LI Horse Rehabilitation Center Brings Spa-Like Therapies To Injured Equines

WEST HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Horses are routinely injured when performing publicly -- whether on the racetrack or in children's shows. Often, the injuries leave the animals sidelined for months as they recover.

A new race horse rehabilitation center on Long Island combines intensive exercise regimes with spa-like treatments and technologies to bring a total healing experience to injured horses.

The rehab center is part of the newly-renovated New York Equestrian Center in West Hempstead, CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported.

"The goal obviously is to cut down recovery time," NYEC President Alex Jacobson said.

Trainers are using cutting-edge technology to first relax the injured horses before putting them through a rigorous workout.

The water in the facility's aqua trainer -- a treadmill submerged in water -- are actually cool, to stimulate muscle tissue. According to rehab managers, the high waters in the aqua spa actually creates a sense of floating for the horses as they complete trotting exercises.

A vibrating solarium uses a pulsating platform to deliver soothing infrared light -- proven effective for horses that have trouble standing.

The center has drawn interest from professional trainers like Ed Baker, who manages a dozen horses at Belmont and Aquaduct race tracks.

"If you can get a horse that usually takes three months to heal, you can take him to a facility like this where you can get him back into the races in a month," Baker said.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.