By the same token, I’d ask you to find the science that says any kind of wrap we can put on a horse’s leg (one that allows the fetlock to flex at all) provides meaningful support. IMO, the forces exerted on the suspensory apparatus as well as the flexor tendons swamp the effects of any kind of compression you can create on the leg.
Otherwise, OP, I think polos are used primarily to draw the eye to the lower part of the leg and make horses look like they are more extravagant movers.
I think you can wrap a leg tight enough to keep edema out of it. That’s not the same as providing mechanical support, right?
You’re right on both accounts. A standing wrap (or similar) can provide enough compression to help keep fluid from pooling in the legs. And no, that’s not the same as mechanical support. The only things proven to offer that are those with a sturdy enough fetlock sling
Years ago, I paid my trainer’s experienced dutch working student in beer to teach me to properly apply polo wraps. I have several matchy matchy sets, but then after seeing the study on tendon heat, I bought the eskadron pads and that changed the technique!!! I use boots. I need bell boots, front tendon boots and hind boots for strike protection. I have a young, big moving warmblood who tends to occassionally hit himself. I prefer the boots designed for jumpers with a hard shell. I have entirely moved to fetlock boots for the hinds–they are cooler and have hardshell protection. I like the open front tendon boots–cooler!! They don’t look as great as polos with eskadron wraps, but they work great!!
I would wash them between uses if I used them.
My mare wore polos for the first time in her life last week for an awards ceremony. She “helped” me remove them by holding her hind legs perfectly still, raised like a dog at a hydrant, so I didn’t even have to bend to remove the hind legs. Funniest thing I’ve ever seen, but showed me she doesn’t like them!
I use thick rubbery boots which cover as much of the lower leg as possible when trail riding for protection against rocks, vegetation (cactus, thistles), and snakes. We go bare the rest of the time since we don’t have interference issues. She was in bell boots her first couple years under saddle because of imbalance and overstepping in canter.
Thinking about this, one of Pony Club’s primary goals, in addition to horse care itself, was learning safety. Teaching to remove wraps quickly seems to me to be a (at least in part) a safety concern.
As an adult spending a bit more time within the strike zone would be ok with me if I could pull a neat trick and unwrap polos ready to use next time. 
I spent hours mastering how to properly put on polos, had several sets, kinda felt like I had arrived when I had my new black polos with white pad with black piping on my amazing gray mare. 
That’s funny but not unusual. The first time I boot up a youngster I get similar responses.
White polos wraps look pretty on a dark colored horse. I’m not sure it’s more complicated than that!
I’ve switched to white boots for schooling at shows. They look pretty too.
And when you do the next leg and they can’t figure out which one to hold up
I found an old pair of Woof boots and booted my 2 year old last weekend just to start to get him used to things on his legs. He demonstrated a nice Spanish walk of sorts for a few steps 
but honestly, he wasn’t as dramatic as I thought he might be. He’s a pretty reasonable dude, but he is 2, so I try not to get too comfortable!
I did teach him a command to keep his hoof on the ground so he understood the concept of me fiddling around and him needing to stand/not lift his leg. He’s also accustomed to me scraping those damn botfly eggs off of him too!
I remember that my last horse needed a taller wrap of sorts on a hind leg due to a wound just below his hock, and he almost took out the whole exam room at the clinic with his dramatic “walk” boots and wraps were not foreign to him, but one was a bit much he thought!
My new favourite boots are the PE Combo boots, they give overall strike protection and save the problem of having both wraps and overreach boots.
Those look like they would be pretty darn warm on the legs with no gap for ventilation.
Plus I would wonder about the boot shifting around if the horse steps on the bell boot part of it, since it’s all one piece.
This was when I was removing them after she’d worn them an hour! She did the normal funny first few steps when they were put on.
I’ve always check for over heated legs and so far so good, but then British climate so who knows 
.
For the same reason as polos just so they don’t ding themselves when training some of the lateral stuff when learning changes, piaffe etc. Neither polos or these boots will protect the ligaments.
Unless a horse really whacked his leg, a properly wrap polo would protect ligaments (and tendons). There’s actually quite a good bit of padding by the time you’ve laid 2 layers of the material around. It’s strike protection, but no, it’s not “support” protection, as in over-extension.
no it does not…there has been research saying the worst wrap to use is a polo wrap. Holds too much heat.
And most upper level riders will insert some additional foam/padding in between the polo layers.
Yes, it does provide some level of strike protection. It’s not a lot different from most splint boots in that regard
Entirely separate issue, and one we discussed many comments ago, way at the beginning of this thread
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