FAQs Silver Whinnys Part 1 - Sox For Horses!

QUESTION #02 How do I measure the hoof?

Using a flat ruler from your desk or a tape measure, pick up the largest hoof. Looking at the flat, bottom of the hoof, measure from the front tip of the toe to the end of the heel bulbs. It is a straight line from the front to the rear of the hoof. Include the bulbs because they must also go through the socks. Then turn your ruler width-wise and measure the widest width of the hoof. Those are the two measurements you need to determine the size of the socks to order.

QUESTION #03 What length sock should I order, regular or short?

Regular length is most often the best choice. This length will provide optimum protection up and down the leg. If the horse has EPD (Equine Pastern Dermatitis) on the legs, and the horse is allowed pasture turnout, the regular length socks are recommended.

Short version socks were created for a veterinarian who specializes in EPD (Equine Pastern Dermatitis) issues on horses in the show barns where grooms and trainers are always present and the socks can be monitored to see that they are in place over the sores. Unmonitored horses can walk out of the short version socks. Horses on turnout can walk out of the short version socks. Where horses are closely supervised, the short version socks are easy to put on and take off when the socks need to be changed often.

Go to Support >How To for help in keeping the socks in place when you are using either length.

QUESTION #04 How many socks do I need?

We recommend a set of four (4) socks as a good start. If you are using the socks for fly protection, they need to be washed every 2-3 days to keep the elastics and yarns optimized; one set will have all 4 legs protected.

If you are using the Silver Whinnys® as a bandage/barrier for dermatitis or injuries, the socks must be changed daily and replaced with clean, dry socks. If only two legs are involved, one set of 4 socks will provide 2 socks on and 2 socks clean and ready, but this will require you to machine wash and dry a pair of socks daily. If 4 legs are involved, you will need two sets of 4 socks so that one set is on and one set is clean and ready.

Sox For Horses, Inc. offers pairs for those wanting to replace older socks with new ones. A pair of socks could be a choice if you are not sure if your horse will accept the socks. Used pairs are not refundable.

If you need the socks as a bandage/barrier for dermatitis or injuries, one pair is not enough. You would have to leave the legs unprotected while the socks are being laundered. When the socks are used as a barrier/bandage, they must be replaced every 24 hours. If the weather conditions are constantly wet and muddy, the socks must be changed twice a day to keep the silver action optimized in the socks. If you utilize our tech support, we can help you get your horse use to the socks. Get the number of socks you need so that you can live with the washing/drying needs.

QUESTION #09 How do I know they are the correct fit when I get them on my horse?

The compression values in Silver Whinnys are based on “normal, healthy” sizes of the cannon, fetlock, and pastern collected by survey on equine leg sizes. The legs of horses suffering from edema due to injury, chronic cellulitis, lymphedema, or lymphangitis are not normal, healthy legs!

Silver Whinnys should not be utilized as a compression tool unless advised by a veterinarian or a practitioner skilled in lymphatic drainage. Silver Whinnys can be used to protect legs from external hazards that can trigger episodes of edema, but proper fit for animals with edema conditions is very important.

Proper fit is everything. Proper fit allows a woman’s hand to slide down between the sock and the cannon bone of the leg and still not feel tight. Snug, yes, but tight implies that your hand is experiencing a compression that is uncomfortable and you perceive it to be too much for your horse. You are the “boots on the ground,” and if the socks feel too tight, the fit is not right.

QUESTION #10 Do horses accept the socks?

Start with just one pair of socks the first day. Begin early in the day when you are there to keep an eye on your horse. Don't leave the horse alone until you know s/he is comfortable with the socks. If the first day goes well then leave that first pair on overnight. Do not add any more socks until the next day when you can once again, spend time with your horse to see how well it accepts having socks on all legs. This is a kindness. You are allowing your horse to accept the socks, not demanding that it does. Also read: What if my horse has never had wraps or bandages on its legs? Will the socks work?

QUESTION #12 Do you make draft size Silver Whinnys®?

