Effect of a bandage or tendon boot on skin temperature of the metacarpus at rest and after exercise in horses.

This research study investigates how the use of bandages or tendon boots affects the skin temperature of a horse’s metacarpus (part of the forelimb) at rest and after exercise. Results suggest that while these wearables do not significantly affect skin temperature at rest, they cause a significant increase during exercise. The researchers speculate that bandages and tendon boots may help accelerate the warm-up phase of exercise.

Study Methodology

• The study involved 10 adult horses to observe the effects of both bandages and tendon boots on skin temperature at rest and post workout.
• Initial readings were taken from bare metacarpi of both forelimbs in a rest state and after a session of lunging. Later, a bandage was applied to one metacarpus and a tendon boot to the other and temperature readings were again recorded at rest and after lunging.
• The researchers used fixed sensors and thermal imaging techniques to accurately measure skin temperatures.

Results

• The average skin temperatures of bare metacarpi at rest were approximately 14.1°C for both limbs. After exercise, these temperatures slightly increased to 14.4°C and 13.6°C for the left and right metacarpi respectively.
• For the bandaged limb, the skin temperature at rest was 15.3°C, increasing substantially to 24.8°C after exercise. A similar pattern was observed for the limb with the tendon boot, with temperatures recorded at 15.3°C and 20.6°C at rest and after exercise respectively.
• While there were no significant differences in skin temperatures at rest between bare, bandaged, or booted limbs, both bandage and tendon boot caused significantly higher temperatures post exercise.

Conclusions and Future Research

• In conclusion, neither bandages nor tendon boots affect the skin temperature of horses at rest but cause a significant increase during exercise. The researchers hypothesize that these accessories may aid in speeding up the warm-up phase of exercise.
• More studies are recommended to further explore the effects of warm up and maximum exercise on the temperatures of other anatomic structures such as tendons in the light of these findings.