What The Government Says
Consensus for the General Use of Equine Water Treadmills for Healthy Horses
Summary of guidelines for best practice in water treadmill exercise.
General good practice in water treadmill exercise:
Follow manufacturer guidelines for correct operation, water care and cleaning of equipment.
Seek help from an experienced user to supplement initial manufacturer training.
It is recommended all handlers wear personal protective equipment for horse handling.
Two handlers are recommended for safety and to keep the horse straight.
Devise loading/unloading procedures that avoid handlers being directly in front or behind the horse while on the treadmill belt. Ideally horses should be trained to be led from the side.
Before exercise:
Examine horse for lacerations, abrasions or skin lesions. When present, water treadmill exercise is contraindicated.
Do not perform within 4 days of limb intra-articular injections.
If shod: check shoes are secure. Avoid road nails which could damage the belt, and large extensions which may affect foot flight in water.
Clean horse to minimise water contamination: brush/wash limbs; pick out and wash feet.
Horses can be worked in a headcollar or bridle, provided there is adequate control without restriction of the natural movement of the head and neck.
Avoid use of boots on limbs/feet unless there is a specific indication, to avoid risk of frightening horse by boots detaching or moving.
Wrap up the tail to decrease water contamination and help horse aftercare.
After exercise, wash then dry limbs well.
Ensure skin and feet are allowed to fully dry between sessions especially if shod with pads or packing.
Introduction of horses to the exercise
All naïve horses benefit from a structured habituation period; ideally, three sessions of up to 15 min on consecutive days, increasing water depth each day.
Ideally the first 2 sessions should be within one week. It is better to avoid starting a habituation process if unable to repeat the exercise within 14 days.
Allocate sufficient time for initial sessions to avoid rushing so the horse has a positive experience.
Prepare the horse for the belt moving by stepping back and forth; start the belt just as the horse is about to step forward.
Be aware that the horse may only notice the introduction of water once it reaches the coronary band.
A suitable first session is 10–15 min of relaxed, stable, rhythmical walking in fetlock deep water.
If a risk assessment warrants it, light sedation may be useful for the first session under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.
Factors influencing selection of speed, water depth and duration of exercise
The best combination of speed, water depth and duration is affected by individual horse size, stride length, joint ranges of movement and capability, which may change with session duration, recent exercise, fitness or stage of rehabilitation.
A suitable belt speed allows the horse to maintain position in the middle of the treadmill leaving room for the head, neck and forelimbs to move without obstruction from the front of the treadmill, breast bar or breast strap.
Even small adjustments in speed and/or depth can have significant effects on horse movement. Be prepared to make changes within a session dependent on the horse response.
Find a comfortable walk speed for the horse on the treadmill before water is introduced and expect to reduce speed as water depth increases. Be aware that walking in a correct posture through water will be slower than overland movement.
Monitoring movement patterns closely is essential. Observe the horse throughout the session, and notice the gait pattern and how the movement changes in response to changes in speed or water depth.
Monitoring movement on the water treadmill
The horse should be straight in line with the treadmill, not positioned/leaning against one side or rolling from side to side.
The horse should be able to maintain position in the middle of the belt, neither restricted by the front of the treadmill, or falling to the back of the treadmill.
The head and neck should have room to move freely forward and down.
The posture should be similar to overland walking, with the face in front of the vertical, a ventroflexed (rounded) lumbar spine and the hind limbs stepping well under the body.
An extended (dorsiflexed) position of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, with the face approaching horizontal and hind limbs trailing should be avoided.
The head should be largely still, without excessive horizontal or vertical displacements or head tossing.
The hind limbs should be placed in the path of the forelimbs, and not increasingly medially or laterally as the water depth is increased.
There should be a regular rhythm to the footfalls.
If movement quality is not achieved or reduces during a session, then speed and water depth should be re-evaluated, and/or duration of the session modified.
Optimal use of the modality within a training or rehabilitation programme
Water treadmill exercise provides straight line, unridden, controlled exercise that provides an option for cross training alongside a normal training programme.
It is not recommended as the only or primary exercise type unless specifically indicated for rehabilitation of a particular injury, generally for a limited time period.
Drag increases as water depth and stride frequency increase, which has the potential to limit limb protraction, alter muscle use and change stride pattern.
As water depth increases, impact shock of the limbs is reduced.
Water treadmill exercise in walk or trot does not produce high heart rates, so fatigue may not be obvious but horses may still experience fatigue in certain muscle groups, which is important to consider when planning a programme or monitoring within a session.
Oxygen consumption has been found to reach 20% of maximal oxygen consumption in stifle depth water.
Consider a water treadmill exercise session as equivalent to a challenging ground schooling session.
Learn more: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7912478/
Contact EquiTread today to learn more about how our water therapy can help your horse overcome lameness and achieve optimal health and performance.
