Safe travels

Travelling horses isn’t without its dangers — Stephanie Bateman looks at how to make sure your horse is well protected, and discovers new innovations

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BEING able to transport our horses not only opens up competition and training opportunities, but also means we can get them to a vet practice in an emergency and stay connected with the rest of the horse world. Due to the nature of transporting horses, injuries can occur and riders want to do all they can to protect their animals.

“Horses should travel with some form of well-fitting leg protection as the bare minimum,” says Stacy Coates from Vale Brothers Ltd, which owns Thermatex.

“Bandages are great if your horse needs additional support; however, these need to be applied correctly because bandages that are too tight will cause damage to the tendons. Also, bandages tend to be fitted below the knee and hocks which leaves the joints exposed to potential injuries.”

Travel boots tend to give greater coverage than bandages and are generally easier to fit.

“That said, not all horses will tolerate cumbersome boots and travel better with bandages, so a lot comes down to personal choice,” adds Stacy.

Another area of the horse that requires protection is the tail.