Equine Rehabilitation
RA Therapy & Training provides a small, professionally run, friendly rehabilitation livery yard offering a wide range of services, ideally located for horse and rider in the peaceful surrounds of the Cotswolds.
Priding ourselves on excellent care and management, we know that no two rehabilitation or convalescent cases are the same and as such each residential case receives round the clock professional, experienced and individual care overseen by Robyn, an experienced Veterinary Physiotherapist with postgraduate qualifications. In addition to rehabilitation livery our ECB Coldwater Spa, Newmarket Equine Salt and Theraplate facilities are available for use on a ‘walk in’ basis.
Providing care for both acute and chronic rehabilitation cases we always aim to support your horse on their way back to full health and fitness. Our unique combination of facilities, qualifications and compassion allow us to offer unsurpassable care for horses requiring any of the following:
- Convalesence or Post-Operative Care
- Box Rest
- Veterinary Physiotherapy
- ECB Cold Saltwater Spa Therapy
- Electrotherapies (Including LASER, H-WAVE & Therapeutic Ultrasound)
- Theraplate Treatments
- Controlled Exercise/Rehabilitation Programmes
- Restricted Turnout
Most recovery programs are centred on box rest allied to short but frequent periods of controlled activity. This exercise regimen is just about impossible for the horse owner in full-time employment therefore often creates a stressful atmosphere which can be unhealthy for both the patient and the owner!
Successful rehabilitation also requires the skill of a number of different people. The unique combination of skills and services provided by RA Therapy & Training brings these people together giving your horse the best chance of optimum recovery. We create individual recovery programs to not only give the body the best chance of recovery but also keeping your horse’s mind occupied. We work with an excellent team of vets, farriers and paraprofessionals but are equally happy to work with those that you and your horse already know.
- Spinal Surgeries
- Tendon & Ligament Injuries
- Colic surgeries (8 weeks box rest post-surgery, then 8 weeks controlled exercise /small paddock turnout)
- Suspensory desmitis (6 weeks box rest/controlled exercise then 6 weeks small paddock turnout followed by 8 weeks controlled exercise program)
- Hock OCD surgery (4 weeks box rest, in hand walking built up from 5mins twice a day)
- Knee surgery (4 weeks box rest, in hand walking for 3 weeks, small paddock turnout)
- Tooth removal (8 small feeds per day, pain management)
- Laminitis (3 weeks box rest, chip paddock turnout, diet and exercise monitored)
- Gastric ulcers/colic (Night checks, controlled diet)
Rehabilitation Facilities
Box rest can be a distressing time for both the horse and owner too, however it is essential to complete this first stage of rehabilitation properly as it is the foundation for the recovery. At RA Therapy & Training we are able to carry out frequent checks and make the days more interesting by giving small frequent feeds, grooming, in-hand grazing and other enrichment activities to break up the day. The yard design type enables our guests to see life’s goings on, without the highly charged atmosphere of a competition yard, even though they may be confined to box rest for a large part of their stay.
Our all weather turn-out areas which are perfect for the second phase of recovery permitting small paddock turn-out but with no mud or uneven ground (risking re-injury and going back to square one!!). In addition we also have a large wax-sand arena where we can start individually tailored groundwork, progressing eventually to ridden work.
In the final stages of rehabilitation nursery paddocks are available to reintroduce ‘field time’ in a safe, controlled manner.
ECB Cold Saltwater Spa
The ECB Cold Saltwater Spa can be used independently or to compliment other therapies, to maintain soundness, minimise the risk of injury or to reduce recovery time.
Hydrotherapy or treatment in water, especially seawater, has long since been used for the treatment of injury and inflammation. While cold hosing and the application of ice packs in the early stages of injury are of significant value to the healing process in most cases. With temperatures between two and five degrees celsius and more salt than the sea cold salt hydrotherapy can be extremely beneficial to a wide range of conditions.
- Tendon & Ligament Injuries
- Soft-tissue Damage
- Sore shins, splints & ringbone
- Inflammation of Joints
- Bursitis & Synovitis
- Laminitis
- Wounds
- Abscesses, bruising & hoof related problems
- Mud Fever & Skin Conditions
- Arthritis
- Pre & Post Competitions
- Injury Prevention & Increased Mobility
More Information will be available here soon.
Equine Theraplate
The theraplate is a unique therapy platform, driven by centrifugal force, which creates an advanced patented technology known as Vortex Wave Circulation (VWC)
When the motion created by the platform acts upon the body, the resulting involuntary muscle contraction promotes blood circulation to areas of the body not usually targeted when standing still.
VWC therapy administered through TheraPlate is seen as an alternative therapy for a variety of chronic conditions and is also widely used for rehabilitation and recovery following injury or exertion.
More information will be available here soon
Newmarket Equine Salt Therapy
Newmarket Equine Salt Therapy provides a natural, non-invasive and drug free therapy for performance horses in all disciplines
When your horse is in our salt therapy they inhale the dry salt enriched air deep into the lungs where the greatest healing can be achieved. In addition the salt reduces inflammation and improves circulation on the skins surface.
The salt vapour is ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY & ANTIFUNGAL as such it’s benefits include:
- Antibacterial & Anti-inflammatory Effects
- Mucolytic effects
- Removes pathogen agents (airborne pollen)
- Reduce the need for antibiotics
- Easier breathing
- Increase the resistance to respiratory tract disease
- Strengthen immune system
- Helps with skin issues (Ringworm) and skin allergies & conditions
- Overall well-being to the animal
