Question: Can I use Whinny Warmers™ to protect my horses' legs from flies?

Answer:  No! Whinny Warmers™ are too hot for horse legs in the summer. Hot legs aren't a good thing for the horse.

We are developing a sock for summer that will not make the legs hot. Hang in there. We will let everyone know when the Summer Whinnys™ are ready and they will safely protect horse legs from biting flies.

Question: How long do Whinny Warmers™ last?

Answer:  That depends on your horse. If your horse doesn't mess with them too much or if you don't have a pony around that likes tearing apparel off your horse, then you can expect a pair of socks to last all winter and possibly into the next year. We launder our socks often and they snap right back to looking nearly new again each time.

Question: Do I have to buy a pair each for the front and back legs?

Answer: No. We sell Whinny Warmers™ by the pair, front, or back legs, warmblood, or quarter horse sizes. If you want the warmth only on the front legs, then order a pair for the front legs and vice versa.  It is still a good idea to have an extra pair so that one is on and one pair is ready.

Question: My horse wears shoes. Are the socks difficult to get over their hooves when shoes are on?

Answer: No. If you put duct tape over the nails on the outside of the hoof, the socks will just glide over the nails. There is no doubt that nails and rough places on the hoof will snag and catch the socks if present. We found that duct tape strategically placed makes putting Whinny Warmers™ and Summer Whinnys™ on easy in spite of rough hooves and shoe nails.

 

Question: What is the difference between Warmblood/Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse sizes?

Answer:Warmblood/Thoroughbred socks stretch more so they can slip over larger hooves. Other than that, they are the same length as the Quarter Horse socks. Many different breeds of horses can wear Whinny Warmers. Measure the hoof across at the widest point to determine the size you need to order.

Choosing a size depends on your ability to pull the sock over the hoof. We've put a Quarter Horse sock on a Warmblood, but it was way too much exercise for us! Choosing the right size makes putting the socks on much easier.

If your horse is wearing a size 2-4 shoe, order the Warmblood size. If you don't know its shoe size, measure the width of the hoof at the widest point. Any hoof larger than a 5¼ inch width by a 5½ inch length is going to need the Warmblood size sock.

Thoroughbreds fit in the Warmblood category for the most part, but you may need Quarter Horse size for your Thoroughbred. Measure the foot.

Size 1 shoes are approximately 5 inches X 5 ½ inches long, depending on the maker, and Quarter Horse socks will fit over this size hoof but this is the limit of this size.

The Quarter Horse size will fit everything from shoe size 1 down to 00. This sock may work out perfectly for your pony, but if hooves are smaller than 4½ inches across, the socks may come off the horse easier than with larger horses.

The worst you would suffer is looking for socks in the pasture more often--that is, unless your pony considers chewing them off its legs as fine entertainment!

Caution!!! If your horse wants to chew the socks off, the socks are not for your horse. Eating yarn probably isn't very good for horses!

Question: I was viewing your Web site for the Whinny Warmers™, and on your size chart you only have Warmblood and Quarter Horse size.  I have an Egyptian Arabian and I was wondering what size to order.

Answer: Order the Quarter Horse size. That will work for horses with feet as small as 00--approximately 4 inches across.

Question: How hard are your socks to get on and get off?

Answer: Go to “Putting Whinny Warmers™ on your horse” for instructions.  It shows you how to put them on. If your horse doesn’t mind your handling its legs, our socks are easy to put on and easy to take off.

Question: Can I layer the socks?

Answer: We chose to stack them but you can layer them for those cold temperatures.

Question: Will Whinny Warmers™ help a horse suffering joint and arthritis pain?

Answer: We think so. Anyone who has arthritis knows that cold weather makes it feel worse. Our retired horse (26 years old) doesn't spend one cold night without Whinny Warmers™ on her legs. We know she feels better because she acts like she feels better. Keeping your horse’s legs warm is another strategy to add to the steps you are already taking to help your horse feel and perform better. We know from our own experience that Whinny Warmers™ help.  

Question: Can the rear leg socks be pulled up over the hocks?

Answer: We don't recommend pulling the socks up over the hocks.   The hock is a complex joint in the rear leg anatomy of a horse. If you are going pull the socks up over the hock, keep an eye on the socks so that the horse can lie down comfortably without the sock cutting circulation.  We know of owners who have stacked the socks to cover the hock to keep an injured area warm. It works well for them but they really keep an active eye on the placement of the socks. 

Question: Can I use Whinny Warmers™ under the shipping boots when I trailer my horse?

