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[RC] Post-leg ride care - RISTREEOkay, winter discussion fodder . . .So many opinions about shipping boots that I'll throw this one out there for your thoughts. Post-ride, all vetted through. What to do with those legs? Ice boots, poultice, liniment? Wrap, or don't wrap? After a ride, as the horses are eating and "vegging", I often go through my post-ride kit and try to decide which is best. After every ride, they get ice boots for thirty minutes. Lot's of people have different setups for that, including the Professionals Choice ice cells. I found a similar product at BJ's Warehouse (sort of a wholesale club like Sam's Club) with four bigger wraps for $9.99. (They were intended for six pack coolers.) Wish I'd bought more of them. Then I hem and haw about wrapping. If it was a "leg weary" ride, I usually poultice with clay and wet cotton and a flannel standing wrap. Front legs at a minimum, but usually all four. Leave them on overnight, and sometimes for the early morning trip home too. Then at home, unwrap, check everything over and dandy brush off the dry clay. Trot the horse out or turn him out and make sure he's moving okay. Then leave him alone (save metabolic checks and the usual feeding/water) for a week or so. What are YOUR routines? How do you decide which post-ride leg treatment/care you'll use? --Patti
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