Imagine standing in the quiet chill of a stable at dawn. You run your hand down your horse's leg, feeling for that familiar heat or the subtle puffiness that signals a long day of work or the onset of age. You want to provide relief, so you reach for a pair of traditional magnetic horse boots, comforted by the bold "Multiple 1000 Gauss" claim printed on the box. You believe you are applying a powerful magnetic field — but that headline number tells you surprisingly little about the magnetic environment actually reaching your horse's leg.
At StreamZ Global, our mission is to peel back the layers of marketing jargon to reveal the scientific truth behind animal wellness technology. We believe that every pet owner, rider, and athlete deserves to know exactly how their equipment works, what evidence supports it, and where the limitations of that evidence lie. Our way of life is rooted in transparency, innovation, and a willingness to question the "status quo" of the magnetic therapy industry.
That means asking more than simply "How many Gauss?" Where was that measurement taken? How quickly does the field change with distance? What remains 5mm, 10mm or 20mm from the product? How does the direction of the field change? What happens between individual magnets? And, most importantly, what evidence connects that particular magnetic configuration with the biological benefits being claimed?
StreamZ takes a very different approach to conventional magnetic products. Rather than relying on individual high-strength permanent magnets positioned at selected points, StreamZ uses a flexible ferrite-containing material with a multi-polarity magnetic configuration designed to surround the wearer.
That difference doesn't mean we should ask fewer scientific questions of StreamZ.
We think it means we should ask more.
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The Allure of High Gauss
When shopping for magnetic horse boots, bracelets, wraps or supports, one number tends to dominate the marketing: Gauss.
Gauss is a unit used to describe magnetic flux density, and figures in the thousands can understandably sound impressive. A product advertised as containing a 1,400 or even 4,000 Gauss neodymium magnet can easily appear more powerful — and therefore potentially more effective — than one quoting a much smaller number.
But there is an important distinction.
A maximum Gauss figure tells you the magnetic flux density at the point where that measurement was taken. It does not tell you what magnetic field exists throughout the area surrounding the product.
Move away from a permanent magnet and the field changes. How it changes depends on factors including the magnet's size, shape, orientation, polarity and the arrangement of other magnets around it.
For a wearable product, this really matters.
A magnet may have an impressive measurement directly at its surface, but the tissues of interest are not necessarily located at that measurement point. Skin, hair, the material of the boot or wrap itself, and the depth of the anatomical structure being targeted all introduce distance between the magnet and the intended target.
So when a magnetic product promotes a large Gauss figure, the useful question isn't whether that number is genuine.
It's:
What does the magnetic field look like where it actually matters?
That means looking beyond one maximum measurement and considering field strength at different distances, field direction, magnetic gradients, polarity and the spatial arrangement of the magnetic material.
A bigger number on the box may tell you that the magnet itself is stronger.
It does not, on its own, tell you that the finished product is more therapeutically effective.
The Science of Rapid Decay
This is where distance becomes important.
The magnetic field produced by a permanent magnet decreases as you move away from it. But there isn't one universal rule that tells us exactly what every magnetic product will produce at 5mm, 10mm or 20mm.
The rate of change depends on the size and shape of the magnet, its magnetic properties, polarity, orientation and the geometry of the complete magnetic system.
At distances sufficiently far from a small magnet relative to its dimensions, its field can be approximated as a magnetic dipole and falls very rapidly with distance. Closer to the magnet — particularly around real products containing multiple magnets — the field can be considerably more complex.
This is why statements such as "the magnet is 4,000 Gauss" need context.
Where was that 4,000 Gauss measured?
Directly against the magnet?
At the outside surface of the finished boot?
At 5mm?
At 10mm?
At 20mm?
Those measurements will not necessarily be remotely the same.
And there is another consideration: magnetic field direction and gradients also change through space. Two products containing magnets with similar maximum Gauss ratings could therefore create quite different magnetic environments depending on how those magnets are positioned and oriented.
So what about the "10mm myth"?
The myth is the idea that 10mm represents some kind of fixed boundary for magnetic fields. It doesn't. A magnetic field doesn't suddenly stop at 10mm, nor is there a universal depth at which every permanent magnet becomes insignificant. Gauss may stop, but there's far more too it than that!
What matters is the magnetic source itself — its strength, size, geometry, polarity and configuration — and the distance from it.
So the important question isn't "Can a magnetic field travel beyond 10mm?"
Of course it can.
The useful question is: how much of that field remains at 10mm, 20mm or 30mm in this particular product — and is there evidence that the field present at those distances produces the biological effect being claimed?
Visualising the Decay: A technical graph showing a blue curve plummeting sharply from the starting point (the face of the magnet).
Even Apple Understands That Distance Matters
You don't have to look very far to see why distance from a magnet matters.
