After work, feel each leg for heat, swelling and pain, cold hose or use cooling boots after hard sessions, pick out and check the hooves, and use protective boots during work to prevent knocks.
Feel every leg
Run your hands down each leg after work, comparing left to right. You are feeling for heat, swelling, filling, or a painful spot. Knowing what your horse’s legs feel like when sound makes it easy to notice when something changes.
Cool hard-working legs
After fast or long work, cold hosing or cooling boots reduce heat and inflammation in the tendons and help prevent filling. Ten to twenty minutes of cold therapy after strenuous work supports recovery.
Protect during work
Prevention beats treatment. Well-fitted brushing or bell boots guard against a horse striking into itself, and travel boots protect the legs on the way to and from work. Keep boots clean and dry so they do not rub or trap heat.
Check the hooves
Pick out the feet and check for stones, bruising, heat or a raised digital pulse, which can signal a problem brewing. Leg and hoof care go together, since many lameness issues start at the ground.
Rest and recover
Vary the workload, include easy days, and give proper recovery after hard sessions. If heat, swelling or lameness appears and does not settle quickly, rest the horse and call your vet, as tendon injuries need early, correct management.
