How the Aqua Treadmill works

The AquaTread is an inground pool with a ramp leading into the water and to the treadmill. Your horse will be about chest deep in the water with its feet on the treadmill. Because of this, horses are able to perform their natural gaits instead of swimming. This can lessen some of the trauma and unnatural movement that may occur when a horse doesn’t have contact with the ground. Also, this helps strengthen the entire body in a way that is more applicable to your discipline of choice.

What to Expect for Use of the AquaTred:

• A well-trained staff will acclimate your horse to the climate-controlled building.

• Grooming is required prior to entering the pool

• For new swims, the horse is sedated to simply take the edge off.

• A slow, positive, introduction to the pool while rewarding curiosity.

• Your horse will walk through the pool to become acclimated to the routine, learn to stop in the middle of the pool, and have people move around and learn to walk on the submerged treadmill.

• A typical first session lasts between 3 and 10 minutes which allows the horse to learn to AquaTred and become relaxed without stressing the horse.

• Subsequent sessions will increase in time and intensity. Most sessions are 20 minutes and include walking with an emphasis on keeping the horse straight and forward while working over the back.

• Riders usually notice a positive change under tack in as little as 2-3 sessions.  In 5-6 sessions riders typically feel that the horse is considerably stronger behind.

Please keep in mind that every horse is unique and may need to be introduced to the pool differently. We appreciate your trust in our staff to know what needs to be done to make this a safe and positive experience.

Helping your horse recover with the In-Ground AquaTread

Our AquaTread system is an invaluable tool for helping your horse recover from tendon and ligament injuries, such as bowed tendons and pulled suspensory ligaments. This system is also excellent for foot problems, including quarter cracks, and for general recovery from injury or surgery.

The buoyancy of the water displaces more than 40% of the horse’s weight. This allows for maximum exercise with minimal concussion. Because the horse is in contact with the solid surface treadmill at the bottom of the pool, the gaits are normal. This is preferable to swimming, which is an unnatural motion for a horse and can be traumatizing. The ability to maintain the natural gaits in this suspended situation is outstanding for building muscle tone, tendon and ligament strength, and bone density while minimizing the risk of further injury.

Setting up for successful competition with the In-Ground Aquatread

Conditioning on our AquaTread helps tendons, ligaments, and joints to tighten and strengthen in a low-impact environment. This prepares a horse for the more intense training required to win in your discipline. Unlike traditional swimming pool therapy, the horse can exercise in a controlled environment, using its normal gait and the same muscles as in use while exercising “on land.”

Additionally, this form of hydrotherapy involves a massaging action from the water jets. This creates a smooth and consistent whirlpool. Horses love this!

The setup:

Your horse’s feet and legs will be cleaned thoroughly and he will be fitted with a manure diaper to prevent contamination of the water. The technician will lead him into the spa, which is fully rubber lined for safety. The spa will fill to the required depth with hot or cold salt water, then then the aeration will activate for a massaging effect.

Understanding the therapeutic benefits of the hot and cold saltwater spa.

Cold saltwater is an extremely beneficial tool. It triggers three basic reactions:

• The walls of the blood vessels become less permeable, which reduces the amount of fluid accumulated in the injured area
• Numbs the area to help with pain management as well as prevents enzyme degeneration of tendons post-injury.
• Triggers a reduction in the metabolic response of the cells, which decreases the amount of oxygen they need to function

The Sea Salts used in the Nautilus Spa works as a poultice, drawing out infection and inflammation.

Recovering with the nautilus saltwater spa

The gentle massage, cold water, and salt in the spa are all powerful tools for combating inflammation. Controlling inflammation is extremely important during recovery from injury!

Tendon and ligament injuries, such as tendonitis, can be difficult to heal. Inflammation prevents the collagen fibers from repairing neatly. New fibers form, but often form cross-links which can be weaker than an uninjured area and prone to re-injury. Cold water therapy keeps the leg temperature lower and reduces swelling, helping collagen fibers to heal neatly.

Tahoe Equine’s saltwater spa is also a valuable tool for treating hoof issues, including abcesses, laminitis, and founder. It also can help bruising, arthritis, and more.

Tahoe Equine’s saltwater spa for conditioning

The Salt Water Spa can help prevent injuries in performance horses as well as be an effective tool for relaxing your horse’s sore muscles.

Cold water therapy can help prevent injury by relieving inflammation and soreness that may not be causing lameness or visible swelling. It is an outstanding preventative treatment that supplements the intense training schedule of performance horses of all disciplines.

Advantages of the eurociser.

The Centaur Horse Equineciser can go from 0 to 20 miles per hour, allowing the horse to exercise at all speeds, including the walk, trot, jog, and lope in both directions. The horse moves between outer and inner fences that are set in concentric circles. As the horse travels the circle, the footing banks against the outside fence. The faster he goes, the more the surface banks, so limb loading remains even. This is the contrast to lunging in the arena, where the surface is flat, the circle is small, and considerable-torquing force is placed on the limbs.

The Exerciser offers an advantage over the high-speed treadmill in that it provides the opportunity to train around a curve, rather than continuously going in a straight line. This might help in the adaptation of the cannon bones to the compressive forces of running around the turn, loping circles in a reining pattern, and the non-linear aspects of all other disciplines.

Eurociser for rehabilitation:

If you’ve ever had to hand walk a horse following an injury, you know it can be inconsistent, difficult to manage a fresh horse coming off stall rest, and hard to find the time.

The Eurociser offers a controlled, consistent speed to walk or jog your recovering horse. Each horse is contained in its own compartment. This allows it to stretch its neck and back and move comfortably and freely. Horses naturally speed up and slow down. The large size of the compartments allows this freedom without your horse moving too fast too early in its recovery.

Our Eurociser has safe, consistent footing. This can help prevent re-injury as your horse rebuilds joint, tendon, and ligament strength and gains bone density before heading back to training or competition.

Getting and maintaining conditioning with use of the Eurociser:

Tahoe Equine’s 8-horse Eurociser is indoors, meaning you can haul your horse in for safe, effective exercise year-round. The top-of-the-line control unit includes direction changes, warm up and cool down periods, and can range from a walk to a lope.

Each horse is exercised loose in an individual compartment. This eliminates the danger of balking or pulling back against a lead rope. It also allows the horse to move its head and neck freely, as well as speed up and slow down like it would naturally.

Conditioning on the Eurociser is a great supplement to any training program. It can also be extremely beneficial for fitting yearlings for sale, conditioning two year olds before sending them to training, or getting breeding stallions in shape for their season.