Equine Swimming

[Extreme247]

I'm looking at taking my boy to an equine therapy centre to go swimming. Reasons for this are to get fitter and help reduces some fat off him (he's in work 6 days a week but just needs to look at food to expand).

Would you risk it with your own ?

Pros and cons would be great if you've taken yours before

Thank you

 

[milliepops]

I nearly moved to a yard with a swimming pool. they take visiting horses. I am in a similar position of having a horse that needs to improve fitness and lose some weight and I can't work her in the arena any more than she does really.... but I'm put off swimming her because the movement is so different I'd be afraid of causing some kind of strain :/ I'm super cautious with mine because we are close to getting the GP work in place and at 16 I feel the need to wrap her in cotton wool

There's a decent therapy centre with vets in attendance close by that has a water treadmill and I'd consider that... they seem to have a pretty safe approach to introducing the work. the pro next door sends his horses once a week. If my bleddy horse would hack I'd use the gallops we have but she won't go on her own so I'm very limited in options

 

[Birker2020]

I took a wobblers horse (who we didn't know was a wobblers horse). Bit of a disaster, he caught his hind foot on the back of his front foot and tore a shoe off, broke one of his boots and poohed in the pool.

A horse who was being rehabbed from a check ligament injury went about a dozen times, he was insured though and it really helped him recover.

My late horse couldn't have gone due to close (but not touching) spinal processes. T15 -T18 I believe. Because when they swim they are a banana shape (u shape in the pool) it puts particular strain on the spine and swimming is contraindicated in cases of kissing spine horses.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I have sent both my boys swimming. They went for weight loss in one and recovery from mild laminitis in the other and spent 10 days swimming every day working up from about 4 lengths to 12. It did them the world of good and they both benefitted from going and in B’s case he came home very slim. DP was his usual lazy self and put no effort in whatsoever using the least amount of energy to get from A to B and they ended up having to prod him with a broom to initiate forward propulsion. The staff were excellent, the horses were well cared for on full livery, put on the walker daily so not in their boxes when not swimming, booted to protect tendons when swimming and I would send them again if they needed it. The pool was a long straight one which I prefer rather than a oval one.

 

[Birker2020]

DP was his usual lazy self and put no effort in whatsoever using the least amount of energy to get from A to B and they ended up having to prod him with a broom to initiate forward propulsion. .

This made me smile. Poor DP

 

[Polos Mum]

I was on a yard where they had one, the riding school horses used it to keep fit and seemed to really benefit from it.
Horses came in to use it - usually just visiting to swim (rather than full livery). Only one really struggled (threw himself around and got bashed on the concrete sides) and he had come to "get over his fear of water" so maybe not an ideal candidate.

OP I would look where offers it locally and see what reputation they have - I'd imagine the safety aspect is entirely down to how sensible/ experienced the person using the pool is !

 

[Extreme247]

Thank you everyone. I'm looking at taking mine to Moulton College. The have a long pool. Mine loves puddles so I'm hoping he'll take to it like a duck to water.

 

[I'm Dun]

Thank you everyone. I'm looking at taking mine to Moulton College. The have a long pool. Mine loves puddles so I'm hoping he'll take to it like a duck to water.

I'd use the water treadmill instead. I know people who have had brilliant results with it