Why use an Equine Water Treadmill?
Incorporating water treadmill and spa use into your training or rehabilitation regimen ensures that horses are worked completely evenly in a constant straight line not able to be created by a rider, or handler all while using resistance created by water to reduce concussion and strain on joints and limbs while recruiting core muscles and hind end muscles for increased fitness and strength in a reduced time frame. All our fitness programs are tailored to your horses and all based on current research.
Benefits Include:
- Improved Straightness
- Improvement in Core Strength
- Increase in stride length (more expressive in movement)
- Faster increase in Strength and stamina when compared to dry land work
Some of our most common feedback from riders includes:
- Horses are more willing to move forward
- Horses are straighter
- Horses offer more clean flying changes,
- Improvement in collected work
- More coordinated on dry land and over jumps
- Improvement in jumping ability
- Horses happier in their work
Read on below for a full list of our modalities including our Salt Water Chill Spa, Dry Treadmill, and Equine Solarium
To book a session please use our Booking Page found HERE.
Facility List
Water Treadmill
Our treadmill is Australian made and thus complies with Australian building, engineering and steel standards. Water depth is completely controlled and ranges from 5cm to over 130cm, water is kept at a consistent temperature of 7 degrees however, can be chilled as low as 2 degrees. Our water is managed using a combination of several stages of filtration, salt, magnesium (Epsom salts) and temperature. No chemicals (i.e. chlorine) are used to manage our water, ensuring healthy skin and hooves and of course we see the benefits of magnesium for soft tissue recovery in every session. We are able to operate at a 10 degree incline allowing for increased hind end action and in dry sessions higher heart rates and the unit offers both walk and trot functionality.
Key benefits from this modality include increase in suspension and stride length*, improved strength in topline and core muscles, improved straightness and balance.
Dry Treadmill
Our treadmill is fundamentally a fully functioning, rubber belted, dry treadmill and we utilise it accordingly. With a rubber belt to reduce concussion during dry work, emergency shut off button, incline function up to 10 degrees and speeds up to 16kph (fast trot), we are able to use a combination of dry and wet work for rehabilitation and conditioning, as well as spa & solarium recovery. This dry functionality is very important for soft tissue injury recovery and recent studies suggest horses with lower limb soft tissue injuries are ready to commence wet work once they have established dry walking for 35 minutes a day or more.*
360 Degree Epsom Salt Chill Spa
Research shows Chill Spa use can decrease injury recovery time by up to 60%; markedly improve fiber realignment; enable return to competition work quicker and reduce the need for drug therapy.*
Our Chill Spa works to re-oxygenate lower limbs through massage, increasing blood flow for natural repair of soft tissue injury, splints and bone fractures. The gentle massaging effect, along with the increased oxygenation has also been linked to improvements in hoof growth, bruises, synovitis, arthritis and laminitis. Water is kept at a consistent temperature of 7 degrees however can be chilled as low as 2 degrees. Our water is managed using a combination of several stages of filtration, salt, magnesium (Epsom salts) and temperature. No chemicals (i.e. chlorine) are used to manage our water ensuring healthy skin and hooves and of course we see the benefits of magnesium for soft tissue recovery in every session.
This modality is particularity useful for the acute stage of tendon rehabilitation or post strenuous workout (after Cross Countr for instance) Recent studies show that 3 spa sessions of 10 minutes per week can markedly improve fiber realignment in tendons*, thereby reducing down time and acute recovery time needed before controlled exercise many commence, thus potentially shorting recovery time by weeks.
Further we find the spa extremely beneficial for any hoof or lower limb injuries that benefit from icing i.e- laminits, tendonitis, foot bruising, corns, arthritis, splints and a myriad of other ailments. The Spa offers a much more aggressive form of cooling and anti inflammatory benefits than ice would as the whole limb is submerged in Epsom salt water, including the sole of the foot, and there is significant hydro-static pressure.
These services are offered for both long stay and short stay and even respite care so please do get in touch and see how we can help get your equine athlete back feeling 100%.
Equine Solarium
Equine solariums produce short-wave infrared heat. The same heat produced by the sun with the benefit of Vitamin D3 but without the harmful UV rays. Vitamin D3, is vital in the absorption of calcium & phosphorus, the building blocks of strong & healthy bones.
Infrared heat increases the metabolic activity of cells resulting in capillary dilation. This in turn increases blood flow through the body bringing oxygen & nutrients to the cells particularly in the superficial muscles of the horse. This increased circulation also improves muscle elasticity, recovery and health, which helps in the reduction of injuries & speeds up the recovery process.
The lights can help to encourage the natural healing process for the likes of abrasions, muscle injury, sore backs or saddle soreness, improve coat condition, reduce tension and induce rapid relaxation.
Benefits:
- Increases circulation and cellular metabolism, immune system and blood supply
- Increased blood flow to superficial muscles and skin therefore promoting a healthier and shiner coat
- Warming up muscles, particularly good for horses prone to tying-up or back pain.
- Drying in winter, leading to less skin conditions.
- Promotes relaxation and recovery
Varied Housing Options
As horses progress through their recovery so does their housing, from rubber lined stables to walk in and out day yards/stables to small paddocks we have every option for rehabilitation housing.
Once horses return to work we have a full suite of ridden options too including indoor arena with imported textile surface, cross country course and off property private road hacking/trails.
For a full list and a video tour select 'find out more' below.
Other Services
Injury Care
Fitness & Conditioning
Injury Care
Spring Creek Care is our Injury Rehabilitation, Fitness & Conditioning service. To find out more about how our Injury Rehabilitation service works please select 'Find Out More' below.
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Fitness & Conditioning
Injury Care
To see the full list of all Spring Creek services including Agistment, Horse Schooling, Coaching and Clinics please go to our home page below.
Fitness & Conditioning
Fitness & Conditioning
Fitness & Conditioning
Spring Creek Care is our Injury Rehabilitation, Fitness & Conditioning service. To find out more about how our Fitness & Conditioning service works please select 'Find Out More' below.