Apple uses magnets in a number of its products and accessories, including MagSafe technology. Because magnets and electromagnetic fields can potentially interfere with some implanted medical devices, Apple advises users of such devices to maintain a safe distance from certain Apple products.
Why?
Because magnetic field strength changes with distance.
Apple isn't making a claim about magnetic therapy, of course, and a MagSafe magnet shouldn't be treated as equivalent to a magnet inside a horse boot. They are completely different applications.
But it provides a useful everyday illustration of an important principle: where you measure a magnetic field matters.
A magnetic field measured immediately beside a magnet is not the same as the field measured farther away from it. It is not all about the Gauss rating.
That's why quoting only the maximum Gauss rating of a magnetic therapy product can leave an important part of the picture unanswered.
If a manufacturer says its horse boot contains a 1,200 or 4,000 Gauss magnet, don't just ask:
"How strong is the magnet?"
Ask:
"What magnetic field actually exists at the distance of the tissue you're claiming to influence?"
That's a much more useful question, one we predict you'll get no answer for.
Surface Gauss Isn't Tissue Gauss
This brings us back to the horse.
When a magnetic boot is fitted around a horse's leg, the anatomical structure a manufacturer claims to influence may not be sitting directly against the magnet.
Between the magnetic material and the intended target there may be the boot itself, hair, skin and several millimetres—or considerably more—of tissue.
Importantly, biological tissue doesn't simply "block" a static magnetic field. The issue is distance.
The magnetic field continues through and beyond the leg, but its strength, direction and spatial distribution change as the distance from the magnetic source increases. How much they change depends on the magnet and the way the complete product is configured.
That's why a maximum Gauss measurement taken directly against a magnet cannot simply be treated as the magnetic field experienced by deeper anatomical structures.
If a manufacturer claims that a magnetic boot affects a particular tendon, joint or other structure, the useful questions become:
How far is that structure from the magnetic material?
What magnetic field actually exists at that distance?
And what evidence demonstrates that the field present there produces the claimed biological effect?
This doesn't prove that a conventional magnetic horse boot cannot have an effect.
It simply means that a large surface Gauss number, by itself, doesn't prove that it does.
Magnetic Devices Don’t Influence Blood Flow
One of the most common explanations for how traditional magnetic therapy supposedly works is that magnets increase blood flow or improve circulation.
At first glance, it can sound plausible. Blood contains iron. Magnets attract iron. Therefore, perhaps placing a powerful magnet against the body attracts blood towards the area and increases circulation.
But the iron in your blood isn't ferromagnetic.
The iron atoms in haemoglobin are chemically bound within a complex molecular structure. They do not behave like metallic iron, and your blood isn't attracted towards an ordinary permanent magnet in the way that iron filings are attracted to a magnet.
In fact, the magnetic behaviour of blood is considerably more interesting than the familiar "blood contains iron" explanation suggests. Oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin have different magnetic properties — something exploited in technologies such as functional MRI — but neither provides a simple mechanism whereby attaching a permanent magnet to the body pulls blood towards it and increases circulation.
And we don't have to rely on that physical explanation alone.
Interested in knowing more about magnetic fields and debunking some myths around their use? Look at our article Types Of Magnets Used And Their Benefits.
A 2025 scientific review specifically examined the evidence surrounding static magnetic fields and blood flow. After screening 1,954 records, the researchers identified 23 relevant human and animal studies.
None of the 10 human studies demonstrated a statistically significant increase in blood circulation attributable to a static magnetic field.
The animal evidence was more mixed, but the authors concluded that claims of increased blood flow from static magnetic fields were not supported by human studies and not well supported by animal studies.
Individual controlled studies have reached similar results. Research comparing commercial permanent magnets with sham magnets has found no significant increase in forearm blood flow or skin perfusion, while at least one experiment using a strong neodymium magnet reported a reduction rather than an increase in resting skin blood perfusion.
That doesn't prove that a static magnetic field could never influence circulation under any conceivable experimental condition. But it does present a serious challenge to the widespread marketing claim that simply placing a permanent magnet against the body increases blood flow.
So when a static magnetic horse boot, bracelet or wrap claims to improve circulation, ask:
Where is the evidence that this specific magnetic product actually does so?
The fact that blood contains iron — and the fact that the product contains a powerful magnet — doesn't establish that connection.
And importantly, this should not be confused with PEMF or other time-varying electromagnetic technologies, which operate differently and must be assessed on their own evidence.
The Danger of Heat in Traditional Therapy
Beyond the lack of depth, traditional static magnets have another significant drawback: the generation of heat.
When magnets are wrapped around a limb, they create a reaction in the body which creates a thermal increase. Heat.
While heat can be beneficial for chronic stiffness, it is often the enemy of acute recovery. For conditions like laminitis in horses or active inflammation in the fetlock, adding heat can exacerbate the problem. Traditional magnetic boots act as insulators, trapping heat against the leg, which can lead to tissue cell damage if left on for extended periods.
