Re: RC: using poultice

[Roger Rittenhouse <roger@vmaxept.com>]

I will jump in on this since I have not seen the previous reply -
about  this  sort of went like this :

Poultice  equals cooking chicken in a clay crook pot ..
.
I use to do all that stuff - wrap up tight and - all - ALL my horses
ended up with more filling more heat more damage.

Here is my program:
POST RACE - After vet out.
SOAK legs with OHC STOCKIN-UP   or
  home made mix see below
Use ICE BOOTS -- I prefer DC or SUNG ICE , But DURAKOLD are ok  or use
ARBEE ? with chop ice .. what ever you like. The cool crystal water wraps
dont get cold enough.
I leave the boots on for 20 min, off for 15 back
on 20 more.

Apply more leg brace - OHC
let cool out
I then apply a thin to med cover of herb poultice very wet. I never
wrap.  Air dry

I may put on ice boots again in an hour -depends on the filling and
what we did.  I check for heat - filling every hour
POST race care is almost as important as vc care.
I go for many walk-abouts - trot outs .
I ALSO double dose up on MSM.  plus elytes.

I TRAVEL with compression boots such like the 3 day riders use. Good
ones are LENDE BOOTS with copycat from BIT OF BRITAIN .. also some of the
'English mail order shops have these.

I also made a mistake in the early days and over wrapped  - almost a bow
..
Seems the poultice-wrap protocol comes from the track and the show
horse mind-set .. other then a damaged suspension issue .. I think
wrapping etall reduces the ability of the horse to repair itself

my choice and what appears to work well for my horses is no wrapping


Tuesday, June 12, 2001, 11:45:11 PM, you wrote:

Oac> In a message dated 6/12/01 10:44:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
Oac> guest@endurance.net writes:

Oac> <<  As an experiment, I didn't use the poultice and wrap method after my last 
Oac> ride and noticed more swelling for a longer period of time. >>

Oac> Well, I was hoping some of you more experienced folks would respond to this, 
Oac> but since it hasn't generated a lot of replies, I guess I will jump in.   My 
Oac> issue is completely aside from the question about poultice vs. no 
Oac> poultice......

Oac> Not to flame this writer in ANY way, but I have a concern that she is seeing 
Oac> some swelling after each ride (i.e. w/o the poultice she notices more 
Oac> swelling, lasting longer).  If my horses legs were swollen after a ride, I 
Oac> consider it an indication of more micro-trauma than would be desireable to 
Oac> build/remodel/strengthen skeletal structures.   I definitely wouldn't want to 
Oac> see them swollen after every event.   Even if icing them (via the poultice) 
Oac> aids in reducing the swelling, this still seems like courting disaster, IMO.

Oac> Again, no disrespect intended - just interested in hearing from some of you 
Oac> who put a lot of miles on.....

Oac> In re:  the poultice itself, there was some research released not too long 
Oac> ago (I think it was summarized in Equus), that it takes 20 minutes for the 
Oac> cold to penetrate deep structures.  I believe they described an ideal 
Oac> protocol for off/on cold to minimize swelling and injury.   Anyone have more 
Oac> info?

Oac> pat farmer


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-- 
 Roger                            mailto:roger@vmaxept.com