Liphook Equine Hospital veterinary nurse Anna Stone talks you through how to put a stable bandage on your horse — ensuring correct positioning and that you are not applying too much pressure.

All horse owners should know how to put on stable bandages – which can also be described as “wrapping legs” – correctly.

If bandages are applied too tightly, they can cause pressure sores, necrosis due to restricted blood flow or soft tissue damage. If they are too loose they can slip off and become a trip hazard.

You will need:

• quilted pad, Fybagee or Gamgee pads
• stable bandages (fastening with Velcro)

How to put on a stable bandage

•  First, brush the horse’s legs off so that there is no bedding or mud that will get stuck underneath the bandage and cause rubbing or pressure sores
• Crouch beside the horse (do not kneel)
• Aiming for the bandage to cover from just below the horse’s knee or hock down to the coronet band, wrap the pad around the leg with even pressure, finishing with the seam on the outside of the leg, so that any extra pressure won’t lie on the tendons or the front of the leg. Some quilted pads, such as Waldhausen’s, have a velcro strip to help keep it in place
• While holding the pad in place, take the bandage and start midway down the leg. Wrap the bandage around the leg with a nice even pressure, aiming for half a width of wrap covering each time
• Go down to just below the fetlock and then start to come back up the leg
• Continue wrapping in the same way up to just below the knee or hock, fastening at the top with the velcro
• There should be no creases or wrinkles, as these will cause pressure points and restrict blood flow
• Check the pressure. You should easily be able to fit two fingers down from the top and up from the bottom, so you know it won’t be too tight and will be comfortable for the horse
• Change stable bandages at least once a day
• To remove, unfasten the velcro and carefully but quickly unwind the bandage by passing the bandage from hand to hand, neatly collecting the bandage up as you go so that there is no loose trail.
• Shake off any bedding and roll up the bandage with the Velcro inside so that this comes out last when you are putting the stable bandage on. The Velcro fastening should be stuck to itself and facing upwards as you reroll. Quick tip: new bandages are often fastened with the Velcro on the outside, so you’ll need to reroll them before you start.

Why use stable bandages?

• The horse’s legs might need support, for instance if he has an injury such as to his tendon. You should also bandage the opposite leg to provide additional support to the uninjured leg, which is likely to be taking more weight
• You might want to protect a wound that requires a bit of cover, and some owners choose to use them as protection during transport
• Stable bandages can reduce swelling of the lower limbs for horses on box rest
• They can also provide some warmth and comfort to recuperating horses and protect the lower limbs from bruising if he is lying down more than usual due to illness or injury.

However, a bandage applied incorrectly can do more harm than no bandage at all, so make sure you practise this skill dozens of times with someone knowledgeable to check your work to become proficient.

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Some of the best stable bandages and wraps — essential items to have on your yard

Stable bandages and leg wraps provide support for tired legs, help to prevent post-exercise swelling and also give warmth and

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A tendon injury is a devastating blow for horse owners. Professor Roger Smith, European and RCVS recognised specialist in equine surgery at the Royal Veterinary College, says that tendons can be injured in two ways. Firstly they can become damaged through external trauma such as a blow or a laceration and secondly and most commonly, as a result of over-loading.

But as we begin to understand more about the causes and consequences of tendon injury, should also become more discerning about the treatments we employ?

Here are few facts about treating tendon traumas that may surprise you:

1. Long periods of box rest aren’t appropriate.

“There is a gold standard of treatment for tendon and ligament injuries,” says Roger. “We believe managing tendon injuries with long periods of complete box-rest or ‘field rest’ is not appropriate.”

Below are the suggested time guidelines for a rehabilitation programme for common tendon and ligament injuries. (These time-lines should only be used as a guide and can be modified depending on clinical progress, as judged by your veterinarian and with the use of ultrasound).

2. New treatments should be approached with care

“The main limitation for a vet is knowing whether these new treatments will actually work,” continues Roger. “This requires data from clinical cases which can be hard to collect in meaningful numbers. As an illustration of this, a statistical calculation (known as a ‘power calculation’) was made a few years ago to estimate the numbers of horses that would have to be treated using a new treatment to show a significant improvement in outcome for superficial digital flexor tendinitis of a 50% reduction in re-injury rate, and this was 88 horses per group (see ‘Consensus on equine tendon disease: building on the 2007 Havemeyer symposium’ [1]). Consequently, few tendon treatments offer the same kind of confidence that we expect from most human treatments. With new treatments, this will inevitably be limited and so should be approached with caution — we should not be using treatments with no evidence base, especially if it causes harm (or pain) to the horse.”

3. Firing tendons is ineffective

Roger also says that ‘well-established’ treatments which do not show positive effects should be abandoned:

“A good example of this is the firing of tendon injuries, where large studies have shown it to be ineffective and no studies show positive results even after many years of use, and for which significant welfare issues exist for many. Therefore, adoption of new (and established) treatments for a tendon injury should require careful consideration relating to the principles outlined above, the evidence for its use, and, most importantly, discussion with your veterinarian who is best placed to help you decide whether it is appropriate or not.”

4. Sudden bouts of exercise can bring out an underlying injury

Roger says the most common injuries affecting the superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament are thought to arise through accumulated microdamage.

“While cyclical loading is important for a healthy tendon and drives the development of a strong and resilient tendon in the young growing animal, it results in accumulated microdamage in the adult (post 2-3 years of age), similar to repetitive strain injury, which weakens the tendon so that a bout of intense exercise when ridden or in the field can result in an apparently sudden injury.”

Article continues below…

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5. Prevention or cure?

