Equine Hydrotherapy

Benefits Of Swimming Horses

 

There are a number of benefits for swimming horses some of the main benefits for swimming fit horses are: Increased flexibility in joints, muscles and tendons, the pool also allows the horse to have a full body work out by which all muscles work evenly, the pool also allows the horse to increase its overall fitness levels and the horse can also improve its muscular strength by gaining power through training in the pool (Euro Dressage, 2013). Short term benefits may include strengthening of tendons and ligaments in the limbs of the horse and development of muscle in the shoulder and gluteal muscles Long term benefits may include overall development of stamina and power of the horse allowing its endurance to further increase and could increase its overall potential in its discipline..

 

Injured horses can also benefit from using the pool as part of their rehabilitation programme, the benefits include: helps to strengthen tendons and ligaments after sustaining an injury, allows the horse to carry out non-weight bearing exercise, the horse can keep moving which increases blood flow which could speed up the recovery process as more blood can be sent to the damaged area, the swimming exercise also prevents the horse from becoming bored and will reduce the horses energy levels, making the horse easier to handle on a day-to day basis (Euro Dressage, 2013).