Beaver Hall Equine Therapy © All Rights Reserved.  

 

Natural Equine Therapy: Why it works.

 

For centuries, the use of sea water has been recognised as an aid to the treatment and prevention of leg problems in horses.

According to his trainer, the infamous Grand National winner, Red Rum would not have been racing at all except for the benefits of training on the beach.

 

Cold water hosing, cools the skin surface, but the temperature is uncontrolled and might not be cold enough to affect the structures most often involved in injury.

 

Cold sea water in particular has an anti-inflammatory effect which facilitates healing and helps guard against injury. Inventors in recent years have been patenting various devices for replicating the benefits of exposure to cold sea water in a controlled manner.

 

To understand how cold water hydrotherapy works we first need to know how the body reacts to trauma such as strains, cuts, bruises etc.

 

Enzymes and proteins are released when cells are injured through a cut or tear, or by concussive trauma, causing the blood vessel walls in that vicinity to dilate and become more porous. Then lymphocytes are directed to the site of the trauma passing through the porous membranes and entering the injured tissues to begin fighting the infection. Extra fluids, carrying oxygen and proteins for tissue repair, also pool around the injured area. Tissue damage also triggers the secretion of hormones which are responsible for much of the pain the horse feels.

 

Pain, heat, and swelling, the three main symptoms of inflammation, occur in varying degrees, depending on the site, nature, and severity of the injury. Pain helps prevent overuse of the affected area. Heat results from the increased blood flow to the injury site, and swelling (or oedema) helps immobilise the area.

 

The danger is that inflammation rages out of control and hinders the healing process resulting in secondary tissue damage called hypoxic injury, which can compound the problem. In addition, blood vessels in the area are put under increasing pressure by the fluid build-up, so the flow of blood and lymph tends to stall.

 

The safest way to break the destructive cycle of secondary cell injury and excess oedema is to use the horse's circulatory system to sweep away excess fluids that have collected in the tissues. While anti-inflammatory agents like bute can reduce swelling and heat, they also can mask pain and confuse the diagnostic picture. There are two natural ways of encouraging the dispersal of excess fluids - applying heat, and applying cold. Heat, however, should never be applied to an acute injury which leaves us with cold in many cases.