Leg protectors surround the most delicate parts of the horse's legs and absorb the force of shocks and impacts. In addition, good leg protection provides increased stability to both tendons and joints, which reduces the risk of them being overstretched, overexerted or improperly loaded.
But it is also important to choose leg protection that reduces the heat load on the tendons. The risk of overheating the tendons is significantly reduced if the material is highly breathable or if the leg protectors are perforated to allow air to circulate.
FIR - infrared therapeutic energy, which is emitted by all Back on Track's shin guards - does not, however, make the shin guards warmer. This means that the beneficial effect of FIR can coexist with both high breathability, high air flow and moisture-transporting properties, which allow the heat to be dissipated more easily.
Properties of tendons
During the course of evolution, the tendons in the horse's lower legs have been refined into strong, springy structures that effectively convey the explosive power of the body's massive muscles. They run close to the surface of the skin, in a part of the horse's body that is at the same time relatively unprotected. Around the lower leg, the vertebra, the vertebral joint, the crown joint and the crown bone, there is no more supporting tissue than is absolutely necessary for function: elasticity and storage of kinetic energy.
Due to the horse's anatomical construction and biomechanics, the tendons are exposed to a very high load. They therefore need to be both protected and stabilized to reduce the risk of injury. Tendon injuries in horses are very common and can be difficult to heal. The consequences can be devastating, and it is important for the horse's long-term sustainability to avoid tendon injuries as much as possible.
The absolute best measures are prevention. By using leg protection, showing great care for the horse's lower legs and paying attention to small signs of problems before they develop into clear symptoms, the risks can be significantly reduced.
Two opposing requirements – protection and coolness
But there is another specific threat to tendon durability: heating. The internal temperatures of the tendon can increase significantly during movement and exertion. Leg protection is needed - but at the same time means that the tendons find it harder to stay cool, because they are cooled by the surroundings. The springy properties of the tendons mean that they store kinetic energy, which also increases their internal temperature. Leg protectors that insulate heat can therefore lead to heating of the connective tissue cells that make up the tendons. And these cells are not heat resistant.
In fact, tendon connective tissue cells begin to die at temperatures just above 42°C - a temperature that tendons can reach locally during exertion and heavy loading (1). If overheating of the horse's tendons is something that regularly occurs over a long period of time, the tendons can begin to break down; a process known as “degeneration by hyperthermia” (2).
Because shin guards are placed so that they cover the tendons, their use risks further increasing their temperature. This applies to all leg protectors. But the result depends on the properties of the leg protectors. A type of leg protector that allows air to circulate, thanks to its material properties or through perforations, will mean significantly less risk of overheating, compared to other leg protectors.
Leg protection with FIR - unrelated to the generation of heat
The minerals behind the FIR technology ( Welltex® ) do not act as heat insulators. The Welltex technology instead gives the material its therapeutic properties, by absorbing and returning FIR to the horse's body. Material properties and/or the presence of ventilating openings then determine how well the leg protectors can help to conduct heat away from the tendons.
Infrared energy has been shown to have a beneficial effect on biological tissues, among other things by stimulating blood circulation and contributing to the efficient supply of oxygen and nutrition. This in turn provides better conditions for the body's own healing processes. The effect can be experienced and observed, but the mechanism behind it is still an active area of research. However, several possible explanations have been put forward.
A likely theory is that FIR upregulates the expression of an enzyme in the blood vessel walls. This enzyme in turn increases the production of nitric oxide (NO) - a signaling molecule that the body uses to dilate blood vessels. The discovery of NO and its function as a signaling molecule in the body was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1998.
Energy supply through FIR is also considered to affect water molecules. Because water makes up such a large part of the body, the effect of making these molecules vibrate, move, change position or configuration can be very significant. However, the infrared energy is not powerful enough to generate increased heat in the tissues.
Taken together, the biological reactions to FIR can explain why the energy form seems to relieve conditions as diverse as swelling, inflammation, joint stiffness and muscle soreness. The Welltex®️ effect is often experienced as both relieving and preventing problems with overstrained tendons, inflammation, swelling and galls.
This is how you can train the horse in a sustainable way:
- Use high-quality leg guards and boots, which protect, support and relieve the structures of the horse's lower legs - but let the choice of leg guards be guided by their ability to conduct away heat and keep the horse's tendons cool.
- Warm up the horse before a training session. Good blood flow and soft tissues reduce the risk of lactic acidosis, fatigue, improper loading and injuries.
- Cooling bandages lower the temperature of the tendons after exercise. This can prevent tendon injuries.
- Train the horse on suitable ground and preferably through a large volume of low-intensity training. Avoid sudden increases in workload. This increases the risk of injury.
The Airflow collection – with leg protectors designed for maximum airflow and low weight
The Airflow collection includes a variety of products that allow air to circulate efficiently through them. This can be done with the help of high breathability, openings, mesh material, perforations or by the material's surface structure creating air pockets.
The material technology allows the leg protectors to breathe, which keeps tendons and other sensitive structures cool and reduces the risk of overheating. The air circulates closest to the horse's skin and heat and moisture can be quickly transported away.
All products are lined with Welltex®️ technology, which can contribute to increased blood flow through the reflection of the body's natural infrared energy, without the protection becoming warm.
We have chosen the name Airtech™️ to describe the composition of several materials that together allow a lot of air to pass through the final product. The air circulation makes the products comfortable to wear even in hot conditions - and also reduces the risk of overheating.
1. Hall, EJ (1988). Radiobiology for the radiobiologist , 3rd edition , Philadelphia: Lippincott.
2. Wilson, AM & Goodsh ip , AE (1994). Exercise-induced hyperthermia as a possible mechanism for tendon degeneration. J. Biomechanics. 27(7), 899-905.