Street Sense Number

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Originally Posted by redransom

As a former racetrack groom, I'm here to tell you there's a giant difference between "wraps" and "bandages" and "rundowns" and where they all go and what they're all for.

Bandages in the true sense are what goes on a horse in his stall. Standing, sweats, poultices, spiders...

Wraps are usually used during training and are "polo" types, discussed above, or "tracers" which resemble ace bandages and are used for both protection and added support. Of course some also use tight vetwrap bandages on horses when training when the horse needs it; I was lucky to never have had one of them. I had a mare, who won a stakes at Ellis Park in 1997, who had some ankle issues and we used tracers on all fours for her and that was more than sufficient.

Oh and racing bandages are called "rundowns" when on hind legs and are, basically, vetwrap around the ankles and a rundown patch over the top (or back of the ankle, in this case.) I think this is what you were referring to when you mentioned preventing burns, which is called running down. For front bandages, which is what the "f" in the Form is for, it's the same thing, only wrapped tightly for support rather than prevention of running down, nine times out of 10. I've seen a horse or two actually run down in front, too. But it's rare...

Thanks for the correct terminology red ransom. That's good stuff.

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

Thanks for the correct terminology red ransom. That's good stuff.

I probably should have also said that many outfits, in fact, do use ace bandages for extra support, like Patrick Biancone for example. Real Aces, too, not the cheap generic ones. My best friend, Tom, groomed Lion Heart for a year (from when he came into the barn as a 2yo until after the Preakness) and used to roll Aces every night he crashed on my sofa looking for a night away from hovering over Lion Heart.

[outofthebox]

I dont know of any race track that allows horses running in races with polos, or did someone mention that already. Years ago in California we would use gelo casts under vet wrap or aces in the aide of more support. Well after a few trainers claimed these horses wearing the casts underneath the wraps, they complained to the racing board and it wasn't long before the rule of only vet wrap or similar designed products, and ace bandages were allowed for racing purposes..

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by outofthebox

I dont know of any race track that allows horses running in races with polos, or did someone mention that already. Years ago in California we would use gelo casts under vet wrap or aces in the aide of more support. Well after a few trainers claimed these horses wearing the casts underneath the wraps, they complained to the racing board and it wasn't long before the rule of only vet wrap or similar designed products, and ace bandages were allowed for racing purposes..

Thanks for the info...

It was my mistake in assuming they were talking about polo wraps.

Originally Posted by outofthebox

I dont know of any race track that allows horses running in races with polos, or did someone mention that already. Years ago in California we would use gelo casts under vet wrap or aces in the aide of more support. Well after a few trainers claimed these horses wearing the casts underneath the wraps, they complained to the racing board and it wasn't long before the rule of only vet wrap or similar designed products, and ace bandages were allowed for racing purposes..

Good catch on the gelo thing...

No polos for racing, that's still the same, but some still use gelos under vetwrap and aces (the latter for training only as I think vetwrap is the only approved bandage on raceday.) Truth be told, they don't check close enough before races to notice if a horse has a gelo under the vetwrap. Me personally, I've never worked for anyone who's used gelo under vetwrap, thank goodness, but lots of my pals have...

[Pointg5]

I don't care what they wrap him with, unless it's bubble wrap and they put away him until he is a 4yo...I would love to be wrong, because if he can get back to that number, he likely wins the Derby, but I think it's too much...

[randallscott35]

I'll Bump This So People Understand My Justification