the knee.

Patience!  Don't be in a hurry.  Take as long as you need to ensure the wrap is the best you can do.  If you feel it may slip down, wrinkle, or be too tight, take it off and start over. 

Good materials.  Use good-quality leg padding, and flannels/wraps of good length with strong velcro.  I prefer velcro at least an inch wide, instead of the thin half-inch strips that never seem to hold well (and create excess pressure).  Roll your wraps tightly!!  This makes it MUCH easier to maintain a snug wrap with even tension, when the wrap practically unrolls itself around the leg.

And now, the Goddess of Grooms will demonstrate everything you need to know about a proper stable bandage:

Breastplates & Breastcollars & Breastgirths

A breastplate, breastcollar, or breastgirth (pick a name, any name) is used to prevent your saddle from sliding back.  In an ideal, flat world, perfect-fitting saddles would never shift from proper position on a horse's back.  But, add in galloping over varied terrain and monster jumps...well even the best saddle might slide a bit.  So, let's find something to strap it down!

Hunting Breastplate

One of the most common, popular styles of saddle-strap-down items is the "hunting breastplate."  This breastplate attaches to the saddle d-rings (or d-savers) and between the front legs at the girth.  It is reasonably effective, but some believe it can restrict the horse's shoulders.  Some models are available with elastic inserts for more shoulder freedom; just beware that the elastic will weaken and stretch over time.  The center ring should rest on the horse's chest muscles, not at the base of the neck (windpipe).  Adjust the side straps accordingly. When properly fitted, you should be able to fit a fist between the horse's chest and the center strap ring; this allows for full extension of the shoulder while galloping.  While standing at rest, you may pull a foreleg forward and notice how it takes the slack in the breastplate.  The center ring allows the use of a martingale attachment-- just be sure the attachment fits properly...many running forks are too short.  When using a martingale and a breastplate, the martingale should go OVER the breastplate-- that is, put the breastplate on the neck first, then the martingale; this way the martingale is unrestricted.  Remember it alphabetically: "B before M!"

Polo Breastcollar

The red breastcollar known everywhere, Bruce Davidson

The polo breastcollar (why it's a "collar" and not a "plate" I'm not sure; I don't make the rules, I just follow them) functions a bit differently than the hunting breastplate.  Its points of attachment lie at the girth, so it cannot pull the points of the saddle tree into the horse's withers.  A neck strap crossing the crest keeps it from slipping down; it should hang horizontally just above the point of shoulder, yet below the base of the windpipe.  The webbing may be made of worsted wool (colors!), leather, or heavy elastic.  Elastic allows a bit of "give," yet may not be 100% reliable to hold your saddle in proper place.  As with the hunting breastplate, the polo breastcollar should allow about a fist to fit inbetween the web and chest while the horse stands at rest.  Elastic versions may be fitted slightly more snugly, but not tight.

5-Point Breastplate

The latest invention in the breastplate market is the "5-point" breastplate which took the event world by storm a few seasons ago.  A hybrid of the hunting style and polo breastcollar, it attaches to your saddle via 5-points (hence the name): each side of the girth, the d-rings, and the girth between the legs.  This distributes pressure nicely, and lifting the attachment point (the fleecy side ring) allows maximum shoulder freedom.  The elastic insert can't hurt, either!  As with the hunting breastplate, however, there is still risk of digging the saddle down into the horse's shoulder blades.  It can make a poorly-fitting saddle even worse, by strapping it down so securely.  Also, cleaning the fleecy bits can be a pain in the butt!  Like hunting breastplates, the 5-point also allows for martingale attachments.  As with hunting styles, be sure the attachments are adjusted correctly.

Jumper Breastgirth

Why can't these breast-plate/-collar/-girth people just pick a term and stick with it?  The jumper-style breastgirth is essentially the webbing of the polo breastcollar, but without the neck strap.  It attaches only at the saddle d-rings, resting at the base of the neck.  Often made of elastic, or with generous elastic inserts, they allow pretty good freedom of the shoulder. However, it is easy for the webbing to press on the base of the windpipe.  I've never encountered a problem in fitting a breastgirth, but I always worry about it.  This style is more limited in its effectiveness compared to the others-- the horse's neck is the primary object counter-balancing the saddle, as opposed to the horse's chest used by the hunting, polo, and 5-point breastplates.  As with the others, allow 4-5 fingers, or a fist (less if elastic) between the horse and the collar.  The best thing about the jumper breastgirth?  It's great for the lazy...no need to slip it over the horse's head, just attach each side to the d-rings. 

Can you pick out the different styles in the photo above?