Post-workout leg care can be as hot-button a topic as blanketing among horse owners. Some riders cold hose, wrap, and/or poultice their horse’s legs, while others simply leave their horses alone. But is there a “right” way to care for equine limbs after athletic exertion?

No matter if you piaffe, jump, trail ride, work cows or anything in between, we all want to ensure we’re doing the best by our four-legged partners. Read on to discover how two vets—both competitors themselves—care for their own horses, and how they recommend their clients do, as well.

Ins and Outs of Post-Workout Leg Care for the Horse

Lori Bidwell, DVM, Dipl. ACVA, is the co-owner and founder of East-West Equine Sports Medicine, which has locations in Kentucky and California. Bidwell is a certified veterinary acupuncturist, massage therapist and anesthesiologist. She travels from coast to coast with the hunter/jumper circuit and actively competes in the amateur jumpers.

Bidwell is a Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Official Veterinarian, so she is well-versed in caring for elite athletes. She encourages her clients to begin thinking of their horse’s post-workout leg care as soon as their round ends.

“A cool-down until the horse’s respiratory and breathing [rates return to resting levels] are sufficient, but a nice, relaxing walk after strenuous work is best to keep the muscles loose,” she says.

Put it on Ice: Bidwell also recommends icing a competition horse’s legs for 20 minutes.

“If you’re using ice boots, wet the boot and the leg first,” she says. “You can cause freezer burn or have poor contact if you don’t [wet the leg before icing].”

Bidwell notes that the exact method of icing doesn’t matter. Having the horse stand in a bucket with ice works just as well as ice boots (assuming the horse will stand still). Twenty minutes is the standard time to ice if using boots; after that, the ice melts and the boots become too warm to offer the horse any benefit.

That’s a Wrap: Though it’s customary to see show horses standing in bandages in deeply bedded stalls when they’re not being ridden, Bidwell cautions that wrapping is not necessarily a good thing, even if the person applying the wraps does everything correctly.

“High temperatures in wraps—especially in warmer climates or during the summer show season—can actually overheat tendons, specifically the deep digital flexor tendon, because it has limited blood flow,” she says.

If you have a senior equine that may need the support or one that stocks up easily, wrapping may still not be the answer you’re looking for. Bidwell prefers time outside of a stall over wrapping, particularly when temperatures climb.

“Getting a horse out for work and frequent walks is ideal,” she says. Still a diehard fan of wrapping? Bidwell offers two additional pieces of advice: Never wrap over liniment, and don’t keep a horse’s legs wrapped for more than eight hours at a stretch.

The jury’s still out on poultice efficacy, but it doesn’t hurt, so if you want to feel like you’re doing something “more” for your steed, slathering his limbs in poultice—but not wrapping over it—could be an option.

Bedding: An easier way to keep competition horses comfortable is to bed them sufficiently. Deep bedding will help ease potential aches in a horse’s joints, according to Bidwell.

Determining what is adequate takes into account multiple variables, including what material the floor of the stall is made of. Concrete- or asphalt-based stalls will need more bedding to make them comfortable to the horse than dirt floors or matted stalls.

Packing Hooves: For those of you who like to pack your horse’s feet, Bidwell says to skip this potentially messy step.

“Packing feet can actually put more pressure on the soles, depending on what product is used and how it’s applied,” she cautions.

Walking & Stretching: Bidwell encourages her clients to use a simple, common-sense approach to competition leg care, with turnout (when possible) and exercise as the cornerstones for healthy legs following athletic exertion.

“Getting the horse out of his stall a few times a day [is ideal to keep muscles limber],” she says. If time and money permit, massage can also help loosen stiff muscles.

Owners and riders should also get into a routine of doing tail stretches or carrot stretches every time a horse exits the stall, whether that’s to hand-walk or compete.

“Think of horses like you think of yourself,” says Bidwell. “I’m very stiff when I get up in the morning. I need time to move and stretch, and I get very stiff if I am not active.” Horses are the same.

Keep It Simple

Ben Mitchell, DVM, of Southern Equine in Aiken, S.C., grew up riding and competing in western events. He currently owns four Quarter Horses that he trail rides and competes in speed events. Having grown up in the western performance horse industry, Mitchell is well versed in its athletic requirements.

