# Suspensory ligament support boots



## _jetset_ (19 May 2008)

In 1 week (
	
	
		
		
	


	












) my mare can start coming back into work after a PSD operation, to quote my surgeon, "Like a normal horse!!!"  
	
	
		
		
	


	













So, pre- injury I would always ride her in bandages and over reach boots. She is a big moving mare and I 'thought' I was protecting her legs. She has over reach boots on because she tends to catch her front shoes and with her TB type feet, we need to keep them on 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I have been looking on the internet at some of the Sports Medicine boots which claim to support the suspensory ligament, and I was wondering whether anyone had tried these and if so whether they rated them for my type of issue?

I have been riding her all week in her old Equilibrium training wraps (I was so excited to get them out of the basement and actually use them again 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 )...


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## Tempi (19 May 2008)

personally i dont think the equilibrium boots provide much support, they are really flimsy and dont really do anything IMO.

Id be worried about her legs over heating in sports boots - have you talked to your vet about which are best?  I had some pro-choice sports med boots which where good, but they do heat the legs up.  

How about cooling boots?  or do you need ones that wrap underneath the fetlock aswell?


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## _jetset_ (19 May 2008)

I didn't mention anything to the surgeon as he just said she is now like a normal horse... but paranoid sally over here wants to do as much as possible for the most accident prone horse in the world and found the sports medicine ones when I should not have been looking at the website but doing something far more constructive like cleaning on my day off


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## Tempi (19 May 2008)

Well the sports med ones are good, like i said i had some, but i do think they heat the legs as they are quite bulky. 

These are good - i also used to have some but they broke as my washing machine ate them 
	
	
		
		
	


	









http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=equibrand001&amp;cat=8

or have you thought about using Porter Boots with a decent bandage over the top? 

http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=boot0014


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## burtie (19 May 2008)

Some current research suggests that continuely working a horse in boots/bandages leads to weaker tendon and ligament growth due to the heat in the legs. I'm not sure how valid this research is but if the vets says work as normal I'd be tempted to build up the work very slowly and not use boots. I have my own suspicions that continual boot usage may be one of the contributing factors to increased amounts of these type of injury, but then that is just my opinion. To me boot are there for the protction of the leg against external knocks and bumps, not for support unless for a specific problem.


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## kate081 (19 May 2008)

My girl tore her suspensory ligament &amp; when I brought her back into work I asked the vet whether any boots would help to prevent it happening again. She said no. So I brought her back into work without boots &amp; she's been sound ever since (2 years now). I only use boots when I jump / put studs in or if the ground is really hard. Enjoy having her back!


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## mrdarcy (19 May 2008)

I've got some SMB Elites - but they are a bit bulky and the legs do get hot underneath.  Worried about overheating and weakening of the tendons/ligaments (though as far as I'm aware there is no conclusive scientific evidence of this) I got some of these instead:

http://www.thinlineinc.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&amp;p=55

They definitely don't heat the leg up as much - and I did 40k in the heat the other weekend without the legs sweating excessively.

Other than that I'd stick with bandages - if anything gives any support it's bandages.  I know if I have a slight wrist sprain a day wearing a tubagrip seems to help a lot.

Great to hear that Grace is coming on well - she looked fab in that video you posted.  Try not to be too paranoid - though I know it's impossible not to be.


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## dieseldog (19 May 2008)

How effective are boots on the back legs anyway?  As she hasn't had a problem with her front legs do you really need SMBs?


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## Sags_Deer (19 May 2008)

do a search on these type of boots someone put a post up about a medical article on the lack of support and heat produce from boots espcially the sports medicine boots.


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## MillionDollar (19 May 2008)

TBTH no boot is going to offer that much support and even if they did the heat produced weakens tendons, etc anyway. Not much point in them TBH except from preventing cuts, grazes, brushing.


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## H-J (19 May 2008)

I would just use brushing boots this is all I use for every day work and thats what I used on Spider, althought TBH when she 1st came back into walk/trot work she didnt wear any hind boots as they rubbed due to the shaven hair! And she was fine


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## _jetset_ (19 May 2008)

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice... 

I think I might stick to either bandaging or the Equilibrium boots for the time being then. I do have to use boots because she is such a clumsy mare that if she does have an explosion and does not have boots on I can guarantee she will knock herself somewhere and take the skin off


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## Alibear (19 May 2008)

A lot of the SMB type boots give support to the lower suspensory with the suspensory strap. But graces problem is to do with the higher suspensory up near the hock so I don't think the SMB type boots would be an more benficial than normal brushing boots /polos/ etc in her case.
I like the equilbrium training wraps myself, nice and cool and I think the stretchyness off them means they're similar support wise to bandages. I'm just not rich enough to buy some.


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## RachelB (19 May 2008)

You cannot support the inside of the horse's legs with a bit of material wrapped around the outside of the leg. If she brushes, get some boots to stop this and ensure they are breathable. That's the most you can do. The SMBs will only create heat and more damage.


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## Bossanova (19 May 2008)

To back up the others, boots and bandages dont support, they merely heat the tendons/ligaments up. Stick with brushing boots.


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## Nosey (19 May 2008)

My mare also went through the op for PSD and my vet said a boot would make no difference to her recovery rates. Due to my concerns re the overheating etc I try and work her AMAP in just fetlock boots behind as she does have the odd lunatic moment.


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## _jetset_ (19 May 2008)

What does AMAP stand for?


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## Bossanova (19 May 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
What does AMAP stand for? 

[/ QUOTE ]

As much as possible


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## star (19 May 2008)

i did bring my horse back into work after his PSD entirely in Sport Medicine boots.  i used them for every bit of ridden work and also turnout.  they made his legs sweat a bit when ridden hard, but no more than any other brushing boots.  i then gradually weaned off them as i prepared to return to dressage competing as didn't want to stop using them suddenly in case they were giving him a significant amount of support.  i dont really believe a bit of strap round the fetlock can help support half a tonne of horse, but i was trying to do everything possible for him.  i carried on using the boots for all jumping for years after his injury.  anyway, he never had another problem with the PSD.


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## Jul (20 May 2008)

I am still convinced by the Tubigrip argument (someone here has already mentioned it). Therefore I think that stretchy boots/bandages do afford some level of support, even if minimal. So since my mare came back from her PSD I use sports boots or training wraps in front for her every day work.

Those boots look good Genedskis - are you based in USA or did you manage to find them in UK? Or did you get them to send them over? I might try a pair as the ones I'm using are a bit thick (the Kieffer ones) and her legs can get hot in them.


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## mrdarcy (20 May 2008)

[ QUOTE ]


Those boots look good Genedskis - are you based in USA or did you manage to find them in UK? Or did you get them to send them over? I might try a pair as the ones I'm using are a bit thick (the Kieffer ones) and her legs can get hot in them. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope - I'm here in the UK.  I got mine from this company:

http://www.equineinnovation.co.uk/index.php?&amp;act=viewCat&amp;catId=10

I got the Cobra boots - definitely prefer them to my SMBs as much thinner but still give lots of support.


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