Very large Warmbloods, draft breeds including draft cross, Friesians, Gypsy Vanners, and some of the large Welsh Ponies may fit into this category. Socks for these horses are custom made to fit. We can either have them made for you or if you are proficient at sewing, you can save paying a seamstress and make them yourself. Go to this link-- Custom Silver Whinnys® Draft Sox (.pdf)--to see instructions on how to make your own custom draft socks. If you need help to determine how many socks to order or would like Sox for Horses to create the socks for you, call us at 850-907-5724 with your hoof measurements. Costs are subject to how many socks are used to make a set or pair.

QUESTION #15 How do I wash the socks?

Machine wash and dry the socks using warm/hot water and medium/high heat to dry. Machine washing is the best way to clean the socks before putting them back on the legs and will restore the fit of the socks. Avoid bleach as it breaks down the elastics. Avoid detergents with fragrances, as these are cheap chemicals that should not be placed against angry, open, tissue. A "free & clear" detergent is always the best choice. Avoid fabric softeners or fabric softener dryer sheets as these introduce another chemical substance that coats the silver yarn and prevents it from acting optimally in the socks. You can use something like Oxiclean® for stains, but stains do not inhibit the silver from functioning in the socks. The socks are going to get dirty. Machine washing and drying is way to clean them. Washing and drying the socks often is the best care for Silver Whinnys® and it helps to restore the function that allows the socks to stay in place on the legs.

QUESTION #17 How long can Silver Whinnys® be left on?

Ideally the socks should be worn all the time when protection is needed unless your horse is being exercised or ridden. It is recommended that the socks be changed every 2-3 days with clean, dry socks IF your horse does NOT have any dermatitis, sores, wounds, or fungal infections. The silver in clean dry socks is at peak ability to inhibit bacteria and fungi for only 24 hours. After that, the action of the silver diminishes as the barn dirt eventually overwhelms the silver, and the socks must be washed to regain their effectiveness. If your horse has dermatitis, sores, wounds, fungus infections, or an injury, the socks must be changed at least every 24 hours and replaced with clean socks so that the cleanest bandage/barrier is always in place over those conditions. Healing can happen when sores/wounds/injuries are protected against insects and the dirt of the environment.

QUESTION #18 How often do I adjust the socks?

Like any horse wear, the socks should be observed/adjusted 2X a day. Horses are rough on clothing. Buckles can break. Velcro® can come apart. Garments can tear. Fly masks can become twisted on the face. Silver Whinnys® can't hurt your horse, by falling down on the pastern, but you don't want to leave them that way. Observe/adjust as needed 2X a day. Make sure when you adjust them that you line up the knit straight on the leg. Don't twist the socks. When taking them off, pull them up first, straighten them so that the knit is straight and then remove them. Observing/adjusting the socks 2X a day will help the socks last longer. Can't be there 2X a day? Call us to discuss. We may be able to help.

QUESTION #20 Will the socks stay up?

Fit is everything. The socks must go over the hoof first and foremost. They will fit the leg once they are over the hoof. If you are in doubt about size, contact us before you purchase. Measure the widest width and the longest length of the hoof. If your horse is suffering from conditions which cause swelling/edema please take a minute to read "About Compression And Silver Whinnys" so that you know how our socks can help, when to use them and when not to use them.

Silver Whinnys® stay up for many hours on most of our customer's horses but as with any horse wear, check them twice a day- in the morning and evening to make any needed adjustments. If you don't see your horse twice a day, make arrangements with others to check the socks. If you can't do this, they will not work without help but always best is that the socks are observed twice daily. Call us to discuss before purchasing the socks if you don't see your horse but once a day.

Don't put all of the socks on your horse at one time! Put two socks on your horse at first. We believe this is best done in the early day when you can see how your horse accepts them through the day. If all goes well, then you can leave those first two socks on overnight. DO NOT put the other socks on your horse until the next day when you have time again to observe your horse's reaction to wearing all 4 socks. Silver Whinnys feel different from anything else your horse has ever worn on its legs. Allow your horse to gradually and gently get use to them. If you use only two socks and decide they won't work for your horse, you can return the unused socks for a 100% refund.