Answer: No. Don't use Whinny Warmers™ under any therapy, protection, shipping, or performance horse boots, bandages, or leg wraps.  

Question: What are the chances your socks will get hung up on something in the pasture?

Answer:  It could happen. If your pasture is full of briar, branches, bramble, etc. your horse might get hung up, but the socks will give long before anything of flesh and bone on your horse will. We developed Whinny Warmers™ to be safe for the horse. Mostly, they will simply slip off the leg. This is why Whinny Warmers™ don’t have snaps, clasps, button, zippers or Velcro. We want the sock to give long before a horse could possibly get hurt.

Question: What are the socks made of? 

Answer: The yarn we chose for our socks is made from recycled t-shirts and socks. It is primarily cotton, but also contains acrylic and polyester. We chose it because American sock manufacturers are using this warm and durable yarn for people socks and we wanted to contribute to “Green” manufacturing in this country. Our socks don’t contain lead!   

Question: How much money from the sale of a pair of socks goes to horse and animal rescue projects?

Answer: Sox For Horses, Inc. presently donates $.30 per pair sold.

Please let us know which organizations you believe are doing a good job with their rescue efforts. mailto:rescue@whinnywarmers.com

Question: I want to ride my horse in a parade while we both are wearing Whinny Warmers™. They are so cute! Is that one situation where a horse can be ridden while wearing Whinny Warmers™? 

Answer:  Please don't ride or exercise your horse while it is wearing Whinny Warmers™! We don't want anyone to get hurt.

Question:  I have ponies. Do you have a size that will fit ponies?

Answer:  Yes! Use the “Rear Leg” Quarter Horse size for your pony. They should fit. Measure the hoof at it's widest point. If it's over 5" across, our socks will fit. “IttyBitty Whinnys™” are coming soon and will fit the miniature equines. The front leg “IttyBitty Whinnys™” will fit the back legs of ponies just great.

Question:  Do you make socks for miniature horses??

Answer:  They are in development right now. Our goal is to release IttyBitty Whinnys™ in time for summer as a part of the Summer Whinnys™ line.

Question: Do you make something like this for summertime to keep flies off horses’ legs--something these horrible bugs around here (I live in the Deep South) can't bite through? The kinds in the magazines will not stay on; I have tried them. They need to be cool, though.

Answer: We are preparing to release Summer Whinnys™ shortly.  They are specifically designed to protect horse legs from biting flies and allow the body heat from the horse to pass through. Keep an eye on our Web site for the release.

Question: I had a problem with a mare with white legs sun burning last year. Do you think I could use these sox to cover her white and help prevent sunburn this summer?

Answer: We will release Summer Whinnys™ soon. They are light, strong, summer socks designed to stop biting flies while allowing the body heat from the horse to pass through. I believe they will do the trick. Whinny Warmers™ help warm legs so they wouldn’t be ideal in the summer. Keep an eye on the website. We are hoping to have Summer Whinnys™ available within a month.

Question: Are Whinny Warmers good for keeping mud off the horses legs?

Answer: Our experience has been that the socks get muddy and wet, but the horse's leg stays clean. “Wet” is the challenge. In cold weather you would want to be able to change wet socks as often as possible and if you do so, you will be getting the greatest benefit from the socks. Mud will dry on the sock if the sock doesn't get very wet, but we recommend that if your environment is mud and rain, change the socks often! Get an extra set so that one set is on and one set is ready. We have kept them very inexpensive to make this possible.

Question: Can we order Whinny Warmers™ in our barn colors?

Answer:  Yes. Our manufacturer is very willing to produce Whinny Warmers™ in custom colors (Minimum custom order = 30). Drop us an email at info@whinnywarmers.com and we will be able to research the availability of your colors in our yarns and discuss the pricing of your special order.

Question: I was wondering if you offer wholesale orders to individual sellers; for example, I would like to sell them along with my jewelry and clothing at barrel races.

Answer:  We would love for you to carry Whinny Warmers™ at your own local store or at local horse shows.  Drop us a note at info@whinnywarmers.com and we will talk about it.

Question: I live in Wyoming and we are having a very nasty winter. I am hoping that these will assist my very old and retired rope horses to have a little more comfort in their lives. Would it be feasible, however, to use them as a precursor to exercise--not while we were riding, but put them on an hour or so before exercise to heat up some arthritic joints a little?  Have you had any experience with this type of use?

Answer: This is exactly how to use Whinny Warmers™. We know that adding warmth to older horses’ legs is going to help them feel better and move better. Whinny Warmers™ were developed for the performance athletes but they also help our geriatric equine pals.