StreamZ proprietary technology produces a multi-polar magnetic field which is then placed into a 360º format around the wearer.
Heat is another important consideration when choosing any therapeutic horse boot — but it is important to understand where that heat actually comes from.
During exercise, the horse's superficial digital flexor tendon can become remarkably warm. Tendons have relatively limited blood supply compared with muscle, and research has shown that core tendon temperatures can rise substantially during strenuous exercise.
This matters because laboratory research has demonstrated that excessive temperatures can damage tendon cells and extracellular matrix, particularly when high temperatures are sustained.
That's one reason cooling the lower limbs after demanding exercise has become such an established part of equine management.
But here's an important distinction.
A permanent magnet is not a heating element.
Static magnets do not need electricity and should not automatically be assumed to generate heat in the tissue simply because they are magnetic. As we've already seen, the evidence also doesn't support the common explanation that static magnets reliably increase blood flow and therefore warm the area.
The more immediate thermal consideration with many horse boots and wraps is much simpler:
Covering a hot leg can reduce its ability to lose heat.
Boot materials, thickness, breathability, fit, ambient conditions and duration of wear can all influence the temperature underneath a boot. A heavily constructed magnetic boot may therefore retain heat — but that is a property that should be investigated in the finished boot, rather than automatically attributed to the magnets inside it.
This distinction is particularly important immediately after exercise, when the objective may be to remove heat rather than retain it.
So when assessing a magnetic or therapeutic horse boot, don't just ask what technology is inside it.
Ask:
What actually happens to the temperature of the horse's leg while the finished product is being worn?
Once again, measurement tells us considerably more than assumption.
Is Your Horse Really Feeling the Magnet?
This brings us to perhaps the most important question of all.
If your horse is wearing a magnetic boot containing powerful neodymium magnets, what magnetic field is the horse's tissue actually being exposed to?
The maximum Gauss figure advertised for the magnet doesn't answer that question.
As we've seen, magnetic fields change with distance, and their strength, direction and spatial distribution depend on the size, shape, polarity, orientation and arrangement of the magnetic material.
So if a manufacturer claims that its magnetic boot influences a tendon, joint or other anatomical structure beneath the surface, there are really two questions to ask.
First: what magnetic field actually exists at the depth of that structure?
And then:
Is there evidence that a static magnetic field of that strength and configuration produces the biological effect being claimed?
Those are very different questions from simply asking how powerful the magnet is.
A 4,000 Gauss magnet may genuinely measure around that figure under the conditions specified by its manufacturer. But that doesn't mean a tendon several millimetres away is experiencing a 4,000 Gauss field — nor does the number alone establish a therapeutic effect.
This is why we believe magnetic products should ultimately be judged by more than the strength of the magnet inside them.
The important measurement isn't just what comes out of the magnet. It's what reaches the intended target — and what evidence shows that it matters when it gets there.
In Summary: Moving Beyond the Myth
For decades, much of the magnetic therapy market has focused on magnet strength: stronger magnets, higher Gauss ratings and increasingly powerful neodymium components.
But strength is only one characteristic of a magnetic field.
Geometry matters. Polarity matters. Direction matters. Distance matters. Gradients matter. And the way magnetic material is arranged around the body matters.
This is where StreamZ takes a fundamentally different approach.
Instead of positioning a small number of discrete, high-strength permanent magnets at selected points, StreamZ uses a flexible ferrite-containing composite manufactured with a multi-polarity magnetic configuration. In EQU StreamZ Bands, that material is arranged around the circumference of the horse's leg rather than concentrating individual magnets at isolated locations.
That doesn't mean that "different" automatically means "better."
But it does mean that describing StreamZ simply by quoting a maximum Gauss number misses much of what makes the technology physically different from a conventional magnetic boot.
The more interesting questions are therefore not simply how strong is StreamZ?
They are:
What magnetic environment does that multi-polarity material actually create?
How does that field vary around the limb?
How does its direction and magnitude change with distance?
Where are the field gradients?
And how does that spatial magnetic environment compare with one created by conventional discrete magnets?
Those are much more sophisticated questions than "How many Gauss?"
And they move the conversation beyond the 10mm myth towards something far more useful:
Understanding the magnetic environment the finished product actually creates.
👉 Articles of interest:
REPAIR - Is your horse recovering from an injury? Read Rehabilitation & Recovery for Equine Injuries.PREVENT - Prevention is as important as cure. Read How to Prevent Injuries in Horses.
PERFECT - Optimise long-term soundness, read Optimising Performance in Horses.
Ready to see the difference for yourself?
Explore the EQU Streamz equestrian range and discover why thousands of riders have moved away from traditional magnets in favour of 360º magnetic technology.
