General Safety Question re: Polos and Standing Wraps

[tabula rashah]

Do you think it is safe to turn out in polos or standing wraps?

[Aggie4Bar]

As a general rule, no. If they're applied well and the owner/handler is willing to supervise the horse by itself in restricted area (arena or dry paddock), it's probably fine. Boots are more appropriate for routine turnout if the horse requires leg protection.

[LauraKY]

No, with a caveat. I will turn out an injured horse in the small injury paddock in standing wraps, on a dry day, with vet wrap throughly covering the standing wrap and electrical tape covering the end of the vet wrap. I've seen bandage bows and I never want to see one on my horses.

And then, I keep an eye on them.

[jump4me]

*shrug* I have done, always taped though. Never had a problem.


I would never reccomend either for general turnout though, boots only for that.

[Montanas_Girl]

I've turned out in a well-taped standing bandage under extremely unusual circumstances. I wouldn't reccommend it as a regular practice, but in certain situations it is a necessary evil.

[Wayside]

I've also done standing wraps in the small injury paddock, but not out on pasture.

[gottagrey]

Nope, you're just asking for more trouble and a mess to boot. Agree, however that okay in small dry paddock (and depends on the reason for the wrapping) if you need a horse to be turned out with some type of protection, I would check w/ your vet for what he/she might recommend.

[joiedevie99]

Agreed. I've put an injured one out in standing wraps in a sand roundpen before- with constant supervision. I thoroughly taped the bandage first.

[JollyBadger]

Not to say that it cannot be done safely, but for turnout, I'd opt for boots rather than wraps.

[Pookah]

No. But, there are always exceptions--I used to turn my old horse out in polos or standing bandages on his bad days. But he was in his 30s, retired, and very sensible-like the type who, if a bandage came undone, would stand in the field and wait for you to fix it for him. If you're talking about general turnout, unsupervised horse, potential to run, I wouldn't take the risk, personally. If you do decide to do it, I highly recommend a taping method that a wonderful vet taught me years ago-use duct or electrical tape, and wrap in a spiral down the entire wrap. That way, the wrap is more secure, plus if it does slip, you won't end up with a tight ring of tape, which can often cause a bandage bow as well.

[GypsyQ]

No. More trouble than it's worth. Too many factors to go wrong. Boots if protection is needed for turnout. If wraps MUST stay on, then handgraze.

[cuatx55]

No! Too risky in my opinion.

[Go Fish]

No, and polos? NO, NO, NO.

[Duramax]

I don't mind doing a single standing wrap over a boo boo & turning out provided that:

1. It's not going to rain.
2. It's not muddy outside to begin with.
3. The velcro on the wrap is good (as in, still sticky and not covered with lint, hay, dirt, etc.)

I actually like to treat the wound, wrap over it with gauze and vetwrap and then cover with the standing bandage- I've found that the grippiness of the vetwrap keeps the wrap from slipping down.

Wouldn't ever turn out in polos.

[tabula rashah]

Just for a bit of clarification-
I am not planning on turning out in standing wraps or polos. I was reading FHOTD where she suggested to someone to turn out for rehab in standing wraps in a round pen. I responded that to me turn out in standing wraps or polos was a big no no!- I can see in a very controlled situation, but to me if you are turning out something that has been rehabbing already, you want to minimize every chance of re-injury and having a polo come loose seems like a bad idea to me, esp when you have the alternative of boots.
Anyway, Fugs responded to me that I was just being silly and that polo players play all the time in polos....
So I was just trying to see what a general consensus might be.

[kookicat]

Ah, just read that.

Nope, not something I'd do, especially if there's more than one horse in the same field. Too much risk.

[Highflyer]

In a round pen, on a horse that I was pretty sure wasn't going to be tearing around like an idiot, if the weather was dry? I'd absolutely do standing wraps, yes. Polos only if it was for a brief time AND I was close by and supervising.

I will occasionally turn a horse with a minor injury out in a well-taped standing wrap, even in the field. It's a risk, but I have never had it be a problem. I wrap really, really well, though. I've never actually turned out in polos, and if I were worried about protection I'd probably use boots.

[wildlifer]

Sure, under supervision and with tape over the velcro, I have done that and if you do a good tape job and the horse isn't a nutter, I have no problem with it.

[BrookdaleBay]

I board at a polo farm where in the summer, horses are out 24/7, and it is the norm horses to be turned out with standing wraps on. They are all very sensible horses, and my boy has been turned out with wraps on and there has never been an incident.

[tabula rashah]

I board at a polo farm where in the summer, horses are out 24/7, and it is the norm horses to be turned out with standing wraps on. They are all very sensible horses, and my boy has been turned out with wraps on and there has never been an incident.

So that horses are out 24/7 with standing wraps on? Why?