Equine Therapy Products

Equine athletes, like their human counterpoints, are susceptible to injury; in contrast with their human counterparts, however, for many years few treatments past soaking the injured part or extended rest were available. Now a wide variety of therapy products such as magnets, nebulizers and ice wraps are readily available for at-home treatment.

  1. Magnetic Therapy

    • Two types of magnets are available for magnetic therapy: static magnets and pulse or electromagnets. Static magnets are usually located in pads, blankets or wraps and are left on the horse for a minimum of 20 minutes. Blankets or leg wraps may also hold pulse or electromagnets, which are attached to batteries or another power source. While there is debate over how well magnetic therapy works, proponents believe that this type of therapy does promote healing.

    Nebulizers

    • Equine nebulizers allow horses with breathing problems to return to competition.

      Looking much like clear, tightly fitting feed bags, nebulizers are used to treat horses with inflammatory airway disease such as heaves or equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The horse inhales the medication delivered to the nebulizer in a metered aerosol dose. Once in the domain of veterinarians only, nebulizers are now in use by recreation riders, training stables and racetracks.

    Ice Wraps

    • While people have long been aware of the benefits of applying ice to an injury, the horse's anatomy makes it difficult to keep ice in place on the legs, fetlocks or hooves, the most common site of injuries. Now specially designed wraps with cold reusable inner layers make this a much more practical treatment.

    Water Therapy

    • The prescribed treatment for hoof abscesses has always been soaking the hoof in warm water and Epsom salts. However, not all horses enjoy standing with their foot in a bucket of water. Medicine boots have gained popularity for this and similar treatments. Once water and the necessary medicine is placed in the boot, it can be fastened to the hoof, removing the necessity of the owner trying to keep the horse's hoof in a bucket containing the medication.