The equine cold saltwater spa is a vital treatment for reducing inflammation in lower leg injuries and accelerating the body’s natural healing processes. Spa therapy can help treat injured tendons, ligaments, shins, hooves, wounds, cuts and bruises. The spa can also be used on a regular basis as a preventative measure for reducing the risk of injuries.
When an injury is swollen, it cannot heal properly until swelling is reduced and controlled. By reducing swelling and encouraging damaged tissues to begin repairing, spa therapy triggers the start of the healing process. Once initial swelling is reduced, continued spa treatments can control any further swelling that may interfere with healing. Regular use of the spa can greatly reduce everyday stresses and strains that could develop into more serious injuries.
Spa treatments are very useful for helping to combat laminitis, one of the most common equine diseases and a major killer. In the early stages of laminitis, spa treatments can greatly improve the chances of preventing a full-blown episode. Stopping the disease in its early stages is vital because once it takes hold, hooves are often permanently weakened so that even when horses make a successful recovery, they are much more likely to suffer further attacks.
For chronic cases, spa treatments help to prevent infection after remedial farriery, encourage healthy hoof growth and relieve pain. Spa treatments can benefit many other injuries that are slow to heal and are prone to re-injury, particularly tendons and ligaments.The spa is also very useful for treating minor injuries; bruises and strains that would otherwise slow down training and prevent peak performance. The equine spa uses modern technology to improve the natural healing effects of seawater and cold running water. To maximize the benefits of the treatment, the spa water is regulated at a low temperature of between 35° and 40° F (2° and 4° C) with a high concentration of salt to intensify the healing effects.
The cold water temperature reduces swelling, numbs pain and slows down the degeneration of damaged tissues, encouraging the body’s natural healing processes to operate more efficiently. The salt concentration also reduces swelling, conditions the skin tissues and increases water density, which intensifies the effect of the cold water. The water is pumped with jets of air, which have a massaging effect that stimulates tissues and relaxes the horse. Aeration of the water at low temperature also significantly increases the concentration of oxygen, which enriches the healing process.
The depth of the water can be varied according to the requirements of the treatment session. The spa is emptied and refilled for each for horse. There are doors at both ends of the spa unit so horses can be easily loaded and unloaded without having to back out. A typical spa session lasts for 10-20 minutes. The spa can accommodate the largest of horses but by substituting the full door with a half door, the smallest pony can be treated comfortably.
You can contact the staff of The Equine Performance Center at 352-369-HEAL (4325)
