Hydrotherapy
Vet, Horse First Aid

From: Equestrian and Horse | Care

See also: Tack | Clipping | Rugs | Worming

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

• Tendon Injuries
• Muscle Injuries
• Ligament Injuries
• Sore shins
• Jarring/concussion injuries
• Inflammation injuries
• Laminitis
• Splints
• Lacerations

Healing Affects

• The cooling water can help in reducing swelling by helping to disperse the fluids that have built up.
• Helps to build up the horses strength.
• Does not overstress an injury.
• Increases blood circulation.
• Assists in tissue re growth
• Reduces pain
• Reduces Heat

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

• The horses stamina
• Overall strength of the lower limbs, tendons, muscles and ligaments.
• Improving top line
• Improves circulation
• Improves respiration.
• The horses weight.

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

• Improves overall fitness as all the muscles, tendons and ligaments are evenly worked.
• Improves Respiration
• Improves Circulation
• Increases flexibility
• Improves balance by teaching the horse to swim in a straight line
• Horses can be thoroughly exercised without the concussion that hard ground causes.
• Sessions can be built up to gradually increase fitness.

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.

Handlers - There are always two handlers that walk on either side of the swim tunnel to help to keep the horse swimming in a straight line towards the exit.

The Exit - Towards the exit the water becomes more shallow allowing the horse to easily walk out.

Improving fitness - The amount of times the horse will go through the swim tunnel will vary according to their own individual exercise program.

After care - After a swim session all horses should be carefully dried off, the use of a solarium is a perfect way to achieve this.