A Hydro Spa as well as an Infrared Solarium Lamps facility have been installed at Summerveld for the preventative and recuperative treatment of horses and one of the first to make use of it has been the former Equus Champion two-year-old male and Vodacom Durban July entry Kochka.

The Hydro Spa is an excellent training aid and this is the first one in KZN. Trainers have had one available to them in both Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. Showjumpers and sports horses will also be able to make use of the one at Summerveld.

Mike de Kock’s chief owner Sheikh Mohammed bin  Khalifa Al Maktoum installed a Hydro Spa at De Kock’s Dubai stables in 2011. De Kock said  about it at the time, “Trainers in the UK are raving about it and we’ve put it to the test with good results.”

After the horse has been walked into the contraption and the watertight doors on either side closed, the spa, which has a capacity of 3000 litres, is filled with water infused with Epsom Salts. The water level covers the legs of the horse. A tiny amount of bleach is also put in the water to kill bacteria. The water is aerated and has a washing machine effect.

The hydrotherapy stimulates blood circulation for the prevention of injuries and also aids in increasing mobility and reducing swelling in the limbs before and after competitive racing and training. It treats such leg parts as ligaments, tendons, joints and stifles and typical conditions which respond well to equine hydrotherapy include tendonitis, suspensory ligament desmitis, soreness, stiffness, arthritis, hoof and foot problems including laminitis, joint conditions, soft tissue damage, sore shins, cuts and bruises.

The horses appear to thoroughly enjoy the hydrotherapy, especially once they are used to it.

Kochka is quite a highly strung sort and was introduced to the Hydro Spa early last week with a ten minute session. On Thursday he had a fifteen minute session and was clearly loving it. He munched on carrots and apples and blew contentedly. In future he will be booked for normal twenty minute sessions, which is the most effective usage time period.

Kochka was off the race track for about a year-and-a-half due to a tendon injury, which was fortunately caught at just the right time, meaning he was able to recuperate through rest. He returned in February with a decent second over 1 200m at Scottsville before winning his last start in March over 1 200m at Greyville. Those were fine performances considering he is looking for a lot further.

An injured tendon will never strengthen to the exact level it once was, as there will be a small percentage of scar tissue, and trainers tend to underwork horses with such weaknesses. Kochka’s trainer Alyson Wright was therefore thrilled with the arrival of the Hydro Spa, which she said was “perfect” therapy in his case.

As well as being used as an injury preventative measure before and after exercise, equine hydrotherapy has rapidly established a reputation for resolving lameness much faster than normal. It works effectively in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, conventional treatments. The Solarium Lamps treat the neck, withers, spine, hindquarters, coxix and glutes before and after excercise. It is a system

of large red lamps that give off infrared heat and provides deep muscle therapy. The lamp positioning is designed to treat specific muscle groups and helps the horse by improving performance, increasing circulation, and reducing the chance of injury. The heat, set at a pleasant temperature, penetrates the skin, and aids in warming up prior to exercise and loosening muscles after exercise. It can draw out lactic acid and is especially useful in the case where a horse has tied up. This form of infrared therapy is a safe method of natural health care and physiotherapy for the horse.

The Summerveld Hydro Spa and Solarium Lamps are owned by a company called Equine Spa and Wellness Centre run by Juanita Baxter and Leigh-Anne Dunkley and a grand opening demonstration will be given at 17h30 on Thursday May 14. The pair said that trainers can pay a monthly fee and tailor it according to what they need, but they emphasised that booking a time was important to prevent queuing.

By David Thiselton