LEG  WRAPOS?

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Which Way Is Right?

Your December 2014 article "Wrap Right," by Dr. Barb Crabbe, provided a wealth of information on how to correctly wrap a horse's legs, but one important fact was overlooked. I learned from my vet many years ago that equine legs should always be wrapped to the outside to properly support tendons and ligaments.

ANN  RYERSON, New Mexico

Wrap right or left? Dr. Barb Crabbe says either way is fine.

From Dr. Crabbe: I'm really glad you brought up this point, because it's a very common misconception among horse owners that wraps must be applied in a certain direction—particularly if you've had horses for many years. In reality, it doesn't really matter which direction you wrap, as long as you apply even pressure and plenty of padding around the leg. For years we were taught to wrap "front to back" to avoid putting too much pressure on the soft tissues— unless you spent time on the racetrack, where some felt it best to wrap "front to back" on the front legs and "back to front" on the hind legs. When deciding what direction you should bandage, it's actually best to wrap in whatever direction you're most comfortable and coordinated. This may mean you'll wrap the left legs in the opposite direction you wrap the right legs. Whatever you do, just remember that plenty of padding and even pressure are most important.

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