5 ways to protect your horse's legs

Of course, we all want our horse to last as long as possible. Fortunately, there is a lot we as horse owners can do to strengthen our horses and increase their durability. Here we have gathered a handful of tips to help you protect your horse's legs in the best possible way.

Give your horse a good warm-up!
Adequate warm-up is the alpha and omega for a durable horse, and it can also help make training more efficient. Warming up increases blood circulation and warms up muscles and joints so they are ready for more demanding exercises.

Adequate leg protection
Many horses need to wear some form of leg protection during training to avoid injuries from impacts and inappropriate twisting. This can be gaiters, bandages and bells - gaiters or bandages if the horse's hooves and fetlocks are exposed to impact; bells to protect the shoes, buttocks and coronary band. Some horses also benefit from pastern wraps, which wrap around the pastern and protect against impact.

Overheating - an overlooked challenge!
Your horse should only wear leg protection if necessary. Research* has shown that overheating the horse's legs can directly cause degeneration of tendon and joint tissue, increasing the risk of injury. However, this doesn't have to be a problem! The Professional's Choice 2XCool gaiters are neoprene-free and instead made from an ultra-lightweight material with both breathability and 4-way stretch. The gaiters are lined with brrr°'s "Performance Fabric", a high-tech material that combines coolingminerals,extreme sweat wickingandquick drying - all properties that prevent overheating.

Muscle and joint care before and after training
Muscle soreness can be reduced and recovery supported with the effective Liniment heat gel from Absorbine. The gel is suitable for soreness caused by overexertion, minor injuries and arthritis. Gel Embrocation can also be used preventively on stiff joints, muscles and ligaments BEFORE exercise. Contains a blend of herbs including calendula, echinacea and wormwood (note that Liniment contains eucalyptus, which is on the FEI list of banned substances). Need a eucalyptus-free alternative? Then you can safely use Absorbine's Cooldown instead. Cooldown cools and refreshes after exercise and on hot days. Contains 12 herbs and essential herbs that, in addition to providing a cooling effect, also nourish the skin and coat and help restore fat balance that may have been lost with sweat.

Dismount yourhorse
Cooling down is just as important as a good warm-up. When you dismount your horse, you keep the blood flowing so that waste products - such as lactic acid - are transported out of the muscles and joints. Removing waste products fromthe body is important for the horse's recovery and can also reduce stiffness and soreness.

*Source: https://mcusercontent.com/3f9e6755b3bf64e8217549cee/files/f67d8354-7d33-ecea-fadf-57016f372b51/Helen_Birch_A_Wilson_Goodship.pdf