Hydrotherapy
Vet, Horse First Aid

From: Equestrian and Horse | Care

See also: Tack | Clipping | Rugs | Worming

Horse Picture

Hydrotherapy
There are three main types of hydrotherapy available, Spa, Treadmill and Swimming therapy.

Equine Spa Therapy
Is used to aid the healing process of many injuries.

The water
Cold saline water at a temperature of between 2 and 4 degrees C, fills the chamber at a selected height to produce a healing affect.

Session time - can start off at 5 minutes building up to 10 to 20 minutes.

Aids in the treatment of Injuries
Hydrotherapy Spa treatment can aid in the treatment of many injuries such as

Healing Affects

Equine Treadmill Therapy
Is used to build up fitness levels after an injury has reached an adequate healing level and to maintain or enhance current fitness in an already fit horse.

The Treadmill
Is a chamber that quickly fills up to the selected depth, with access to the chamber at one end and exit at the other which allows horses to easily walk in and out.

Water Height - The water can be set to any height the highest being at the horses elbow.

Treadmill can help to improve

Session Time - For a horse who has not been onto a treadmill before the session would be for 5 minutes, this can then gradually be built up to 20 to 30 minutes.

Equine Swimming Therapy
Is used to improve fitness and can also be used after some injuries. Swimming allows the horses muscles, tendons and ligaments to work and strengthen without the concussive damage that traditional exercise on hard ground can cause.

The Pool
Will vary in length and width but are usually around 3 meters wide 40 meters long and 3 meters deep.

Benefits of Swimming

How a swim session works
The Start - Horses are led down a rubber grip ramp into a shallow tunnel of water which gradually deepens until they are at a depth where they are swimming, the depth is very shallow to begin with to allow the horse to be familiarized with the swim tunnel.


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