Kinesio tape for horses

In equine care, elastic tape may be placed over selected muscles or along movement lines to provide skin sensation and a reminder of body position. It is an adjunct, not a replacement for examining gait, joints, hooves, skin, and training load. A horse that is lame may have pain in many different locations, and taping before the cause is known can obscure useful observations or allow activity to continue when rest is needed.

Ask your veterinarian or an appropriately trained equine therapist whether tape fits the horse's diagnosis and rehabilitation plan. The coat and skin should be clean and dry, and the horse should be observed for rubbing, sweating, swelling, hives, or distress. Remove tape gently if the skin reacts or the horse tries to remove it. Read about [Kinesiology Tape](/materials/kinesiology-tape/) and the broader [Kinesiology Taping](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/kinesiology-taping/) treatment.

Contact a veterinarian promptly for sudden lameness, inability to bear weight, marked swelling, heat, an open wound, severe pain, or a recent fall. Emergency advice is appropriate when there is heavy bleeding, breathing difficulty, collapse, or a trapped limb. Do not use tape to keep a painful horse working.

What structure may be painful, and has it been examined? Is movement or rest recommended now? Which tape placement, duration, skin checks, and exercise limits fit this horse's rehabilitation?