Does Your Horse Suffer From a Leg Condition?

Some conditions make every day a battle. Constant rubbing, biting, weeping skin, and restless behaviour that breaks your heart to watch.

Canterpants® was born from exactly that struggle. Designed by a horse owner who watched her Arabian mare Reena suffer from fly biting and bleeding legs, Canterpants® provides full-leg protection that's breathable, durable, and kind to sensitive skin.

We help horses dealing with:

  • Chronic fly irritation and fly biting
  • Sweet itch / Queensland itch
  • Allergies to sun, grasses, or pollens
  • Insect bites and hypersensitivity
  • Urine or manure scalding
  • Stomping and self-inflicted leg damage

Chronic Fly Irritation & Fly Biting

For some horses, constant fly irritation triggers skin reactions or obsessive biting and kicking at their own legs, causing open wounds, hair loss, and significant distress. The cycle is relentless: flies land, skin breaks down, and flies return to the wound.

Canterpants® breaks that cycle from the moment they go on:

  • Creates a physical barrier between flies and skin
  • No sprays, no chemicals - just reliable, breathable coverage
  • Lets your horse get on with being a horse

Sweet Itch & Queensland Itch

Sweet itch (Queensland Itch) is caused by an allergic reaction to biting midge saliva. For affected horses, midge season means intense itching, relentless rubbing, and self-inflicted skin damage that can take weeks to heal.

Many owners hesitate to use leg coverings in hot, humid conditions - but here's what most don't realise: a horse in an allergic state already generates excess heat, and direct sun on inflamed skin makes it worse. Canterpants® cool, breathable cotton absorbs moisture and allows evaporative cooling, so covered legs can actually run cooler than bare ones exposed to radiant heat and biting midges.

  • Full-leg coverage shields skin from midge bites at the source
  • Breathable cotton keeps legs cool even in humid conditions
  • Helps break the itch-rub cycle through midge season

Allergies - Sun, Grasses, Pollens & More

Not all leg irritation comes from insects. Many horses react to grasses, pollens, dust, or prolonged sun exposure, and pink-skinned or light-coloured horses are especially vulnerable to sunburn and photosensitive reactions on their legs.

  • Canterpants® shield skin from direct contact with irritating grasses and pollens
  • Provide UV protection without the mess of sunscreen
  • Limiting ongoing allergen exposure helps keep sensitive skin out of a constant state of reaction

For horses in acute flare-up, veterinary treatment remains essential. Canterpants® work best as part of a complete management plan.

Insect Bites & Hypersensitivity

Beyond midges and flies, many horses develop hypersensitivity to mosquitoes, sandflies, march flies, and more. For sensitive horses, even a small number of bites can trigger hives, localised swelling, hair loss, and intense itching that leads to self-inflicted damage.

  • Full-leg coverage dramatically reduces the number of bites a sensitive horse receives
  • Loose-fitting design means no risk of bites through the fabric
  • Helps minimise the frequency and severity of hypersensitive reactions

Horses with severe hypersensitivity may also benefit from veterinary management alongside physical protection.

Urine & Manure Scalding

Horses with incontinence or loose manure often have prolonged skin contact with urine and manure on their legs. Not only does this attract biting insects, but it stains the legs and can lead to scaldinig and irritation.

Canterpants® form a barrier between the contaminant and the skin, keeping legs cleaner and giving irritated skin the chance to heal:

  • Loose-fitting and quick-drying, so fabric doesn't sit against the skin
  • Not waterproof, but provide meaningful protection in most situations
  • Can be treated with a fabric water-repellent spray for added resistance where scalding is a particular concern

Stomping & Self-Inflicted Damage

Stomping is one of the most common, and most underestimated causes of leg damage in horses. What starts as a natural response to fly irritation can become a deeply ingrained habit, even when flies aren't present. Repeated stomping on hard ground causes concussive stress on joints and hooves, with potential for serious injury.

Canterpants® address stomping at the source by reducing the fly irritation that triggers it in the first place. With legs protected from biting insects, many horses naturally stomp less or stop altogether, breaking the habit cycle before it causes lasting damage.

Bot Flies & Infestation Prevention

Bot flies are a seasonal menace, and for some horses their presence alone triggers frantic behaviour and self-inflicted injury.

  • Canterpants® prevent bot flies from laying eggs directly on your horse's legs, significantly reducing infestation risk
  • Full-leg coverage reduces exposed skin, meaning less stimulus and less chance of your horse injuring themselves in a panic

Leg Injuries & Post-Injury Protection

Wire cuts, fence strikes, kicks, and abrasions are an everyday reality. Once a wound is on the leg, keeping it clean, protected from flies, and free from interference becomes a full-time job.

Canterpants® support recovery and prevention in three ways:

  • Wound protection: wear over dressings or healing skin to keep wounds clean, reduce fly strike risk, and prevent horses from biting or rubbing at their own recovery
  • Over-bandaging: loose fit sits comfortably over bandaging without applying pressure; breathable cotton allows airflow to support healing

Farrier & Dental Appointments

Fidgeting, tail-swishing, and stomping can make a farrier's job far harder than it needs to be. Canterpants® help horses stand quietly and calmly during appointments.

  • Full-leg coverage means no fly repellents needed - legs stay dry and grip-friendly for your farrier
  • Made from 100% cotton, Canterpants® are naturally fire-resistant, a reassuring bonus around the forge
  • Tried and tested by our own farrier

Competition Preparation

Keeping legs pristine before a competition is a challenge. Rolling after a wash, then the float ride to the venue, can mean a full re-wash the morning of the show.

Canterpants® protect legs from travel mess and competition anxiety, and shield from insects while your horse stands in their yard, stable, or tied to the float.

Arrive at the arena with clean legs and a settled horse, ready to perform.