Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
Proper Way to Bandage a Knee
It is more difficult to apply bandaging over the knees and hocks. Care must be taken to not place pressure on the bony prominences located just under the skin of these joints. Otherwise the horse will have bandage sores.
Numbers correspond to leg drawings above. Note all hand positions.
1) Apply medicated gauze pad, and take two or three wraps with flexible wrap such as Kling Gauze above the knee.
2-5) Wrap a figure eight around the knee about 12 times.
6) Spray tincture of benzoin on the hair above the knee to aid in sticking the self-adherent elastic wrap.
7) Starting 6 to 8 inches above the Kling Wrap, take two wraps with the elastic wrap around the leg.
8) Use moderate tension as you start wrapping downward.
9) Continue wrapping down the knee, trying not to cover the bony prominences of the inside and back of knee.
10-12) Continue wrapping until you have applied four layers of elastic bandage, ending above the knee.
Learn more about bandaging a horse's leg.
