Silver Whinnys

Equines can suffer from a variety of lesions that affect their Lower legs: dermatitis, scratches, mud fever, dew poisoning, greasy heel, summer sores, and wounds. Silver Whinnys® provide the critical qualities in bandaging/leg protection that allow non-responding cutaneous (affecting the skin) lesions to finally heal.

They end the cycle of infection/re-infection. Silver inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi in the socks. They are safe, non-toxic, drug-free bandages that obstruct disease-causing pathogens, insects, dirt, debris, and sunlight (UV) from penetrating the socks and reaching the skin.


“EPD, is not a specific diagnosis. It is a syndrome. A term –scratches, dew poisoning, greasy heel, mud fever, foot rot, cracked heels -- to describe cutaneous lesions caused by a variety of diseases that affect the lower legs of horses,” explains award-winning veterinary dermatologist, research author and full Professor, Rosanna Marsella, DVM, of the University of Florida (Gainesville) College of Veterinary Medicine. Please read more about EPD. (Veterinarians Get a Leg Up in the War Against Equine Dermatitis)

Anyone who has owned a horse suffering from severe, non-responding, and various manifestations of Equine Pastern Dermatitis (EPD) knows these are not skin conditions cured with a simple application of over-the-counter ointments. If they could be cured as simply as this, your veterinarian and treatment bills would be much less expensive. Severe cases change not only the quality of an equine's life but its owner’s as well. The financial cost of healing is compounded by added stress and countless hours of care.

The ABCs below are the reasons Silver Whinnys® will be the best bandaging and leg protection you have ever purchased for your horse’s legs. Aside of saving hundreds of dollars in throw-way bandaging, reusable Silver Whinnys have all of the vital qualities necessary to protect your horse while healing. They offer qualities that traditional bandaging cannot provide. More veterinarians are including our socks in their treatment plans when protecting the tissue is essential to health and healing.

The following assets or qualities are essential in protection and healing:

1. With Silver Whinnys, valuable oxygen can reach the skin. The socks breathe. Oxygen has long been recognized as important to healing as it helps dry excessive moisture and allows more durable granulating tissue to develop. The socks also block dirt, insects, and debris that present obstacles to healing when sores and wounds are left open to the air. The double layer of woven sock provides a barrier against disease-carrying insects while protecting UV sensitive skin.


2. The silver in the socks makes an antimicrobial barrier that prevents dangerous microbes from reaching the tissue. Bacteria and fungi must pass through the double layer of protection in order to re-infect the skin. If the socks are changed daily with clean socks, the power of the silver to inhibit bacteria and fungi from passing through the socks to the tissue remains optimum. After the first 24 hours the sheer number of germs in a barn environment can finally overwhelm the silver in the socks, so changing them daily is important to keep the healing on track. See our FAQ page for Silver Whinnys for more questions answered about how they manage the environment relative to your horse’s condition.


3. Silver Whinnys wick moisture from the skin surface. They absorb and remove the dampness caused by exuding body serums. This moisture is absorbed and transferred to the exterior of the sock where it can evaporate from the surface. Traditional bandaging traps damp, warm material against the wounds and dermatitis the same way that a dirty diaper holds undesirable moisture and materials against a baby’s tender skin. The wicking action of the socks helps keep the surface of the skin dry. It defeats the warm moist environment that bacteria and fungi must have to propagate. Not only do the socks keep the tissue dry but also in the summer months, these moisture-managing properties of the socks keep legs cool. It is the same cooling action provided by a light cotton shirt that takes the sweat from your body and allows it to evaporate, thus cooling your skin temperature. Our socks utilize the same moisture management yarns used in the highest quality athletic socks that keep feet dry and cool during the demands of sport competition.

In the course of healing, inflammation, infection, and re-injury can cause slow healing. The development of proud flesh, exuberant tissue, is a by-product of slow healing. Proud flesh is NOT a product of too rapid a healing! It is the body overreacting to impaired healing. A healthy speed of healing is desired and that means dermatitis, wounds, and sores all need to be protected from the hazards that prevent a healthy, rapid healing.

See “Case Studies”

For the large breed horses, continued unresolved dermatitis can lead to devastating conditions.

The edema of Cellulitis causes the destruction of blood vessels. Lymphangitis causes permanent tissue damage and the destruction of lymph vessels. Vets understand the risks of slow healing, which is why they seek to aggressively handle the inflammation and infection putting your horse at risk during these episodes. Once these conditions are stabilized, Silver Whinnys® are a proven tool to help you and your vet protect legs from the hazards of the equine environment that drive equine legs to these dangerous episodes. For more about Lymphangitis and Cellulitis see our article of September 6, 2016 published in EquiManagement Magazine.

Learn more about Silver Whinnys and Compression values in our support pages.

The silver used in the construction of our socks will never wash out. It will not weaken. It will not degrade over time. The silver will be as strong the day you throw these socks away in shreds as the day you bought them. We do not use “infused” silver, which is a method of dunking garments in an environmentally egregious chemical bath. Our silver is there to stay in our socks and meets the highest level of environmentally safe manufacturing standards.

The best way to clean them is to machine wash and dry them. This removes the greatest amount of exuded material and bio-burden from the socks. Use a “free and clear” detergent. Avoid bleach as it destroys elastic. You can use OxyClean® to help whiten if you wish. Do not use dryer sheets as the chemicals used in fabric softeners or perfumed detergents are not what you want against angry inflamed skin.

See customer and veterinarian testimonials.

Also visit our "Support > How To" section for additional product support.