Are Ice Vibe boots worth it? The good and the bad.

[Rosewatt]

Hi all,

I have a horse with DSLD/ESPA and am looking for something in terms of relief to help with some of the swelling. I’ve come across the Ice Vibe boots and was wondering if they were worth it, as I already have a good icing set-up, so would be more specifically be interested in the vibration aspect. Have they shown any effectiveness for swelling and has there been any new research that has come out on the vibration for ligament/ tendons. I could only find discussion on the ice vibe boots from 2013.

[Amy3996]

I can’t speak for the research piece, only my personal experience. I bought the IceVibes for my horse with a DDFT injury about a month ago. I use the boots with just the vibration packs on setting 2 twice a day. I definitely think it’s helped lessen the swelling in his leg.

My only complaint about them is that the cold packs are wimpy so please share your icing set up!

[CanteringCarrot]

I have the IceVibes and find the ice packs to be fine. That seemed to be the main gripe, but I freeze them, put them in a cooler with another ice pack, and they’re frozen by the time I use them. The vibration function may help. The thing is, I’m not sure at all :lol: I’ve used mine a few times, one for a hematoma on the DDFT, a mysterious lower leg swelling, and when my horse was a bit stocked up this winter. All swelling in all cases subsided in a few days, did the boots help? I don’t know. They sure didn’t seem to harm. The leg(s) always felt a bit more firm and cool afterward.

[buck22]

I really really like the Ice Vibe boots. I actually really like the ice packs too. I don’t know what they fill it with, but it seems to get colder/stay frozen longer than your regular pack - though they are thin. I bought a backup set of ice packs, freeze them at home and then wrap one inside the other, and then wrap that in aluminum covered bubble wrap (can find at Home Depo, its some kind of floor insulation). They stay ICE cold even after a few hours.

I bought them for my driving horse who has a known shoulder/tendon issue. When we did some blocking, he seemed to have a pain point right around the fetlock. It was mild, hard to pinpoint, and the only recourse was injecting the tendon sheath. Vet suggested trying icing first, so hence the Ice Vibe boots.

They did seem to work on my horse, he enjoyed them and seemed comfortable in his work.

HOWEVER, anyone I know (humans) who has arthritic knees or ankles or wrists, LOVES them. My friends and family get way more use out of the IceVibes than my horses ever did. They all swear that the pulsing action really drives the cold down deep. I haven’t had a need to try them out myself, but my friends swear by them and ask to borrow them all the time.

[LadyB]

Personally I find they do not get cold enough for my liking.

I have Ice Horse boots and find they work the best for my guy. With some water sprayed on then throw the boots on, they are really cold still after 20 minutes.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

I bought some and concluded that they are an overpriced hoax- Ice is good, sure, but the vibrations? I am not convinced

[Laurierace]

They weren’t even a little bit useful for me so I sold mine. The legs were often warmer afterwards than they were before.

[GoodTimes]

I bought a pair 4-5 years ago. They were on sale, and I figured worst case they’re expensive ice boots. For awhile it was part of my routine to put them on vibrating while I tacked up, and then I would use the ice post ride. Usually just on jumping days.
Now I typically only use them at shows. My horse lives out 24/7 so he tends to stock up the first couple days at a show. Walking probably brings the edema down more than the ice vibes, but at least I can throw them on while I’m busy.

Do I think they help? Meh
Do I think they hurt. No
Do I think they were worth the money? Not really

Saying that, I don’t buy into a lot of the products that other people swear by. I bought a couple BOT human items for myself, didn’t notice a single benefit, so I didn’t buy them for my animals.

[TheHunterKid90]

Overpriced gimmick. I had the tendon boots, the hock boot and the sports vibe blanket. Can’t say I noticed any difference using the vibration vs not…and the ice packs only stayed cold for about 15min.
I find good old ice boots, cold hosing etc to be much more beneficial. If you want vibration…I can vouch personally for the theraplate…it makes ME feel like a million bucks!

[Rosewatt]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the input. For the one who asked about my icing set up, I use a sheet of ice cells and wrap them around a damp leg. Not sure where you would get them, but I would think freezees would work similarly. it is a bit more time consuming than ice boots, but I find more efficient.