Stage 2 healing present challenges to any bandage. Pain, itching, edema, inflammation, infection and even self-mutilation can play a role in Stage 2 healing. Silver Whinnys are not exempt from these challenges. We have helped horses heal all over the world and have found great solutions for helping to keep the socks in place on the legs while conditions heal. We offer helpful solutions in our How To pages. We welcome a call or email if need more support to help your horse through specific challenges to the socks. Call 850-907-5724 or e-mail

Silver Whinnys are great for insect, UV and wound protection and we seldom fail at helping people help their horses get use to and get through difficult healing or protection issues. See our "Return Policy" but don't give up unless we fail to help you with the socks! We are good at working with nearly 98% of the horses out there that are safe to handle.

Related Links:

QUESTION #21 Can I ride my horse with the socks on?

Sox For Horses, Inc. does not endorse riding a horse wearing the socks unless a full performance boot is used to keep the socks in place. Keep an eye on the position of the socks on the legs even if a boot is worn over the socks. We have heard that the socks are used to prevent boot abrasions. We have also heard of trainers taking the excess length of sock above the performance leg boot, folding it down over the top of the boot, and using duct or electrical tape to hold it in place over the boot. We expect this technique is very effective in keeping the socks in place beneath the performance boots. Caution: Bell boots are not leg boots and will not keep the socks in place!

Nothing replaces due diligence in making sure the socks are in place on the legs when riding or exercising, even with boots.

QUESTION #22 Are the socks too hot on the legs in warm temperatures?

Silver Whinnys® are made with a moisture management yarn that wicks moisture from the skin surface. This yarn is already instinctively cool, but the wicking action of the socks also cools the legs. The socks can be worn in the heat of the summer temperatures and the colder temperatures of winter. This remarkable yarn is instinctively warm in the winter. The socks are white to reflect sunlight adding additional support to the cooling science behind the yarn.

QUESTION #24 Are Silver Whinnys® waterproof?

No. Silver loves water. The socks can become wet, even muddy and the silver will be even more active. As long as you change wet socks daily when protecting wounds and sores, your horses is good to go in wet Silver Whinnys If it is cold, then you may want to use the Whinny Wellies to protect the sox, keeping them warm and dry while your horse is outside. Other than that, wet is good. You can even bathe your horse with the sox on. When the air is dry, the sox dry in no time.

QUESTION #25 What happens if the socks get wet from rain or from a horse going into a pond?

Water is not an issue in itself in the summer months. If conditions are constantly wet and muddy, that is an issue. The socks will do their best to pull the moisture from the skin surface. Socks must be changed at least 1X daily for healthy legs. Clean, dry, socks are important when conditions are constantly wet and muddy as bacteria and fungi are propagating at enormous rates in the environment. Ask anyone who has a horse suffering from mud fever. Constant wet conditions are the enemy. The silver in the socks can only handle that for 24 hours if being used for just fly protection, but if there is a serious dermatitis condition then changing the socks 2X a day with dry clean socks is highly advised. Go to Whinny Wellies to see out outdoor bad weather leg gear that protects our socks and keeps legs warm and dry in the cold weather months. The socks can get wet and they will dry out and no harm done. But if the environment is constantly wet, you must be aware of the escalated growth of bacteria and fungi and keep the socks changed so that they can continue to protect the legs.

QUESTION #26 How long will the socks last?

Though we hear from repeat customers who have had their socks for a number of years, the answer is that it depends on your horse. The socks are made to last but they aren't made of Cevlar®. Though made of durable yarn, if your horse is rough on other horse wear or chews on other types of leg wear including bandages, chances are the socks will have a shorter life. If you need fly protection and the horse has destroyed other leg wear, most likely your horse will destroy the socks as well. Best talk to us before you purchase if your horse destroys other legwear. (took a whole lot out of this one to go to tech support)

As a protected bandage, socks can last a long time and the constant washing and drying that is needed to keep clean socks on the horse's legs everyday is actually good care of the socks. Their value will be demonstrated everyday by saving you the money of expensive bandaging materials. The silver will not degrade or wash out of the socks and is there under the toughest circumstances, for the life of the socks. It's also possible that the length of the socks will make a difference to your horse. A horse that is hostile to the regular length socks might respond favorably to the Short Version Silver Whinnys® and vice versa. The Short Version socks require attention to keep them in place. They are an excellent bandage option when the socks can be monitored but are easy for a horse to walk out of if in turnout. Go to Support/ HowTo/ Support and Protect The Silver Whinnys®.

