Equine Sports Therapy

Just like elite athletes, horses can obtain specialized health care and therapy treatment to heal sports-related injuries. Specialized trainers and therapists are utilized by horse owners to treat all manner of sports injuries using therapies ranging from heat and cold treatments to sports massage and ultrasound. Finding the right treatment depends on the nature of your horse and the nature of the injury.

  1. Heat and Cold Treatment

    • If your horse is suffering from injuries such as arthritis, tendonitis or bursitis, heat can be one of the treatments. Applications of hot packs or plastic-pouch chemical heat can soothe and help heal aching joints. Horses also are sometimes put through controlled warm-up runs. And just as a runner might ice down an aching knee or hamstring, cold therapy reduces swelling and pain in injured horses. Ice chips or packs, chemical cold packs or cold wraps help ease muscle pain, treat severe bruises or other traumas, or educe swelling after surgery.

    Sports Massage

    • After a rough day on the field, ice or arena floor, most human athletes enjoy a good rub-down. Horses are no different. Sports massage can prevent injuries and speed recovery in horses. The benefits include muscle relaxation, increased range of motion, and reduction of spasms and stress. Massage for yoour horse can also increase the bond and trust between the trainer and your horse, something invaluable in horses that spend their days working with their human partners.

    Other Treatments

    • Trainers often turn to electronic stimulation to increase local circulation, reduce pain and increase the rate of healing in a horse. Pain is difficult to diagnose in horses; trainers rely on nonverbal cues, body posture and behavior to determine the level of an animal's pain. Electronic stimulation treatment is used in cases of edema and osteoarthritis, and also to increase muscle strength and reduce post-exercise soreness. Magnetic therapy treats hoof ailments, bone fractures and even poor behavior. A magnet is attached to the hoof or, in some extreme cases, implanted in the brain.

      Ultrasound and photon treatments are also used in some instances to help with hoof injuries, scar tissue and other serious sports-related injuries. If you own a truly elite race horse or are looking to raise a superior horse, exotic treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen treatment, aqua treadmills, laser therapy and even the use of cold seawater can provide your horse with the winning edge on race day.