Therapy systems studied

THERAPY PRODUCTS CAN HELP RECOVERY FROM INJURIES OR BOOST PERFORMANCE FOR A COMPETITION HORSE, BUT DO YOUR HOMEWORK TO FIND THE RIGHT TREATMENT, SUGGESTS BARBARA YOUNG.

From hydrotherapy to treadmills, the use of equine therapy equipment designed to help promote general health and wellbeing, or simply as a feel-good treat, has seen a signifi cant rise in interest and increase in use. or elite competition yards as well as many private owners, the use of e uine therapy e uipment such as land and water treadmills, which can be incorporated into training as well as being used to aid in ury recovery, is becoming routine. any owners across multiple disciplines are using water treadmills in particular, which may also include an incline option, as part of their fi tness and training plans. sed under guidance, these can be used in the rehabilitation of tendon and ligament and muscle in uries, as well as back related in uries, while also for fi tness, strengthening, toning and conditioning as part of horses’ general exercise programme.

Dr achel urray, who spent more than years at the Animal ealth Trust and is now based at ossdale’s Diagnostic Centre, has led many studies into sport horse training, in ury and performance.

Together with Dr athryn ankervis, who leads e uine research at artpury niversity, achel is one of the authors of uine Water Treadmills a guide for users’.

These new guidelines, endorsed by ritish uestrian ,

RIGHT: DR RACHEL MURRAY (RIGHT) IS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF NEW GUIDELINES PUBLISHED BY THE BEF TO HELP HORSE OWNERS GET THE BEST OUT OF WATER TREADMILLS IN TRAINING AND REHABILITATION.

published last year highlight best practice in the use of water treadmills in training and rehabilitation.

The guide which is available online britishequestrian.org.uk provides recommendations about how to introduce horses to water treadmill exercise, what to look for when a horse is exercising on a water treadmill and suggestions as to how to incorporate it into a training or rehabilitation programme.

This follows research, supported by the , Petplan Charitable Trust and the Animal ealth Trust, by the uine ydrotherapy Working roup comprising academics, veterinary surgeons and therapy centre managers from the , the etherlands, ermany, elgium, the nited tates and China.

Dr Murray explains: “The purpose of the water treadmills guidance document is to help users achieve these benefi ts for their horses, whether they are using a water treadmill for training or to support a rehabilitation programme.

“Performed optimally, water treadmill exercise has many potential benefi ts when integrated into a training or rehabilitation programme, including an increase in range of movement of lower limbs, increased lumbar exion, decreased impact shock, improved posture, core and hind limb muscle development and an opportunity to cross train in a controlled environment.

LEFT: BENEFITS OF A WATER TREADMILL PROGRAMME CAN INCLUDE INCREASED RANGE OF MOTION IN THE LOWER LIMBS. observation of the individual horse’s gait pattern while carrying out the exercise.

“Teaming up with an experienced and suitably ualifi ed therapist who can assist in development of a coordinated exercise and treatment programme may be benefi cial. egular monitoring of the gait pattern throughout rehabilitation, either by therapist/vet or both, is recommended.”

Dr Murray says: “The most important point is that the horse is assessed for whether it is suitable to put on a treadmill/water treadmill and then a skilled professional needs to set up the programme and monitor how the horse responds to it – we have given lots of information about how to do this in the guidelines.”

Dr Murray is also co-author of “The Use of Treadmills Within the Rehabilitation of Horses” published in the Journal of Equine eterinary cience, which weighs up the benefi ts of land and water treadmills.

This report concludes: “Work to date shows that water treadmill exercise produces profoundly diff erent movement patterns to walking overland or on a land treadmill and should be considered more challenging for the horse than land treadmill exercise.

“If a client has a treadmill and wants to use it, the veterinary surgeon in charge of the case should advise based on evidence and clinical reasoning coupled with When it comes to home use, Equissage products have proved a popular choice in helping maintain general wellbeing, as well as aiding rehabilitation. Launched in March 2021, the Niagara Equissage Pulse Digital has more than 50 settings and 30% longer battery life than previous designs. Charlotte Walker, national sales manager explains: “Niagara Equissage Pulse can help improve many aspects of a horse’s performance, including joint mobility and back issues. “However, people may not be aware that Niagara Equissage Pulse can also help alleviate the impact of numerous symptoms caused by respiratory problems which can often go undiagnosed as there are not always obvious signs of a medical issue, for example nasal “WATER TREADMILL EXERCISE PRODUCES PROFOUNDLY DIFFERENT MOVEMENT PATTERNS TO WALKING OVERLAND OR ON A LAND TREADMILL...”