Mitchell, too, is a proponent of the “less is more” mentality when it comes to caring for equine limbs. He recommends riders tack-walk or hand-walk their horses for 15 to 20 minutes after an event to cool them, followed by cold hosing or icing the lower legs and joints for 15 to 20 minutes.

If you can afford the price point, he recommends ice boots.

“Ice boots are helpful in decreasing inflammation to the distal limbs; they’re worth the investment,” says Mitchell.

After all the sweat and dirt have been washed from the horse, he recommends applying liniment to the horse’s legs once they begin to dry.

“Liniment is a good [method] for cooling a horses’ distal limbs, but I don’t recommend wrapping over liniment,” he says. Mitchell is also not a fan of wrapping legs except when necessary.

Instead, if you’re showing at a location where the horse is stabled, he recommends bringing (or renting) portable stall mats.

“Portable stall mats are great for supporting distal limbs,” says Mitchell. “I don’t wrap legs unless a horse is prone to swelling.” Even then, this should be done with care. “I prefer horses be taken out of the stall for short walks multiple times a day [over wrapping them],” he emphasizes.

“I typically only recommend wrapping when there’s a history of swelling when the horse is stalled or traveling, or when there is noticeable swelling of a limb,” says Mitchell. He prefers bandages be reset every 10 to 12 hours if the horse must wear them.

Like Bidwell, Mitchell advocates cushioning for equine joints.

“Deeply bedded stalls and portable stall mats are great tools for keeping the horses comfortable,” he says. “Keeping your horse’s stall clean and deeply bedded makes him feel more comfortable to lie down and rest, which makes for a stronger horse the next day.”

If a horse will be spending time in a stall or tied for multiple hours with no shavings or mats, Mitchell recommends owners use Soft Ride boots to support the horse’s feet. Additionally, the use of rubbing alcohol can cool down lower legs and keep them clean when the horse is working on muddy ground.

Though our horsekeeping traditions often encourage us to wrap our horses for hours on end and to apply all sorts of products to their legs, it’s clear that simple is better when it comes to equine leg care. Using ice, providing lots of walks, and a deeply bedded stall without unnecessary leg wraps can all assist in keeping your horse healthy and primed for competition.

This article about post-workout leg care for the horse appeared in the April 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Post-Workout Leg Care for Your Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Lymphatic System

Fluid accumulation in the lower limbs (the medical term is “dependent edema”) is a function of physics and the lymphatic system, an often-overlooked branch of the circulatory and immune systems. As blood is pumped by the heart throughout the body, it delivers oxygen and nutrients. When blood reaches the tiny capillaries, these components diffuse out into the surrounding tissues, nourishing the body.

Inevitably, some metabolic waste is created, which results in what’s called lymph fluid. This fluid is then passively collected into the surrounding lymph vessels. In a way, the lymphatic system is like a sewer system where waste materials collect from around the body.

An important difference between the circulatory and lymphatic systems is the lymphatic system isn’t directly connected to the heart; it lacks a pump. Lymph, the fluid that flows through the system, relies on the extending and flexing of ligaments and tendons when the animal walks to squeeze and push it from the delicate lymph vessels to lymph nodes to veins and ultimately back to the heart. The digital cushion in the hoof also plays an important role in moving lymph back up the leg.

When you appreciate the role of the lymphatic system, it’s now easy to understand the primary cause of stocking up in horses, which is lack of movement. Stocking up is almost always seen in horses that have been stalled. When a horse doesn’t move enough, he can’t help his lymphatic system push fluid, not only from the more distant parts of his body (relative to his heart) but also opposite gravity.

When the lymph system can’t move enough fluid back to the heart in a timely manner, it begins to accumulate. Over the course of many hours (commonly overnight), this causes the legs to “fill” and can make the typically slender lower limb get fat and feel firm. The same thing happens to humans; swollen ankles after a long flight are a typical example of human stocking up.

Confirming Everything is OK

But how can you be sure a horse’s swollen legs are due to the benign nature of a lazy lymph system, and not something more sinister? Paying close attention to your horse will provide answers.

◆ First, stocking up is a bilateral condition, meaning stocking up occurs in both hind legs, but it’s not uncommon to see it in both front legs as well—and sometimes in all four.

