Equissage or Equilibrium Therapy

[HLB]

I know there is like 2,000 Quid between them but are they any good?

i havent got the money for the Equissage right now (im saving my pennies) but i wondered if it was worth getting the Equilibium one to tied me over if its any cop.

Has anyone used either of them and how good do think they are?

Cheers

 

[carthorse]

I will be looking for your replies as we thought about buying one and doing other horses to pay for it but not sure how many people want to use them? Or buying the cheaper alternative.

 

[LEC]

I have looked into the science and been put off. My horse has muscular issues which have finally been dealt with and I thought a massage pad would be ideal but...
In Endurance riding they really do not like them (I find Endurance is way ahead of any other horse sport in terms of science) as they have been shown to block the nerve synapsis?!? basically long term use can just deaden the horse to any pain that it might consequently suffer.
Heat and individual hand massagers can be useful if working on specific things.

 

[CracklinRosie]

That's exactly the thought I had when I bought mine but it never quite came off. They are however, excellent. I have one mare who has back issues and it works a treat on her, she wiggles her nose like when she's getting scratched.

 

[emmysophie96]

My friend has just bought the Equilibrium and her horse certainly seemed to enjoy it but I guess it needs time to see if it works. I have just started using a Tens machine on my boy at the recommendation of his chiro to strengthen some weakened musle in one side of his hind quarters which is still causing him to be less flexible and supple than he could be.
The girl in the next stable has been using one for a few months and her horse, who was very inclined to bolting when his back bothered him, hasn't bolted since she started using it and she can see the difference in the eveness of his hind quarters compared to a quite significant difference before she started. Its £35 so way cheaper and seems effective for specific problem areas.

 

[LEC]

A tens machine cannot build muscle. It is a way of again changing the way the muscle reacts to pain. They are effectively useless hence they are used on pregnant women to help with the pain. I have one at home which I was given to by a physio to help with my horses back. I did a lot of research into this and gave up using it as I wanted the cause of the problems to be dealt with not just to help my horse deal with the pain.

 

[kirstyw]

Hi I have a equissage and use it regularly. I also find the opposite to what Lec finds and know several top endurance riders who use them and several use them in vetgates at rides
HTH
Kirsty (british senior endurance Squad member)

 

[HLB]

Hay people thanks for replying, but correct me if im wrong - isnt the Equissage a Massager? i thought this would help my horses with muscle tension, tightness and to relax worked muscles. My horses have nothing wrong and they are checked by a phisio regularly and are all in good health but i would like to help them out and give them a bit of a boost, i use a solarium if they have worked hard and muscles need to warm up or if they are stiff after a days hard work but i thought that this would be more like an extra bonus and helping hand

if my horses was to be in pain i would always seek proffessional help and would only use a tens machine if advised.

i do massage my horses with a Human hand held bobble massager which they love, but after 20mins on 4 horses my arms are dropping off

so thought that one of these may help me as well as them

 

[Stoxx]

I spoke to my physio about this the other day. She actually likes the Equilibrium better than the Equissage as she says it covers a better area and has good settings, she said there isn't an awful lot between them and considering the difference in price that makes the Equilibrium a better choice.

 

[jacksmum]

I have the Equilibrium and love it. Hyper TB goes to sleep with it on and an elerly chap on our yard has def been looser since using it regularly on him.
My trainer also has the Equissage and swears by it, but i def couldn't afford one so am very happy with the cheaper Equilibrium

 

[BBs]

Having spoken to a number of chiro/physio type ppl they all rate the Equilibruim and NOT the Equissage.
Mainly because of the surface area the Equilibrium covers. The Equissage sits onto/or very close to the spine - its a lot heavier too.

All my boys wear the massage pad (Equilibrium) and all enjoy it. Its made a good difference for warming up my horses before work and my young horse who is suffering with soft tissue damage wears it too.
Its def helped to keep the muscles more relaxed.