I have been riding this mare, Cider, for well over a decade. Around 5 years ago she started flinching whenever her front feet hit the ground. Her owner asked me to go on riding her (once a week for 30 minutes, 99% at a walk) in an unleveled grass ring to basically keep her moving. It got so I felt a flinch each and every time a front hoof landed on the ground. During this time I was using the BOT exercise boots during cooler weather, the BOT exercise sheet during cooler weather, the BOT/ThinLine Contender II saddle pad (center shim), as well as the BOT poll cap and Fenwick Face Mask with Ears, and she flinched every single step, worse down-slope or over the rough spots of the ring. Her owner tried CBD oil and some feed that was supposed to reduce the inflammation with minimal results (I could barely feel a difference.)
Three weeks ago it was cooler, and to keep her croup warm while grooming her her Fenwick 1/4 sheet was draped over her croup (it was removed for riding.) That started an amazing transformation, that ride I got a few steps with no flinching. Then I asked her owner to put the Fenwick 1/4 sheet on for the ride (over the back of the BOT saddle pad), and she improved some more.
Then I bought the mare some more Fenwick stuff, the pastern wraps and the leg wraps. The Fenwick leg wraps require leg bandages or boots to stay up (they are a rectangle sort of like the old bandage cottons) and I had to wait to try them. I did get to try the Fenwick pastern wraps, and OMG the difference was mind blowing though she still flinched down-slope, turns, and going over the rough patches in the ring. I asked her owner to PLEASE find the BOT exercise boots I had given the mare so we could try the leg wraps too.
Today it all came together. The lady who owns her found the BOT exercise boots and her old BOT exercise sheet. Cider ended up with the Fenwick leg wraps under the BOT exercise boots, the Fenwick pastern wraps, the Fenwick 1/4 sheet with the BOT exercise sheet over it.
Today, for the first time in over 5 years, Cider did not flinch AT ALL at the walk, even going down-slope, going down-slope over the rougher ground, or during sharp turns. Going down-slope over the rougher ground I could tell that Cider was expecting it to hurt more, but she did NOT hurt more and did not flinch at all.
I have tried maybe 3-4 short trots the last few years, and I had basically given up on ever trotting her again (quite noticeable head bobbing.) Today I asked her owner to keep her attention on Cider’s legs and general demeanor the next few weeks, with the idea that if the improvement continues I might get to trot this mare again.
Her owner also said that Cider looked more relaxed, carried her head lower, and looked more cheerful during the ride.
It took BOTH the BOT boots and the Fenwick leg wraps and pastern wraps to get this result.
I really hope this continues, I used to call Cider the “energizer bunny” because she was always willing to go forward and responded to all my driving aids immediately, until the flinching started. Maybe, just maybe, this will come back.
For the first time in 5 YEARS!!! I am so very, very happy about this.