◆ Second, a stocked-up horse will behave normally. He should not appear lethargic, unwilling to move, lame, or otherwise seem sick or painful.

◆ Third, the legs should not be hot to the touch. They will also be uniform in size, so compare each swollen leg to the others.

◆ Fourth, consider the horse’s history: Has he had this condition before? Has he been in a stall for a lengthy period? When was the last time he was out in the field or ridden?

Once you’ve determined your horse has fat legs but is feeling good, the tried-and-true test (and cure) to confirm is movement. Tack up your horse and go for a ride, or turn him out so he can stretch and move at liberty, then re-evaluate. The swelling should dissipate, confirming the fluid accumulation was due to inactivity.

Other Reasons for Swelling

In rarer instances, swollen legs can be a clinical sign of something much more serious than a lack of movement. Heart failure and liver failure are two conditions that are thankfully uncommon in horses, but when either occurs, it is typically severe, incurable, and can lead to fluid buildup in all four legs, along with a host of other clinical signs, which should prompt a call to your veterinarian.

Alternatively, if just one leg is swollen, this is a major clue something more serious is going on. Soft tissue damage, such as an acutely bowed tendon, can result in a swollen lower limb. So can many other types of musculoskeletal trauma, such as a fracture or bruising from a kick. The most obvious difference between these clinical presentations and stocking up, however, is the fact that the horse will likely be acutely lame when trauma is the cause.

Another cause of unilateral acute limb swelling is cellulitis. This is a bacterial infection under the skin, usually due to a small cut or scrape or a more chronic condition that weakens the integrity of the skin, like mud fever or scratches. If certain types of bacteria invade the soft connective tissue under the skin, they proliferate, resulting in an acutely swollen limb and a very lame horse.

Horses with cellulitis have a leg that is hot to the touch and may be oozing serum. Depending on the extent of the infection, the horse may have a fever, be lethargic, and not want to eat. This condition can spread to the local lymph vessels. When this happens, it is called lymphangitis, and is managed the same way as cellulitis. Quick treatment with aggressive antibiotics is required, so if you suspect cellulitis, have your veterinarian out as quickly as possible.

Vasculitis is another cause for acute swelling in the limbs. The medical term for the inflammation of blood vessels, vasculitis is often viral in origin. Any horse with swollen limbs and a fever should be evaluated promptly by a veterinarian.

Horses Prone to Stocking Up

Some horses seem to be more prone to stocking up than others. Older horses in general tend to stock up frequently. This is thought to occur because their lymphatic system isn’t as effective as it used to be, leading to more fluid accumulation. This may also be a function of an animal that is reluctant to move due to osteoarthritis or other chronic conditions.

Dehydrated horses also tend to stock up more easily. This is something to keep in mind after a long, hard ride or competition or when it’s extremely hot outside. Horses that have had cellulitis/lymphangitis in the past may also stock up more frequently in the previously infected leg if there was significant damage to the lymph vessels at the time of the infection.

Prevention

At face value, the prevention of stocking up is simple: keep the horse outside as much as possible. However, many horse owners don’t have adequate pasture access or have other restrictions that preclude full turnout, and that’s OK. It’s important to note that a truly stocked-up horse is not in pain, sick, or injured. Swollen legs in this instance won’t affect his well-being or athletic pursuits.

Some prefer to use standing wraps on horses to prevent stocking up. The use of wraps should be evaluated based on an individual horse’s environment, use, health, and your ability and expertise in applying them.

One issue with standing wraps is cleanliness: sweat, dirt, and debris can easily turn these wraps into bacterial breeding grounds, setting the horse up for chronic skin conditions. Wraps that are applied too tightly may further impede circulation and the flow of lymph, and over time, they may be counterproductive in preventing swelling.

Similarly, topical products such as poultices or liniments shouldn’t be relied upon for long-term management since overuse may also negatively impact the health of the thin skin on the horse’s legs. The simplest method to reduce stocking up is to increase your horse’s time out of the stall.

Once correctly identified, stocking up in your horse can go from a worry to no big deal. With a little understanding and observation, this fluid accumulation shouldn’t be cause for alarm.

This article about stocking up in horses appeared in the April 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post What to Know About Stocking Up appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.