RE:More on Boots and Suspensorys

["Snodgrass, Bonnie" <snodgrab@ncr.disa.mil>]

I'm forwarding this to ridecamp as it's a slow day and I like to spout off
now and then.

I wouldn't hesitate to use a good support boot on a leg that had been
injured for a period of exercise. When I lived in Virginia I was lucky
enough to find an outstanding vet, Don Keiffer, who was also a horse breeder
and rider. I asked for his opinion on support bandages boots, etc. He said
that most boots and bandages would only protect a horse's legs from blows
from the outside, such as a jump rail or an opposite leg. They can help
prevent scrapes and bruises. To prevent a tendon or ligament injury you have
to keep the tendon from being over stretched length wise. Wrapping "around"
the tendon does not prevent over "lengthening". Over lengthening happens
when the joint that the ligament/tendon is attached to is over bent. Imagine
a horses front fetlocks/pasterns angles as it is just landing from a high
jump. Another common injury is when a horse comes down on a root or rock and
their leg buckles sideways at the ankle. A good boot that has a sling under
the fetlock joint or a firm elastic bandage wrapped in a figure eight
pattern (under the joint and up the cannon and under the joint) will limit
the over extension of the fetlock joint and possibly prevent injury. Polo
wraps are window dressing. Hope this gives you something to think about
(VBG).

Bonnie Snodgrass
 and yes I'm old enough to have memory problems!


-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Musick [mailto:janm_97@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 4:10 PM
To: Snodgrass, Bonnie
Subject: ReThanks for sharing your experience.


So it is kind of like wearing a girdle.  If you don't exercise your stomach
muscles they get lazy and lax, so when you take the girdle off...eeeeek!

(Are you old enough to know what a girdle is?  Thank goodness THOSE days are
from a bygone era...whew!)

I wonder if there is an advisable time to ever use suspensory support.  I
see
some of the kids at the stable wrapping their horses legs up like they are
fine
china, and one of the kids uses a leg wrap that has got to be for suspensory
support.  She just uses it while riding/jumping...and then immediately takes
them off with the rest of her tack.

=====
Jan Musick
http://www.geocities.com/janm_97/

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and
Dance like nobody's watching.

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