[olehossgal]

Hello-

I am a COTH forum member of several years, but usually concentrate only on the 'Driving' section. However, just now watching the end of the Rolex and lead-in for the Preakness broadcast, there was a shot of TB mares and foals running free in pasture. Both of the foals shown appeared to have their forearms 'wrapped' in something light-colored. Didn't look bulky, like a bandage, but more like vetwrap or such?
What would this be? I couldn't help but wonder! Foals seemed lively and healthy, moving normally...

Thanks,

Margo(aka olehossgal) in NM

[QHEventr]

Most likely poultice to keep joints tight, and to keep foals from stomping at flies in the hotter weather. Great trick.....generally plain old mud like Up-Tite.

Johanna

[Barbara L.]

Although I no longer live in KY, I doubt that poultice was put on the foals! (admittedly, I have not seen the footage, though). I think it may have been a bandage--these days many breeders have vets correct conformation defects, or use bandages to straighten a baby that may be down on his ankles, or has constricted tendons. Just my guess, not saying I am right...
I just saw a veterinarian in NJ apply a bandage with vet wrap over it to the hind leg of a foal that was just a day old because of this.

[DLee]

I saw that ad and though it was quick, I thought I saw two different things. One (or two foals, can't remember) did look poulticed, I have seen Taylor Made's foals like that, for flies. One did look bandaged.

[spotted draft x filly]

A lot of the farms use poultice on their foals. I've seen it on Gainesway's yearlings, and weanlings. I've also applied poultice to the weanlings when I worked at Rockwell. We didn't use poultice at Overbrook, they just had them do surgery.

[Las Olas]

Could have been bandages, but most likely poultice. As QHEventr said, it keeps them from stomping flies on the hard KY ground. It's a fairly common practice.

[QHEventr]

Although I no longer live in KY, I doubt that poultice was put on the foals! (admittedly, I have not seen the footage, though). I think it may have been a bandage--these days many breeders have vets correct conformation defects, or use bandages to straighten a baby that may be down on his ankles, or has constricted tendons. Just my guess, not saying I am right...
I just saw a veterinarian in NJ apply a bandage with vet wrap over it to the hind leg of a foal that was just a day old because of this.

Actually, it is QUITE common for TB foals to have poultice (notice in my first reply that I said plain, unmedicated mus such as Up-Tite) applied during the summer months when the ground here is hard and unforgiving. The flies can get bad, foals stomp on hard ground, and can do a bit of joint damage in the process. The mud is used to keep flies off of the foals legs so they DONT stomp.

Also, while it is true that many foals have corrective surgery done here in KY (I personally would NOT, unless for the welfare of the foal), those foals would most likely NOT be turned out, especially in a group, until the bandages could be removed. Foals that are contraces, or lax, would generally be on stall rest until the problem was corrected to the point of no bandages.

Johanna

[olehossgal]

Thanks for the replies so far...
It does seem a bit odd to me that these 'wraps' were ABOVE, not ON, the knees, not over ANY joint, nor anywhere below the knee(or hock; on these foal, they were on the front, so above the knees), Would snug vet wrap(probably less 'dangerous', even w/o padding underneath, when completely ABOVE the knee(or hock),where there is muscle, than below, where there isn't...)prevent foals from stomping in reaction to flies? How would a poultice underneath a wrap act to prevent stomping?

Margo(who was set up onto the back of a work mule at age 2-near 67 years ago--and have been 'hooked' on,and involved with, equines ever since!)

[spotted draft x filly]

When we apply mud to the foals legs we don't wrap it.

[Barbara L.]

Sorry, I was wrong--I guess we do not do that back East. You sure do learn something every day in the horse business, don't you?