Re: RC: Re: ice boots

[Linda Flemmer <bluewolfranch@yahoo.com>]

Tracey,

You asked if you were missing something....  :-)

The ice boots are not just for "tightening the legs"
after a workout.  Where we ride, it is extremely hot. 
We often use the ice boots for 15-20 minutes at a time
at a stop to help cool the blood running through
relatively large, superficial veins in the legs.  At
the same time, we are using ice water to cool the
horse, scraping the hot water off, then applying more
iced water.  (And no, we don't have trouble with
cramped horses from the cold water.  I think that's
been pretty well proven to be an old wives' tale.)

Braces (like ice tight) aren't allowed during the
competition and some horses may need something on
their legs after a rough seciton of a ride.  Also,
bandaging would serve to hold in the horse's body
heat.  The bandages would also get pretty soaked and
nasty with all the sponging we do to cool the horses.

When I crew for my husband (or vice versa) we have one
cooler dedicated to a tail gate feast for the rider,
and one cooler dedicated to carrying ice for the water
and cold ice boots.

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV

--- Tracey <tracey@tbt.co.za> wrote:
> I am no expert, here, but I found those ice boots
> revoltingly expensive, and
> found they didn't work differently to ice tight and
> bandaging, which is what
> I do after an event.  Or am I missing something....?


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