In coastal locations, training horses in sea water is a traditional method of easing stresses and strains in legs.

Standing horses in cold streams is another traditional practice recognised as beneficial for sore legs.

As most horse yards are located in areas where making use of beaches or streams is not an option, cold hosing or ice packs are often the first line of treatment.

The equine spa greatly intensifies the natural healing effects of sea water and cold running water for treating inflammation and injury in a safe, controlled environment.

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.

The spa is a much quicker, more efficient and more effective way of treating tired legs than hours of cold hosing.

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 sea water and cold running water.

To maximize the benefits of the treatment, the spa water is regulated at a low temperature of between 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 with an additional 3 minutes to fill and 3 minutes to empty.

The spa can accomodate the largest of horses but by substituting the full door with a half door, the smallest pony can be treated comfortably.

Click the video screen to download a leg spa clip.

Video clip length = 19 seconds.

Download time is approximately 20 seconds with a broadband
internet connection of 1100 kbps.

The clip can be viewed on Windows Media Player and Real Player.

Click here to return to the top of the page.

Our leg spa is made by ECB Equine, the leading manufacturers of equine leg spas.
Click here to go to the ECB website.