# Best Tendon Support Boots?



## PercyMum (19 October 2010)

Hey All

My trusty steed has only gone and done something minorly grotty to his deep flexor tendon (3 months off - boo).  Vet says he needs bandaging for 2 weks, then support boots for a month.  He lives out full time (hates being in and has mild arthritus).  The vet is happy for him to continue mooching around in the field but not sure what support boots would be suitable.  Premier Equine SMB look the kind of thing I think he is on about but not sure if this would get his legs hot?

Any ideas?  Thanks in advance!!


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## AshTay (20 October 2010)

Hi

Have just been through the whole "which support boots" thing myself.... I've not found one I was really happy with (and I spent a small fortune trying). 

Two points... 
1) no boot will "support" a tendon -how can it? What they can do is protect the leg from further injury and put pressure on the area to keep swelling down. Bandages are best for this as you can get a nice even pressure all round leg. You won't get this with a boot.

2) if he's out full time he won't be able to wear them all the time anyway - they'll rub. And yes, his legs will get hot, even with the airflow type boots. 

Is he out with other horses? Does the vet know he is living out (as I find it hard to believe that a vet would recommend bandages while turned out 24/7 and then support boots for a month on a turned out horse). Have you got some boots to put over the bandages?

The premier equine turnout boots were ok (but eventually rubbed as the legs heat up, the skin gets weak and then it rubs). I ended up rotating between paris of boots as different kinds rubbed different places. I eventually just put them on in the day and then gave up completely after a couple of weeks. If your horse is in a small enough area that he doesn't run about and there's no one around to kick him, you might get away without boots at all (but talk to vet first).

Or try those very minimal tendon boots that just cover the back of the leg to prevent him catching his legs if he rolls (and they might put more even pressure on the tendons).

Hope that helps!


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## kerilli (20 October 2010)

the only boot that can support the tendons is the Dalmar medical one (which, for some reason, isn't on their website any more). it has a solid outer and a variably lockable hinge at the fetlock joint (rather like on a ski boot) so that the flexion of the fetlock can be limited. sounds ideal for your boy. I begged the guy for a pair for a horse 2 years ago and he said they weren't ready for the open market yet, but maybe they are now... definitely worth contacting them I think.


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## applecart14 (20 October 2010)

AshTay said:



			Hi

Have just been through the whole "which support boots" thing myself.... I've not found one I was really happy with (and I spent a small fortune trying). 

Two points... 
1) no boot will "support" a tendon -how can it? What they can do is protect the leg from further injury and put pressure on the area to keep swelling down. Bandages are best for this as you can get a nice even pressure all round leg. You won't get this with a boot.
IQUOTE]

I agree with the above.  People seem to think that tendon boots put on their horses prior to jumping will support a tendon to the extent that is will prevent injury from occuring in the first place.  Its rather like thinking that turnout boots will stop a horse breaking a leg if it puts its foot down a rabbit hole whilst galloping, its the stresses and strains placed on limbs that cause the damage and the unusual and uneven weight bearing which causes bones to break.

I do rate the premier equine airflow boots that I have.  Most people put boots on their horses whilst turned out and no one ever seems to have any problems with this that I've ever heard of.  I leave magnetic boots on my horse for 12 - 14 hours at a time and over the last six years have not experienced any problems as such.
		
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## AshTay (20 October 2010)

applecart - my horse was fine for 12-14 hours too but PercyMum states that her horse is out full time which will mean the boots will need to be on pretty much continuously. My horse was bandaged 24/7 while on boxrest (bandages redone everyday) and this was fine and he had magnetic boots on for long periods to in the stable but once out in the field moving about, and when it rained, even if I left them off for a couple of hours everyday to give his legs a breather they still ended up rubbing.

Of course it depends on the horse and with horses getting hairier as we go into winter, this might not be so much of an issue as it was for me a couple of months ago. On the other hand, you're going to get wet and mud finding it's way into the boot and causing all manner of other problems.

Kerilli - don't think I'd like the idea of a boot that restricts movement!! If a horse wants to move his leg in a certain way he's going to move it in that way and something's got to give (i.e. either the boot or another part of his leg....). Especially in the field - if something spooks him and he wants to run but one part of his leg is restricted....not a good idea at all in my humble opinion. Might be a reason why they're not available...


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## kerilli (20 October 2010)

hmm, well, i can see your point, but if we are talking about a horse which already has a tear to ddft, and the horse flexing the fetlock joint hard is almost invariably going to make that worse, it could lead to a very bad prognosis. you can still run in ski boots when they're done up, they don't stop you moving, they just stop you moving in a certain way...  and i think these boots would always be fitted in pairs obv, you wouldn't just restrict one fetlock joint.
i believe these boots were developed for rehabbing racehorses. it's a fascinating idea if only for short-term protection of the sdft and ddft while rehabbing... I've had to deal with rehabbing a few tendon injuries and trying to prevent them from reinjuring in the first few months is soo difficult.


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## AshTay (20 October 2010)

Agree! 

But surely they'd only be used if the horse is stabled so movement is already restricted.


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## PercyMum (20 October 2010)

Hmm, good points - thanks!  The vet does know he is out full time, and he is possibly the most sensible hore you have ever met, so I am happy that he won't charge around.  The vet said bandages for 2 weeks - yep, I agree its odd!  Box rest isnt an option - the arthritus will cause him more problems and he gets very stressed when in for long periods.  So I have to find some kind of boot!!  I hasten to add he hasn't got a severe tear or lesion but he has had KSS and with all his other probs, we are doing the whole 3-6 months off to ensure he has the best chance of recovery. What about the stomatex wraps?  Aaarggh, I just dont know!!!!


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