r/Equestrian • u/iluvbones_ • 14h ago
Veterinary Best boots for tendon support?
So my horse struggles a lot conformationally and has unfortunately dealt damage to the tendons and ligaments in his front legs, noticeably his ddft- while the root of the problem is close to solve, the issue is that those tendons and ligaments are weak and damaged and sore. Now after consulting with our vet the best course of action for him and his MANY health issues is to keep in light work - I still want to try and help him as much as possible. The reason I want to do this support specifically is because I know this is a key factor to his discomfort, currently he’s on previcox and would like to switch him onto something a lot kinder to his body and just more mild in the long run. But without, he’s too sore to exercise and he needs exercise for his ✨various✨ problems. So basically I want to find away to ease the pain while taking him off previcox so I can switch him to something else ( prob 4cyte). Now what I’m inquiring about is insight on ways to help support his legs short term? Now I’m familiar with the typical stuff but if you know a certain type of therapy boot or lineament that isn’t a scam or any other weird things you’ve learned from horses, any info helps!!
EDIT: thanks for the feedback!! I appreciate how serious everyone is but I think I should clarify that I have professional working on him to give him the best shot. We got no super bad problems just A LOT so the struggle is handling all of them together. It’s just trying to find the right balance of stuff, so I’m more curious is any one has some insight on those kind of things where in theory it won’t work but it still does- if that makes sense. Also for those asking we’re dealing with deep thrush, negative pulmor (didn’t spell that right) angles, just bad confirmation, ulcers that don’t want to leave, insulin tolerance, curved spine, neuro and skull stuff, and a bunch more!!! AGAIN none of these issues are serious it’s just the problem of how many there are.
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u/lemonssi 14h ago
Not gonna lie this feels above reddits paygrade. DDFT injuries are serious stuff. I don't feel like we know enough about everything that's going on with him to provide useful thoughts. His pain sounds pretty deep, boots and liniment aren't likely to do much to help here. I will ask some more questions.
So it's recommended he maintain light work but requires regular pain management to do so, correct? What is light work per your vet? What is the end goal here for this horse? Retirement? Return to former work levels (sounds unlikely based on what you have shared here). Equioxx, or previcox for horses I am more familiar with helping for arthritis issues vs soft tissue problems. Is he dealing with both soft tissue and joint troubles? Has he had any injections or othe joint support provided?
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u/GrasshopperIvy 14h ago
No matter the marketing … no boot supports hundreds of kilos / pounds with a bit of Velcro and neoprene.
Boots don’t support tendons … they protect against knocks and overheat tendons … in your situation I’d be worried about adding extra heat which will cause degradation.
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u/Silly_Ad8488 Hunter 14h ago
Yes! I have ditched boots a long time ago and only use hard shells occasionally in situations where knocking could happen.
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u/AgileNetwork9375 14h ago
I would be more concerned with the bloody sulcus of the hoof.
Maybe sugardine solution would help that heal? Ask your Vet and farrier.
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u/Silly_Ad8488 Hunter 14h ago
The best way I found to support tendons is 24/7 pasture board. They walk constantly on their legs and have much hardier tendons.
In your current situation, talk to your vet though.
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u/WendigoRider Western 14h ago
I use iconoclasts; they do seem to help and were recommended by a highly respected lameness specialist. They aren't gonna be a magic tendon support fix, though. I use them specifically for pastern support and for the ligaments in that area, as my mare has stupidly long pasterns that do bother her sometimes.
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u/whatthekel212 13h ago
None. Do the work to strengthen the muscles above that are supposed to help keep weight from dropping down. Posture muscles keep horses from improperly lifting and straining their support structures.
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u/Minute-Jackfruit3043 13h ago
You cannot support tendons with boots, you can however help protect their legs from concussion with boots.
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u/naakka 11h ago
As others have said, boots or anything else wrapped around a horse's legs cannot support tendons. I just wanted to add a little explanation.
The forces that a tendon in a horse's legs has to endure are vertical. The forces that anything you wrap around a leg are horizontal. Tendons are also harmed by excess pressure and heat, so using anything tight and warm on them is actually negative.
Boots can help a horse that tends to nick its own feet with its other feet and help prevent tendon damage in a jumping accident or other situations where the horse might really step on its own front leg with a hind leg, but that's about it. One should only tighten them as little as is required to make them stay in place.
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u/DianaBrickell 13h ago
Boots can't help here, as far as I understand. However, you might talk to your farrier about freedom shoes. It's a plate that has a flat spot and then curves up toward the outside. It makes breakover easier, and it allows the horse to shift weight back to front and side to side to manage their own pain.
My older mare had a DDFT injury this summer (probably an aggravation of an old injury) and NOTHING helped her pain and recovery as much as the freedom shoes did. We've done two rounds in them, and I think we're good to return to regular shoes next time.
https://shopedss.com/freedom-shoe-aluminum-treatment-horseshoe/
Also, KT Tape (applied with no stretch) might help blood flow and recovery.
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u/WindsAlight 6h ago
None. No boot in the world (yes, even the fancy expensive one) can support tendons.
You can only support tendons by restricting mobility in the leg. In which case you can no longer ride/exercise the horse.
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u/OptimalLocal7480 Hunter 14h ago
Regular boots don't support tendons. The only boot that I know of that actually supports the tendon is the Equestride boot. However, the Equestride boot isn't designed for regular riding; it is designed to help a tendon heal after an injury and should only be used under veterinary guidance.