Young horse chews everything - including leg wraps lol

[Lacej81]

What’s your favorite way to treat your horses legs after a strenuous workout or showing if he doesn’t tolerate wraps on his legs? Lol. My boy is very quirky (and very adorable), but he’ll pull his wraps off at night if I try to sweat him. Obviously, this could cause more harm than good. I do ice his legs and slap some poultice on, but sometimes wonder if that’s enough. I’m so use to wrapping at horse shows. We have our first show next weekend ( ), but even sweating him at home never works. What would you do, especially at a show since icing isn’t much of an option with our travel set up.

Let me know your favorite way to care for your quirky horse’s legs!

[Laurierace]

I rarely wrap anymore since I am no longer at the race track but when I do I like to use Sore No More or just alcohol. Either one will be somewhat useful without wrapping. That said I think being wrapped is a skill every horse needs to have so I would work on figuring out a way to keep them on him safely. Always secure with three rows of tape. You can try making a paste out of cayenne pepper and water and painting that on the wrap or use Rap Last.

[RedHorses]

Have you tried wrapping clean, dry legs? If yes, did he chew them?

He may be chewing them because whatever you put on his legs is irritating his skin.

[Texarkana]

No suggestions, only commiseration.

I spent my life judging people with obnoxiously mouthy horses. Now I own one. Nothing is safe.

[IPEsq]

Mine will also eat wraps. I tend to use Sore No More liniment if they need something. Otherwise I might wrap for a bit after the class but remove for night.

I can wrap in a medical bandage (cotton, vetrap, Elastikon, with or without a sweat or something under) or secure a standing wrap with Elastikon (trick is to cover the edges of the quilt too so they can’t loosen the wrap by pulling the quilt out). But that’s too much of a bother for a horse show—save all that for medical need.

[Peggy]

I had a trainer who claimed that horses preferred chewing on the pillow-type wraps as opposed to the “no-bow” types. Either way, it often helps if you wrap so that as little as possible of the underwrap is showing and definitely no corners sticking out (look at photos of race track horses with standing wraps).

[EmilyM]

After having young horses that chew wraps and another that thinks his legs are broken if he has wraps on, I don’t wrap as a general rule anymore. I only wrap horses that stock up (tend to be older) I apply trameel cream after icing and pemf treatment at shows. I also give banamine. Works better than wrapping

[Lacej81]

Yes we’ve done clean dry legs. I just have a quirky horse who chews on everything lol.

[Lacej81]

We’ve used elastikon and it was the same thing. Had to do it for rehab and let me say that was hell. Lol.

I was thinking of wrapping for a bit and then removing before I leave for the day, so maybe I’ll try this. I agree with the other comment that all horses should be able to tolerate a wrap in case needed. Maybe this is a good way to start desensitizing him…

[Lacej81]

LOL, sorry I had to laugh. I was the same person too! My boy was imported here and came with the chew quirks lol, but oh my god is he the sweetest boy and loves to snuggle… so I’ll keep him

[Polydor]

Put a bib on him. He can still eat just can’t get to his wraps or blankets.

P.

[Lusoluv]

Can you put a grazing muzzle on chewers?

[trubandloki]

This!

Random internet photo.

[JB]

@Texarkana

I spent my life judging people with obnoxiously mouthy horses. Now I own one. Nothing is safe.

SAME. It’s embarrassing LOL I even raised this one and worked hard to try to get him past it. But at 12, I’ve just settled into the fact that he’s simply a very orally-stimulated horse, and when working with him in ways where he needs to not be nibbling inappropriate things, I give him a lead rope to hold and chew on if needed.

For the OP, I also recommend the bib.

I wouldn’t use a grazing muzzle, unless he’s an overweight horse who also needs forage limited. And, rubbing a muzzle around a leg wrap can do a lot undoing in a hurry. A bib is much less likely to start unravelling things

[theresak]

Rap Last works. But check if the ingredients are ok if he licks his wraps and is drug tested at the show.

Also had to laugh about the “horses prefer to chew on pillow versus no bow wraps.” I had to stack wrap a front leg and the next day the top no bow had been nibbled all around the top edge. The same horse also tore apart his shoe boil boot the first night as well as many other things.

My younger horse wore fly boots for approximately 20 seconds in his stall until I heard the velcro as I was walking away…

[Texarkana]

@theresak

My younger horse wore fly boots for approximately 20 seconds in his stall until I heard the velcro as I was walking away…

You mean like this? Also after approximately 20 seconds.

[candyappy]

@Lacej81

What’s your favorite way to treat your horses legs after a strenuous workout or showing if he doesn’t tolerate wraps on his legs?

For me nothing beats turnout where the horse can keep moving as they choose. I’ve never wrapped.

[Peggy]

@theresak

Also had to laugh about the “horses prefer to chew on pillow versus no bow wraps.”

I had a trainer who firmly believed that. Not sure I agree 100% but I think the no-bow ones might be less tempting (based on N=1).

[IPEsq]

I’ve got plenty of chewed no bows. The expensive BOT ones are apparently the most delicious.

[crthunder]

I used these when my OTTB was young and had to wear wraps for a medical reason. He has since grown out of his fascination with eating wraps when he has needed them. Phew!

https://www.bigdweb.com/protecto-bandage-protector-plastic-with-spikes-pair