“Research continues to identify key mechanisms behind early subclinical ‘degenerative’ phase which actually offers an opportunity to intervene as a preventative approach,” says Roger. “Two possible preventative approaches stem from this understanding – (i) improving the tendons resilience to injury during its competitive life-span by enhancing its development. This is most likely to be achieved by optimising ‘conditioning methods’ for young stock (figure 2); and (ii) slowing or stopping the degenerative process in the adult.”

An example of this is the work currently being done on developing methods that counteract the process of cellular ‘ageing’, thought to be behind many age-related degenerative diseases in humans.

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday. Don’t miss this week’s vet special (18 April) to read the full feature on tendon injuries, and how new research is changing the way we treat them.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Two veterinary practices in Stirlingshire and Perthshire have merged to form Forth Valley Vets.

The move has enabled the practices — Struthers & Scott Veterinary practice based in Doune and Grahams Road Veterinary clinic in Falkirk — to invest in new premises in Stirling.

Facilities at the new site include a new X-ray machine and scanner, electro-ejaculator for reproduction services and an in-house laboratory.

The new practice is offering owners individual horse health plans to help with budgeting.

For a monthly fee equine clients are given access to routine veterinary care, including worm egg counts, annual dental check ups and vaccinations.

Free visit days for routine procedures and the delivery of pre-ordered medicines have been introduced for specific areas on set days each month.

“Both practices have been serving the local farm and equine community for more than 60 years and we plan to be at the forefront of veterinary provision over the next 60 as well,” said practice partner, David Reed.

For more information email: forthvalleyvets@outlook.com

Veterinary Thermal Imaging (VTI) is on a recruitment drive to get more people running their own VTI business.

VTI uses thermal imaging, as a diagnostic tool for performance management and to monitor treatment. The non-invasive scans take place at the animal’s home with no need for sedation.

“We’re looking to work with people who have a background in veterinary nursing, veterinary physiotherapy, equine sports massage therapy or a similar profession. We pride ourselves on the in-depth knowledge of anatomy that our thermographers have,” said Helen Morrell from VTI.

“You need to have commercial experience and understand what it takes to run a business. If you’re already working for yourself, VTI is a great way to add to what you do, to complement your existing service, or as a stand-alone business.”

To find out more about VTI, see www.veterinary-thermal-imaging.com

Getting ahead in the equestrian industry means proving that you can offer the complete package.

Employers need people who can fit into a team but show the initiative to work alone, and who can back up equestrian knowledge with practical experience.

The right training underpins these skills and it is important to research the options before you invest your time and money.

Course: RCVS level 3 diploma in veterinary nursing

• Content: an apprentice-style course for those already employed at a practice to prepare veterinary nurses for professional registration with the RCVS. Study comprises distance learning and specified college weeks. After studying core units covering essentials such as caring for hospitalised animals, infection control and theatre practice, students can specialise in equine nursing
• Venue: Open College of Equine Studies, Suffolk
• Duration: 2 to 3 years
• Cost: £5,000 in total
• Entrance requirements: entrants must be 16 or older.
  Minimum of five GCSEs at grade C-plus, including English language, maths and at least one science subject
• Contacts: tel: 01787 282123, email: info@equinestudies.co.uk, www.equinestudies.co.uk

Course: Veterinary nursing FdSc

• Content: a foundation degree course combining classroom study and practical training in a purpose-built veterinary nursing centre, with the middle year spent in veterinary practice. Successful students will graduate as a qualified veterinary nurse eligible to register with the RCVS
• Venue: Brackenhurst Campus, Nottingham Trent University, Notts
• Duration: 3 years full-time
• Cost: £6,500 per year
• Entrance requirements: 120 UCAS points including a science A level, plus 5 GCSEs at grade C or above including English, science and maths. Two weeks’ work experience in a small animal veterinary practice is also required
• Applications: from September, through UCAS, to start the following September
• Contacts: tel: 01636 817099, email: enquiries@ntu.ac.uk, www.ntu.ac.uk/ares

To read the full feature on equestrian training courses see the current issue of H&H (26 July 2012)

Are you looking for a job in the equestrian industry? View our online database of job advertisements

Ninety percent of vet nurses, who took the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ Level 3 Equine Pathway Diploma last year, passed.

This is almost twice the pass-rate of their peers who sat the small animal exams during the same period.

The Level 3 Equine Pathway Diploma was introduced in August 2010, to replace the previous national vocational qualification (NVQ).

Libby Earle, of the RCVS, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work and commitment of the students and their tutors and clinical coaches.”

Vets are supportive of the new qualification.

“We would prefer to employ vet nurses who have taken the equine pathway,” said Deidre Carson, partner at Rossdales veterinary surgeons in Newmarket.

“The qualification provides a thorough grounding in the specifics of equine nursing and gives vet nurses the necessary understanding and confidence to handle horses effectively.”

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Aspiring student veterinary nurses can now start training earlier — as the lower age limit has been removed.

No-one aged below 17-years-old could train as a vet nurse previously, but the age limit has now been removed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in order to comply with age discrimination rules.

Libby Earle, head of veterinary nursing said: “We hope that the removal of this age barrier will be seen as a positive step that will serve to improve access to training. Practices remain free to recruit as they see fit to meet the particular demands of their business.”

The entry requirements — 5 GCSEs at C grade or above higher or 5 Scottish Standards at grades 1-3 (including English language, maths and a science) — remain the same.

A spokesman added: “There is no lower age limit, except they must have passed their exams, so if someone passes them at 15 there is nothing to say they can’t train — although this situation is unlikely.”

Candidates must also have a place with an RCVS-approved training practice or on a recognised veterinary nursing degree course.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now