Rehabilitative Therapies at WEC

Offering two water treadmills with cold or warm saltwater therapies for conditioning or rehabilitating horses. Water exercise increases joint mobility, muscle strength, and aerobic capacity while reducing impact. Cold water reduces inflammation and fatigue through vasoconstriction, while warm water increases blood flow, tissue elasticity, and promotes relaxation. The water temperature and height are tailored to your horse’s needs and goals.

Aquatread therapy can be part of a regular training routine, enhancing fitness and minimizing impact on soft tissues, bones, and joints. It’s also effective in rehabilitating various injuries, including suspensory and tendon injuries, stifle issues, and hock osteoarthritis. The adjustable depth and speed of the water treadmill allow it to serve multiple purposes as your horse progresses through rehabilitation.

Theraplate, a type of vibration therapy, creates oscillations that stimulate small muscle contractions, mimicking natural horse movement. This improves cardiovascular and lymphatic circulation, increasing oxygenation and removing metabolic waste. Vibration therapy enhances joint stability, balance, and coordination. It can be combined with core exercises for better musculoskeletal and neurologic function. Additionally, it helps reduce stress hormones like cortisol and can promote a sense of well-being.

Vibration therapy can be used in a horse’s regular training routine or as part of a rehabilitation program, particularly for regaining strength after an injury.

Solarium therapy uses infrared light, different from UV radiation, to increase temperature and blood flow in a horse’s back, relaxing tight muscles and improving tissue oxygenation and metabolism. This therapy helps remove metabolic toxins like lactic acid and reduces stress by increasing serotonin and decreasing cortisol levels. It can also aid in muscle recovery, injury prevention, and muscle development.

Infrared light therapy can be part of your horse’s regular training or a rehabilitation program, especially beneficial for horses prone to exertional rhabdomyolysis (“tying-up”) or with muscle injuries.

Halotherapy, or dry salt therapy, involves aerosolizing finely ground salt particles into a controlled low-humidity room. Although new in veterinary medicine, early reports in horses suggest benefits for conditions like COPD, equine asthma, sinusitis, scratches, and bacterial and fungal skin infections. Horses stand in the salt room for 20-30 minutes, 2-3 times a week.

Uses of Salt Therapy in Horses:
· Respiratory conditions: equine asthma, allergies, exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (“bleeders”), and other airway issues.
· Skin conditions: “scratches,” “sweet itch,” dermatophilosis, and bacterial or fungal skin infections.