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The Healing Power of Water

Julian Lloyd looks at the advances in the field of hydrotherapy

June 2005

Hydrotherapy, or the remedial effect of water, was mentioned in the Old Testament and had been used medicinally for thousands of years by many cultures. A bath in ice water is now the first port of call for Paula Ratcliffe, Jonny Wilkinson and other top sports people after tough activity. Recovery is their aim and they find that nothing stimulates the circulation and reduces inflammation quicker than a 15-minute cold plunge.

Likewise, with horses, the ice tub, the cold hose and walking in seawater have long been of undeniable benefit. However, since research work by Professor Evan Hunt in the Veterinary department of the University of Sydney, a new finesse and effectiveness has become possible for the treatment of horses through the development of the cold water Equine Spa. With water chilled to between 2-4 degrees Celsius, salted to a level way beyond that of seawater, kept filtered and sterile and oxygenated with bubbles, the Spa harnesses all the remedial factors of the treatment into one unit. The leg of a horse, with its ratio of a large surface area to a relatively low density makes it an ideal recipient for hydrotherapy.

At the forefront of this progress are Ean and Sarah Branston of Gloucestershire, who were intrigued by Professor Hunt’s research and who, after visiting Australia, teamed up with Hunt and took the bold step of opening a rehabilitation centre with the Spa and hydrotherapy as its core treatment, the first of its kind. Initially they faced some inevitable scepticism, but four years on the treatment has proved itself as effective as they expected and their Centre for Natural Equine Therapy now runs through some 7,000 Spa sessions on sore horses every year. There is no denying that this is a breakthrough in leg care and the Branstons are now world leaders in the use and development of the treatment and its associated technology.

‘The first horses we were sent to treat were verging on hopeless cases’ remembers Ean Branston. ‘ One horse had been off the track with tendon trouble for over two years; he’d been pin-fired, bar-fired and everything else you can think of. But I can remember to this day the first time the vet came to scan him after we’d treated the horse for four weeks. He nearly fell off his stool he was so surprised at the improvement! “That’s great,” he said, “But I want to see it six times before I believe it”. We duly did so and the horse was back on the track and winning six months later. Since then we have had so many good results that Vets are now some of our biggest supporters.’

While open wounds, tendons, Laminitis and chronic arthritic conditions have all been successfully treated at the rehabilitation Centre with a speed and thoroughness without precedent, the Branstons and Professor Hunt are now promoting the Spa’s use on a preventative basis, suggesting that it should be an integral part of any stable yard centered around high-performance horses.

It makes sense. Half the battle of training any athlete is that complicated balance between the training workload and maximum fitness. Yet horses are delicate animals that sometimes are not capable of maintaining full fitness without showing some physical irritation or soreness. That soreness in turn reduces both their efficiency and their zest for their job. Branston’s belief is that regular Spa sessions post-race or gallop are of huge benefit. ‘Those trainers with Spas are telling us that horses which were once a struggle to keep sound are now sailing along once they get regular maintenance in a Spa. A fifteen-minute session twice a week seems to massively reduce the incidence of sore shins as well as helping puffy joints and other concussive injuries. It is an exciting new application, still in its early days, but we already have more than enough evidence that it is an effective treatment. Anything that helps keeps a horse in full training without medication has to be of benefit to trainers and their owners.’

The actual Spa unit has now been developed by the Branstons to the point of the finished article. They take pride in their Spa being the most highly developed unit available. ‘Professor Hunt and ourselves have developed the ECB Spa after the most intense use; All those thousands of sessions over the years gave us a unique edge of experience. . With the highly salt water in use, only top grade maritime materials go into a Spa. And with our centre being so busy, we had to make our machine both safe and quick working, as well as being completely reliable and hygienic. That’s why it’s so handy for those trainers that now have machines - if it’s quick and simple it can become part of their routine. If it’s difficult or complicated nobody is going to like doing it.’

QUOTES FROM SPA USERS

JOHNNY PETER-HOBLYN

Shadwell Stud

I think the Spa is absolutely brilliant, the best piece of kit we’ve bought since I have been at Shadwell. It does what we ask it to do with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of result.

It is a very important tool in our rehab treatment. It has unquestionably earned its place in our programme and the trainers to whom we have sent back horses have all been happy with the results. Personally, I think every trainer in the country should have a Spa.

It has applications outside racing, too. If you put an endurance horse that you have just ridden 100 for miles in a Spa it will take all that inflammation out. It stops the capillaries all expanding and breaking minor blood vessels. It is the same with athletes - you don’t get in a hot bath after activity, you get into an ice bath.

DENIS O’BRIEN

Shadwell Stud

We Spa 10 to 15 horses a day and we are very impressed. Scans show tendon recovery

ahead of schedule. It tightens up joints and horses move a lot better after using the Spa.

We have had good results with open wounds as well, with infections cleared up and proud flesh prevented, all in a faster healing time.

JIM BOLGER

Trainer

The Spa is very useful in any sort of lower limb damage. I have never come across a better aid, and that says it all as far as I’m concerned.

JESSIE HARRINGTON

Trainer

Very useful, as well as tendons it is brilliant for treating bangs and knocks, cuts, bruised feet and other bits and pieces. You can get horses back quicker from those small things that otherwise might have had them out of work for a little while.

I also use the Spa for regular maintenance; horses that have had tendon trouble in the past automatically go through the Spa every morning. Spa treatment really helps a wide variety of ailments.

HUGH MORRISON

Trainer

Anything that takes the inflammation out as effectively as the Spa does must help the healing process and consequently one’s ability to keep that horse in training.

After Alcazar had had a leg he had a course of Spa treatment at the Branston’s Centre.

The following Spring he won the Further Flight Stakes and then he won the Sagaro Stakes. Since then, he’s won two listed races, another Sagaro and placed in Group 1, 2 and 3 races. He still has a Spa session once a week, it definitely helps.

MARCUS TREGONNING

Trainer

Our Spa is a great addition to the yard and I endorse it thoroughly. I think the horses enjoy their treatment, which is therapeutic in itself. Mubtaker uses it every day - he’s always had wear and tear and it definitely helps him.

Once you have got someone trained to use the machine it is very simple, so you can get quite a number through in a day. It is also very easy to keep clean, immaculate and hygienic.

ED DUNLOP

Trainer

I’ve only had one for two months and I’m already very pleased with it. I use it for immature tendons, open wounds, splints and sore shins. Ouija Board, for instance, threw a splint, went in the Spa twice a day every day and it made an enormous difference.

I’m impressed.

SARAH BRANSTON

The Centre for Natural Equine Therapy

We now reckon to have a horse with a 40-50% core lesion in a tendon sound and back to racing fitness 6-8 months from the initial injury. We have also had cases of both chronic and stress laminitis respond extraordinarily well. They have all come sound after a course of treatment and we have even had cases where badly spread laminitic feet return to a proper shape, and which have then taken shoes two sizes smaller than when they arrived.

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