QUESTION #27 Can Silver Whinnys® be used during the winter?

Yes. Many equine owners are trying to resolve dermatitis issues and injuries well into winter. Silver Whinnys are a year-round bandage/barrier. Winter presents challenges to any bandaging but Silver Whinnys are adaptable and there are many ways of protecting them from the snow, rain, mud, and freezing temperatures while they protect the wounds and sores on your horse's legs. The key is to keep them warm and dry on the legs. Go to Whinny Wellies™, our bad weather winter protective leg gear.

If your horse needs some time outside, and you don't have the Whinny Wellies™ take the socks off until you bring the horse back in. Then clean the legs and put the warm dry socks back on.

QUESTION #28 What is the difference between Silver Whinnys® and Whinny Warmers®?

The yarns and the functions of the yarns are the difference. Silver Whinnys® are made with a silver embedded yarn. They are leg protection for wounds, sores, and injuries. They provide protection against the insects that carry disease from one infected animal to another. They are cool on the leg in the summer and they are tolerant of being wet, even being on the legs while a horse is being bathed.

Whinny Warmers® are a winter sock only. Made with infrared yarn known for its ability to increase circulation, they offer warmth and comfort to horses that suffer from Cushings, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, founder, laminitis, or arthritis during the cold winter temperatures.

QUESTION #29 When do I need to keep the socks dry?

During the winter when a horse is outside. Winter presents a lot of problems with bandaging as everyone knows. For many horses that are still battling scratches and mud fever, the socks are needed. Keep them as dry and warm as possible during turnout. Snow and ice can build up on the socks because they are collecting warmth and moisture from the legs. This attracts ice and that can make them very uncomfortable on equine legs. As you know, directional standing wraps cannot be used in the pasture. They can cause damage to tendons. To address the winter healing horse and stay with our believe that horses need to move, we created the Whinny Wellies®. Whinny Wellies® are meant to protect sox and bandages from winter weather while the horse is outside. They are a wintertime bad weather gear for equine leg.

QUESTION #30 What if my horse has never had wraps or bandages on its legs? Will the socks work?

We don't know. However, we know that there are trainers using them to teach young horses about leg wear. They find them a perfect vehicle for teaching. Be sure to get with us by phone or email so you know how to protect and support the socks while you teach your horse to like leg wear. We've had horses that are known for tearing off bandages and leg wraps accept Silver Whinnys®, but it was a trial and error thing. When the horse is very difficult, try the Short Version socks first. Buy just one pair. We find that these horses might protest the regular length socks and accept the Short Version socks. It's interesting. See what your horse will accept.

If the socks are the first leg wear your horse has experienced, put them on early in the day, when you can spend time observing your horse. This is training 101! It's important for horses to learn to accept leg wear. It's important that you give your horse that training experience "hands on" with your full attention to getting a good result. Don't put the socks on and leave. That's not training! Go to: Do horses accept the socks?

QUESTION #31 Can Silver Whinnys be worn outside in winter rain, mud & snow?

Dermatitis is as bad in the winter months as the summer months but winter conditions add to the troubles. Silver Whinnys will do their job as an exceptional aid to healing, but they are not comfortable and will not feel good on your horse’s legs if they become wet and muddy or covered in snow! If your horse is only outside for short while, take the socks off while your horse is outside. Put clean socks back on when you bring your horse back in. A short amount of time without the socks, even in the mud won’t set your horse back. When the horse comes in, wipe off the legs with a damp cloth, put clean socks on and the socks are right back at work.

If your horse lives outside, the best way to tackle this is to use the Unlined Whinny Wellies over the socks to keep them dry, clean and warm. See Whinny Wellies

This is a great solution for horses that live outside and our Whinny Wellies are custom made to fit your horse. Contact us if you have any questions. We are happy to help you figure it all out.

FAQs - Silver Whinnys