Wrapping legs for trailering?

[EquineRider]

If a horse has never worn wraps before, but has trailered to local shows without wraps, would you wrap him for a hour and a half journey? Would it be safer to wrap him and risk him ripping them off or just not wrap him at all?

[mjrtango93]

If your thinking about wrapping I would do it before your trip. That way if he stomps with them, or seems generally concerned with the idea he can go naked. My horses are never wrapped for long rides, and are generally such great haulers I will admit I barely wrap them for the short trips anymore either. I will only really do it if I have somebody elses horse on the trailer as I am more afraid of them kicking/stepping on my horse then my own horse hurting himself.

[oldenmare]

I agree with the suggestion to wrap a few times before hauling to see how horse adjusts to having wraps on.

That said - I wrap EVERY trip - local and long. Had a seasoned traveler (the Oldenmare herself - easiest horse ever to trailer) fall one time - freak accident (I was there for up close and personal HORRIFIED view) - she just lost her footing backing out, floundered and fell.

The rear shipping boots saved her - they ended up getting shredded but NOT A SCRATCH on her.

Five years later and I can still see that fall as clearly as if it were happening right in front of me. Converted me to always wrapping.

[joiedevie99]

I wrap everything in the trailer except for one horse that I know is better off without. I would wrap her during the day while you are around to observe in her stall. Then I would wrap her overnight. If all seems well in the morning, I'd wrap on the trailer.

[Beverley]

I don't wrap for any hauling, even 10 hours. So no, I wouldn't wrap the one of which you speak for an hour and a half, if he's been going locally without. And, as others have advised, if you do want to give it a try, road test before hauling day.

Professional haulers have told me that horses wrapped/booted for their long hauls cause lots of issues of fussing/unwrapping etc. So they'll remove the leg protection rather than risk a wreck from tangled bandages (or bandage bows from improper rebandaging).

[EquineRider]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm actually purchasing this horse. Sorry I didn't clarify in the first post. Should I ask the owner to test wrap, then? Or is that asking too much?

[joiedevie99]

If the horse has never worn wraps before (ask old owner), then I would just put on bell boots.

[EquineRider]

Well, the horse is barefoot so I won't have to worry about him pulling off shoes. Unless the bellboots will protect something else?

[ambar]

Bells will protect the coronary/heel area if friend horse accidentally steps on himself. That said, I'm a "doesn't ever wrap" (aside from tail and fuzzy halter on one thin-skinned mare who can rub herself raw just from the trailer vibration).

[Tiffani B]

I don't ever wrap unless I have a horse with confirmed issues of injuring his legs in the trailer. I think the potential for harm far outweighs the little bit of good they might do.

[mjrtango93]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm actually purchasing this horse. Sorry I didn't clarify in the first post. Should I ask the owner to test wrap, then? Or is that asking too much?

Just haul him home naked. Chances are since this is the only way he's hauled and he's never been wrapped he will be fine. I picked up a friends 3 year old 2 years ago that had never been wrapped or on a trailer and drove him the almost 3 hours home and he was fine.

[Foxtrot's]

When my six month old had to go eight hours to WSU for throat surgery, she was taken down to a half way house and they picked her up for the journey over the mountains in the snow. They advised us not to wrap - they have a shuttle and do this journey twice a week.

I don't wrap for every day, but for long journeys I just seem to want to do it. Puts my mind at rest. If it were to be stinking hot, I would not want an uncomfortable horse messing around in the back and possibly loosening or standing on them.

[Lora]

don't forget a head bumper!

[honeydoozy]

I used to put shipping boots on for any little ride in the trailer, but I'm now re-evaluating that one... particularly in the summertime when it's HOT. It seems to me, that sweaty legs under heavy boots is an accident waiting to happen. I've been noticing more and more people locally are not wrapping either.

I guess you have to weigh the risk vs. benefit - if there's an accident, how much are those boots/wraps really going to make a difference?

[shakeytails]

I don't wrap. My horses aren't accustomed to wraps and most of the time when I haul it's hot out and I don't want to add to the horse's discomfort.

[KnKShowmom]

It depends on the horse - some ride rock solid and the chances of them having an issue are small and some can't stay out of their own way in the aisleway, much less on a moving trailer.

I wouldn't try wrapping the first time and shipping all at one time, and since he's not your horse yet you might have to take a cue from the current owner. Nothing is 100% with horses and this is no exception.

Also, I always used to use cotton wraps and flannels to ship til current horse who for some reason hated them so went with shipping boots and he is fine with that. You will just need to get him in your barn to figure out what he likes/doesn't like.

[bort84]

Depends on the horse and the weather. Ask the people you're buying him from what they usually do since they know him.

If he's a stomper, it's probably best to haul without wraps since it's only an hour and a half trip. I generally like to wrap for protection and for a little support. I also wrap pretty low if they're not wearing bell boots. I put bells on for coronary band/heel protection, not to keep shoes from coming off. I've known horses to pull shoes with bell boots on, so in my mind, they've always been a protective boot, not a boot to keep shoes on.

If it's very very hot, I'd just stick some bell boots on. If the horse is used to wearing something like splint boots or something, you could put some sort of boot on too (less of a headache and less of a chance of wraps coming undone). Head bumpers are also never a bad idea.

[goeslikestink]

If a horse has never worn wraps before, but has trailered to local shows without wraps, would you wrap him for a hour and a half journey? Would it be safer to wrap him and risk him ripping them off or just not wrap him at all?

be it a horse that new or nor used too or what ever i wrap all the time for movement of horses being in transit
mine are rugged if nessecary tail guard poll guard and legs are wrap with travel boots on
protect your horses in all transportations less likely to have an injury then

[Foxtrot's]

Some trailers have the 'ribs' exposed inside - I've heard of a couple of horses nearly scalping themselves when they throw up their heads on these. Good idea to use a head bumper in that case.