EQU StreamZ Horse Bands are the worlds leading magnetic therapy horse bands for joint care and wellbeing, and for good reason. Read all the 5-star verified reviews today.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the "10mm Myth" in magnetic therapy?
The "10mm Myth" is the idea that 10mm represents a fixed boundary beyond which a magnetic field stops or becomes ineffective. There is no universal 10mm cut-off. Magnetic field strength and direction change with distance, and the rate of change depends on the strength, size, geometry, polarity and configuration of the magnetic source.
The important question isn't whether a magnetic field can extend beyond 10mm — it can — but what field actually exists at 10mm, 20mm or 30mm from a particular product and whether there is evidence that it produces the biological effect being claimed.
Does a higher Gauss rating mean a magnetic horse boot is more effective?
No. A higher Gauss rating does not, by itself, demonstrate greater therapeutic effectiveness.
Gauss describes magnetic flux density at a particular measurement point. A maximum figure measured directly against a magnet doesn't tell you what field exists several millimetres or centimetres away.
Magnet size, geometry, polarity, orientation, distance and the arrangement of magnetic material all influence the magnetic environment produced by the finished product.
How quickly does a magnetic field weaken with distance?
Magnetic field strength decreases with distance, but there is no single decay rate that applies to every magnet or magnetic product.
The relationship depends on the magnet's dimensions, shape, magnetic properties and configuration. At sufficient distances a small magnet may be approximated as a magnetic dipole, but fields close to real magnets and multi-magnet products can be considerably more complex.
That's why measurements at relevant distances can tell us much more than a single maximum surface-Gauss figure.
Do static magnetic horse boots increase blood flow?
Current human evidence does not support the general claim that simply applying a static permanent magnet increases blood flow.
The iron contained within haemoglobin is not ferromagnetic and blood is not attracted towards an ordinary permanent magnet like metallic iron.
A 2025 scientific review examining static magnetic fields and circulation found that none of the 10 included human studies demonstrated a statistically significant increase in blood flow attributable to a static magnetic field. Animal evidence was more mixed.
Claims that a particular magnetic product increases circulation should therefore be supported by evidence demonstrating that effect.
Do magnetic horse boots generate heat?
A permanent magnet is not a heating element and shouldn't automatically be assumed to generate heat in tissue.
However, any boot or wrap can affect the temperature of a horse's leg by changing heat loss. Material thickness, insulation, breathability, fit, ambient temperature and duration of wear can all influence the thermal environment beneath a boot.
Magnetic behaviour and thermal behaviour are therefore separate characteristics and should ideally be measured independently.
How do traditional magnetic horse boots differ from StreamZ?
Traditional magnetic horse boots commonly use individual permanent magnets positioned at selected locations, whereas StreamZ uses a flexible ferrite-containing material with a multi-polarity magnetic configuration arranged around the limb.
These are physically different magnetic architectures.
That difference doesn't automatically establish that one produces a greater biological effect than another. It does mean that comparing the technologies using only their maximum Gauss figures provides an incomplete picture of the magnetic environments they create.
Does StreamZ overcome magnetic field decay?
StreamZ is still a magnetic technology, so its magnetic field is also subject to the laws of physics.
We don't claim that StreamZ somehow avoids the effect of distance. What makes StreamZ physically different is the way its ferrite-containing, multi-polarity material is configured and arranged around the wearer.
The relevant questions are therefore how its field magnitude, direction, gradients and spatial distribution behave around and away from the material — rather than whether it somehow "beats" magnetic decay.
Can EQU StreamZ Bands be worn continuously?
EQU StreamZ Bands are designed for continuous wear and can be worn during turnout as well as in the stable.
Unlike powered therapeutic devices, StreamZ requires no battery or external electrical supply. The bands themselves are lightweight and designed specifically for prolonged use.
As with any product worn continuously on a horse, owners should ensure correct fit and routinely check the skin and leg for rubbing, pressure or an individual reaction.
Can EQU StreamZ Bands be used after exercise?
EQU StreamZ Bands are designed to be suitable for normal continuous wear, including after exercise.
However, they are not cooling boots. Where rapid post-exercise cooling is required, an appropriate cooling method should be used.
EQU StreamZ Coolboots are specifically designed for short post-exercise cooling sessions, combining evaporative cooling material with incorporated StreamZ technology.
What should I look for when evaluating a magnetic therapy product?
Look beyond the largest Gauss number on the packaging and ask what was actually measured and what evidence supports the claimed biological effect.
Useful questions include: Where was the magnetic field measured? What happens at relevant distances? How are the magnets arranged? What are the field direction and gradients? Has the finished product itself been studied? And does that research actually demonstrate the effect being advertised?
A magnetic field can be measured. A biological claim should be demonstrated.