How to wrap polos on a horse's legs

Some horses enjoy the extra support of a wrapped leg before a big workout. Some horse's legs get stocked up, and wrapping before a ride helps reduce this fluid. Or if you don't have shipping boots, wrapping the horse's legs is another way to protect the legs if you're trailering your horse. The wrapping of a horse's legs is a tricky business. It'll take a few tries to get the tightness right so the wraps aren't cutting off your horse's circulation, but they aren't falling down around his hooves either. It's fun to practice and your horse will probably enjoy all the fussing around him. Give yourself time and you'll be an expert.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

How to Wrap Polos on a Horse's Legs

1. If it's summer, make sure to fly spray your horse down before you start. This will stop the horse from stamping his feet to get flies off, or swishing his tail in your face when you're trying to work on his legs. A horse will usually stamp their foot just when you're getting the wrap exactly right and all your work comes unraveled!

2. Start right under the horse's knee. Put the end of the wrap on the middle inside below the horse's knee. Hold it there with one hand.

3. Stretch and pull the wrap around the horse's leg until it comes around and covers the beginning of the wrap. You want this fairly tight. Stretch wrap completely over the beginning and go around again, slightly lower. At the top you want to create as secure a closure as you can, so overlapping with the first go-round is okay.

4. As you continue down the leg, you want to overlap about half of the previous wrap. Always stretch, pull and then wrap at a slight downward angle, not straight across. This is better for circulation.

5. Just above the fetlock, you want to start back up the leg, to use up the rest of the wrap. At the end of the wrap is a velcro closure strip, attach the velcro to its sticky end.

6. Check the tightness at the top. You should be able to get two fingers between the leg and the wrap. It should be snug. If there are any gaps or bulges in your wrapping job, unwrap and try and again.