RIGHT: TEAMING UP WITH AN EXPERIENCED AND SUITABLY QUALIFIED THERAPIST WHO CAN ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CO-ORDINATED EXERCISE AND TREATMENT PROGRAMME MAY BE BENEFICIAL.

discharge or rapid breathing.”

Equissage recently released some information about the use of their Pulse Digital to help with fi lled legs, caused for example by subsolar infection, mud fever, cellulitis, tendon/ligament strain, lymphangitis and direct trauma.

Charlotte explains that particularly at this time of year, diff usely enlarged legs below the knee are more common due to longer periods of reduced mobility.

“Research using 30 randomly selected horses has shown that Niagara Equissage Pulse Digital increases the range of motion by a statistically signifi cant level at the poll, withers, thoracic vertebrae and sacrum compared to a horse not treated with Equissage.

“We work with vets and therapists worldwide to maximise horse health, rehabilitation and help maintain horses between treatments. Therefore, before having a demonstration remember to discuss with your vet or therapist, especially if your horse is undergoing treatment or awaiting diagnosis or have an undiagnosed condition.

“At our free demonstrations, our agents give horses plenty of time to get used to the therapy so it’s a pleasant experience for them.”

LEFT: THE NIAGARA EQUISSAGE PULSE DIGITAL CAN BE USED TO HELP WITH A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING FILLED LEGS. Since 2020, junior team member Holly Kerslake and her mother Kirsty have been using the water treadmill at nearby Devon Equine Hydrotherapy to help maintain their horses’ fi tness and stamina.

Kirsty explains: “We decided to use the water treadmill primarily to try and improve muscle strength and fi tness without loading any unnecessary stress on their joints to be able to optimise their performance, and have seen an increase in stride length, as well as an improvement with their self-carriage.

“We aim to visit Izzie Goble and her team at Devon Equine Hydrotherapy weekly and rotate which horses go dependent on their training plans. Izzie is very experienced and knowledgeable in terms of individual fi tness plans; we always discuss strengths and weaknesses and our end goal, so that each horse has a bespoke fi tness plan.

“It’s an integral part of their routine; we’ve noticed that their profi les have changed as each has become stronger and this enables better quality work. It’s amazing how the horses respond and enjoy their treatments; Izzie is very calm and confi dent which defi nitely has a big impact. A couple of our horses are very sensitive and we also have a stallion who can be quite sharp but they all focus and work really well.

“Izzie always walks them through once fi rst and talks to them throughout their sessions which reassures them.

“Each session varies depending on what is required, sometimes the water levels vary or the gradient of the treadmill so this will often dictate the length of the session. Izzie and her team are very accommodating and professional so it’s always a great experience.

“Sometimes after a treadmill session or in between shows during the season, we also use the salt water hydro spa. It’s very therapeutic and has a great natural anti-infl ammatory effect while also helping to protect against injury.

“We also have a session booked to use a vortex wave plate as I’m very interested to see how this can also benefi t the horses.”

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NIAGARA EQUISSAGE PULSE helps horses that have a predisposition to fi lling of the lower legs. As soon as they begin to work or more prolonged movement of the lower legs. As soon as they begin to work or more prolonged movement is introduced this fi lling goes. While it is essential to try and ascertain the is introduced this fi lling goes. While it is essential to try and ascertain the cause of fi lled legs before using any treatments, the Niagara Equissage cause of fi lled legs before using any treatments, the Niagara Equissage Pulse can support in these situations. The deep penetrating and palpating action of the cycloid vibration therapy, used in both the hand unit and back pad, works on moving the lymph fl uid and eases the congestion where the vessels close off.

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has a highly experienced team of dedicated vets, backed up by full hospital facilities and an onsite laboratory. All aspects of breeding work are undertaken to an exceptionally high standard – AI with chilled and frozen semen, embryo transfer, Ovum Pick Up (OPU) for ICSI, stallion semen collection, foal intensive care facilities, mare and stallion subfertility investigations. Stud vet-only emergency services are available throughout the season, and all routine stud work is carried out by stud vets seven days a week.