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SPORTS MEDICINE REHAB
REHABILITATION CENTER
SPORTS INJURY REHABILITATION
can result in the horse performing at the same or higher level than before the injury if all aspects of the problem are addressed. The primary injury must heal, any other subclinical problems that may have contributed to the injury must be diagnosed and treated, and core strength and proprioception (fine tuning the nervous system to know where the limbs are) must be trained during rehabilitation. At Equine Sports Rehab, we address the whole horse, not just the primary injury.
HORSE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Rehabilitation can be physically and emotionally challenging for both the horse and the owner. Our barn is airy and horses have visual contact with each other to reduce stress. Stall doors can be opened onto covered "porches" when appropriate, allowing the horse free access to an attached 12x12 matted paddock. All horses are groomed daily and we try to keep them in a routine that is comfortable to them, helping decrease their stress during recovery.
EURO STYLE WALKER
Our large walker has outstanding GGT footing which is raked daily, making this a perfect surface to rehab horses on. Variable speed allows a consistent pace at the walk depending on your horse's needs and allows safe trotting, if indicated. Horses are always supervised on the walker and are never left alone.
THERAPEUTIC EXERCISES and LONG LINING
are a critical part of a rehabilitation program. All horses benefit from core strength training to strengthen the multifidus muscle, a very important spinal stabilizer. Human athletes who include core and proprioceptive training in their rehab program have a much lower rate of reinjury upon return to sport than those who don't. Long lining in a GGT arena may be appropriate for certain horses to be able to train strength and suppleness while doing walk work.