Poultice vs Liniment

Poultice or Liniment? How to Choose for Swelling and Soreness

Draw It Out Horse Health Care Solutions January 26, 2026 Reading time 4 minutes

Two tools carry a lot of weight in horse care: poultice and liniment. They are not the same and they are not interchangeable. When you grab the wrong one, recovery slows down.

This guide gives you a simple way to decide. Heat and swelling point you to poultice. Stiffness and post work recovery point you to liniment.

Every barn has the same question sooner or later. Do I reach for poultice or liniment right now. Both products have their place. The key is matching the tool to the job in front of you.

What Poultice Does Best

Poultice is a pack and draw product. It excels when there is fluid and heat that need to be pulled out of the tissues over time.

Reach for poultice when you see:

Visible swelling in a leg or joint
Heat you can feel with your hand
Post workout puffiness that needs a longer contact time
Bruising or recovery windows where the horse is standing in a stall

Poultice is usually applied in a thicker layer, often under paper and a wrap, and left on for hours. It works slowly while the horse rests.

What Liniment Does Best

Liniment is a massage and move product. It supports circulation and tissue comfort after work, hauling, or heavy use.

Reach for liniment when you are dealing with:

General stiffness after a ride
Post work muscle fatigue
Daily recovery for performance horses
Back, topline, or large muscle groups that feel tight, not puffy

Liniment is applied as a thin layer and worked into the tissue. It should support movement, not replace it. With a sensation free formula, it becomes an easy part of every cool down.

The Simple Rule

Heat and swelling. Choose poultice for draw out support.

Stiffness and post work soreness. Choose liniment for circulation and recovery.

When both show up together, poultice the hot spot and use liniment on the surrounding areas after you rinse and reset.

Where Draw It Out and MasterMudd Fit In

In your program, think of these products as a matched pair.

MasterMudd EquiBrace poultice. Built for draw out jobs, overnight wraps, and focused heat and swelling support.
Draw It Out liniment gel and concentrate. Built for daily soreness, post ride recovery, and long term prehab routines.

Poultice and Liniment Choices From Draw It Out

Use MasterMudd when you need targeted draw out care. Use Draw It Out liniment when your horse needs quiet, daily recovery support.

PoulticeMasterMudd EquiBrace Horse Poultice Daily gelDraw It Out 16oz High Potency Gel Mixing baseDraw It Out 32oz Concentrate

The Bottom Line

Poultice and liniment are both valuable. Problems start when they are used without a plan. When you understand that poultice is for draw out jobs and liniment is for move and recover jobs, your decisions get easier and your horse’s legs tell the story the next morning.

Poultice vs Liniment FAQ

When should I use poultice on my horse?

Use poultice when you see heat or swelling. It is designed to sit on the leg for hours and support draw out care for fluid and inflammation.

When should I use liniment instead of poultice?

Use liniment when your horse is stiff or sore after work, when you want to support circulation, or when you are managing general soreness without significant swelling.

Can I use poultice and liniment together?

Yes. Many riders poultice a hot spot and use liniment on surrounding areas or on the back and larger muscle groups. Always rinse poultice fully before reapplying products and follow your veterinarian’s guidance for injuries.