Cold Therapy for Horses: Put that Pain on Ice and Chill!
©2007 Author: Andrea Stuehr

Andrea Stuehr has been working with horses for more than 20 years. She travels the country following the Hunter/Jumper world as a trainer, Equine Massage Therapist and H.E.A.R.T. Ambulance attendant. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, she spends her winters in Wellington, Florida and enjoys freelance writing in her spare time.

Although most horse injuries can be prevented with proper care, the possibility of injury is inherent. For most minor injuries, cold therapy provides an effective and economical treatment

Cold therapy, or cryotherapy, can be most simply defined as treatment by means of application of cold. 

Janus Marquis, Equine Bodywork and Massage Therapist, knows all too well the long-term effects athletic use can have on a horse.  As a 15-year show-jumping therapist, she has seen many horses with various physical soundness issues.

“These horses work very hard, sometimes not in the best of conditions.” Janus explains. Deep or hard footing is a leading factor of injury along with longeing, poor conditioning or poor conformation. Sore feet, strained tendons and ligaments, sore muscles and arthritic joints are common among jumping horses.

“I’ve seen really painful injuries resulting from even the most basic and routine movements,” Janus continues, “you just never know.”

A show horse’s typical day consists of a morning longe, a professional ride, then the owner will show the horse. By the afternoon, the groom has noticed heat and inflammation in the horse’s leg. “The best time to feel for heat is after a rigorous workout,” Janus says.

WHY COLD THERAPY MAY BE NECESSARY
                                             

When a horse sustains an injury, the injured tissue releases chemicals that attract white blood cells to the area.  These cells remove damaged tissue and foreign material including bacteria.  This process causes the release of additional chemicals, such as cytokines and prostaglandins, resulting in the creation of heat and painful inflammation.  Excessive inflammation may cause further tissue breakdown and increase the risk of tearing, similar to a rubber band left out in the sun too long.

Research shows that cold therapy combined with compression can shorten recovery times by as much as half. Reducing the temperature of the affected area by as little as 10ºF will cause the blood vessels to constrict, resulting in some immediate relief. With less blood flow, the number of white blood cells arriving at the affected area is lessened, minimizing the inflammation.  The lower temperature also temporarily decreases nerve signaling, causing a temporary numbing of the area.

Once the natural healing process takes effect, the horse’s body normally flushes toxins and excess fluid away from an injured area. The flushing of toxins is accomplished through small lymph vessels due to the contraction of surrounding muscles, similar to the workings of a pressurized pump.  The application of a proper bandage will duplicate this natural occurrence, and can enhance this effect in areas where there isn’t as much muscle to contract the “pump.” 

WHEN TO USE COLD THERAPY

When asked about her treatment protocols for cold therapy, Janus states, “Always consult a veterinarian first.”

(callout)
When professional assistance is not necessary, Janus recommends ice boots for sore feet, ice packs for edema caused by bites and kicks, and a cold therapy back blanket for sore muscles. (end callout)

For sore tendons and muscles surrounding joints, Janus suggests cold plus compression boots. “Depending on the severity of the issue, I’ll do this as many times that I have time for, at no more than 20 minutes per use. If an issue requires even colder therapy, I might even add isopropyl alcohol to the ice,” Janus explains. “I won’t use this therapy within two hours before a workout, since the cold has restricted blood and oxygen flow, so it will have an adverse effect on healthy tissue during movement.”

Where cold therapy alone is great on an inflamed area, Janus suggests that it may not be enough. “Cold hosing, for instance, is good if a horse needs to be cooled down after a workout.  But for sore tendons, cold hosing will only cool the skin surface and cause the skin and hoof wall to get wet, which can invite skin irritations and weaken the hoof wall.” 

Modern horse owners are fortunate to have many simple, economical and environmentally friendly options for cold therapy. Variations include:
+ cold hosing
+ cold sprays
+ ice boots
+ ice and gel packs
+ equine whirlpools

The traditional solution for “old school” horsemen would be to take their horses to a nearby stream and let the cool water swirl around their horse’s legs, or put their horses with sore tendons out in a snow-covered pasture for an hour in the winter.  “Since most of the horses I work on are shipped in from Europe and spend three to six months in Florida during the winter months, I don’t have that luxury,” Janus laughs.

“Short of living in Alaska or owning a large enough walk-in freezer, contemporary solutions will just have to do.”

Andrea Stuehr has been working with horses for more than 20 years. She travels the country following the Hunter/Jumper world as a trainer, Equine Massage Therapist and H.E.A.R.T. Ambulance attendant. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, she spends her winters in Wellington, Florida and enjoys freelance writing in her spare time.

Reprinted with the Permission of Holistic Horse, Inc.
http://www.holistichorse.com
"Originally published in Holistic Horse Issue #50, Summer 2007"