How to Correctly Apply Polo Wraps

Whether you're a horse owner, leaser, or simply taking lessons, every equestrian should know how to properly apply polo wraps. Wrapping a horse's leg takes a lot of practice to master, but the skill is worth the time and effort. Wrapping can provide a wide range of benefits, such as helping to heal an injury, injury prevention, or overall leg health. When using polo wraps, we are mainly trying to prevent injury and support the leg when in work.

An incorrectly applied polo wrap can cause damage to delicate tendons and ligaments, resulting in downtime and vet bills. It is always better to go without wraps than to apply an incorrect one. However, with a lot of practice, you can get the perfect wrap every time.

In this guide, we'll walk you through when to use polo wraps and how to apply them. When practicing, it is always good to have a trainer or more experienced horseman check your wraps until you're comfortable on your own.

Polo wraps are equine leg wraps that are exclusively used during exercise. They are typically made of polar fleece with a single Velcro closure. Some may include an elastic portion, like a track bandage, for even more support and flexibility. Polo wraps come in a variety of widths and lengths, depending on the size of your horse or pony. If you have a horse with short cannon bones, you may want to find a shorter polo wrap; vice versa, if your horse has long cannon bones, consider a longer polo wrap. For ponies, look for polo wraps that come in pony size as they are cut to fit shorter legs.

Polo wraps offer light tendon support, which can be great for lunging and riding in deep footing. They don't offer much in the way of strike protection, like splint or jump boots do. Polo wraps are mostly used in arena riding, as they cannot get wet. When wet, they can get heavy and sag, putting unhealthy pressure on delicate tendons. Polos should be never left on long-term, such as overnight in a stall or while traveling. Even the best wrap will shift and slide after many hours and cause damage. Depending on your climate, polo wraps could be appropriate during the winter, but you might want to be wary about using them in the dog days of summer as they can generate a lot of heat. Exposing the tendons to extreme heat can damage and injure the tendons, so it is best avoided when possible. In mild climates, polo wraps are perfect for year-round riding!

Before you can apply your polo wraps, you need to make sure they are wrapped up correctly and ready to go. The wrap should be re-rolled backward from how you received it in its packaging. To do this, flip the Velcro so it can stick back to itself and begin rolling. The tighter you can roll the wrap, the more control you will have when applying it to your horse. When finished, you should have the Velcro hidden in the center of your roll. Now we can get started!

1. Place the end of the polo on the inside of your horse's leg, just below the knee so that the very end is facing toward the tail and the excess roll is on the outside of the leg. The end will naturally "tuck" into the crease between the cannon bone and the tendons. This will give you natural tension across the cannon bone as you make your first rotation. You want the excess roll on the outside of your workspace so that when you reach the end of the wrap, your Velcro is facing the correct direction.

2. For your first rotation, you want the wrap to be fairly firm against the leg. A loose wrap will quickly fall and cause problems. You don't need to pull tightly, just keep an even pressure. When you do add pressure, make sure you apply it over the cannon bone and not across the tendons. Once the wrap is complete, you should be able to fit a finger at the top.

3. Your next rotations will be slightly angled toward the ground. Keep the tension the same with each wrap and keep the distance between each wrap even. This ensures even pressure across the entire polo.

4. When you reach the fetlock, the wrap will go around the bottom of the joint (known as "cupping" the fetlock) and then angle upward as you begin to wrap back up the leg. A small "v" should be on the front of the fetlock when done correctly.

5. Ideally, your polo wrap will end at your starting point, right under the knee. Once you reach the top of the leg, undo the Velcro from the strip and use the end as your last rotation at the top. Velcro the end back on the strip to complete your wrap. A perfectly placed polo wrap will have the Velcro on the outside of the leg so it doesn't interfere with the horse's movement.

For an in-depth look at how to apply polo wraps, please watch the video at the top of this section. If you are using combo wraps, a combination of polo and track wrap, refer to the how-to video below. The method is the same for both types of wraps, but the spacing and placement may differ.

There are a variety of other types of leg wraps that can be used for different purposes. Standing wraps are a very common option used for recovery, rehab, or while hauling. Standing wraps should never be used for riding, as the firm and rigid support can cause tendon damage. This type of wrap is often confused with the popular "exercise wrapping" method used on many dressage horses. The exercise wraps that resemble standing wraps use a special type of under-pillow that has vertical stitching. These are different from no-bow, quilted, or pillow wraps that are only designed to be used as a standing bandage. Remember to read the product description carefully to see if the quilt or pillow is suitable for riding. Exercise wraps also use polo wraps on top of the pillow wrap, unlike more rigid standing wraps that lack stretch and can constrict tendons during exercise.

For more information about standing wraps and how to apply them, check out our How to Apply a Standing Wrap guide!

Learning how to wrap your horse's legs is an essential skill for all equestrians, regardless of riding discipline. Even if you don't own a horse yet, knowing how to protect your equine partner's legs is a valuable skill to have. Remember, practice makes perfect and no one does a perfect wrap on their first try. It's a skill that takes lots of repetition to get right, making it a great rainy-day barn task! Again, we recommend having a trainer or a more experienced equestrian check your wraps periodically, especially before using them for riding purposes.

If you're looking for your first or next set of polos, check out our great polo wrap selection below. Happy wrapping!