Myth Busting: Why Top Vets Prefer Water Treadmills Over Swimming for Rehab and Conditioning
In the warm climate of Los Angeles, the idea of taking a horse for a swim sounds refreshing. For decades, swimming pools were the go-to option for non-impact conditioning.
However, as veterinary understanding of equine biomechanics has advanced, many top-tier rehabilitation facilities have moved away from pools and toward equine water treadmills.
Owners searching for hydrotherapy for horses often assume these two options offer the same benefits. They do not. In fact, for certain horses—especially those recovering from back issues or soft tissue injuries—the wrong choice can actually hinder progress.
At EquiTread Los Angeles, located at Hansen Dam Horse Park, we chose treadmill technology specifically because it offers a safer, more scientifically sound path to wellness. Here is the deep dive into why.
1. The Critical difference: Spinal Posture
The most significant difference between swimming and treadmilling is what happens to the horse's topline.
In a Swimming Pool: Horses are not natural swimmers. To keep their nose above water, they must raise their head high and hollow (invert) their back. While they are kicking hard with their legs, their spine is locked in an extended, "u-shaped" position.
The Risk: For performance horses, we spend years training them to do the exact opposite: round the back and engage the core. Swimming can undo this training, and for horses with "Kissing Spine" (impinging dorsal spinous processes), this inverted posture can be actively painful.
On the Water Treadmill: Because the horse has solid footing, they don't panic about staying afloat. At EquiTread, we utilize specific protocols that encourage them to lower their head and lift their back while they work.
The Benefit: This rounded posture recruits the multifidus muscles—the deep stabilizers along the vertebrae that are essential for long-term soundness under saddle.
2. "Panic Paddling" vs. Neuromuscular Re-education
Rehabilitation and conditioning aren't just about muscle; they are about the brain. You want the horse to learn how to move correctly again.
Swimming often triggers a high-adrenaline "survival mode" in horses. They may paddle frantically, unevenly, or violently to stay afloat. This high-cortisol state is not conducive to learning, and an uneven frantic kick can re-injure a healing tendon.
The equine water treadmill is a controlled, low-stress environment. Because we can set precise speeds (down to the tenth of a mph), we force the horse to walk deliberately. This is called "neuromuscular re-education"—literally teaching the brain to fire the correct muscles in the correct sequence, calmly and evenly on both sides.
3. Ground Reaction Force: The "Just Right" Amount
Swimming is 100% non-weight bearing. While this sounds ideal, bones and tendons need some load to heal and stay strong (Wolff's Law). If a horse does zero weight-bearing work for too long, their bone density can actually decrease.
The water treadmill offers the perfect middle ground. By utilizing different water depths, we can reduce their effective body weight by up to 60%, but they still experience normal footfall and loading. This stimulates healthy bone turnover and tendon strengthening without the damaging concussion of full-impact work on dry ground.
4. Precision Customization (The EquiTread Difference)
A swimming pool is a "one-size-fits-all" tool; you cannot easily adjust a pool to target a specific weakness in a specific horse.
At EquiTread Los Angeles, we don't just "add water and press start." We use highly specific, proprietary protocols tailored to each horse.
We can micro-adjust water depths to target exact desired outcomes—whether that is increasing joint flexion in a stiff older horse, or maximizing pelvic engagement in a high-level dressage horse. This level of specificity is simply impossible to achieve in a pool.
Conclusion: Modern Tech for the Modern Horse
While swimming will always have a place for pure cardiovascular "blowouts" in healthy racehorses, the modern sport horse requires a more targeted, biomechanically sound approach.
Don't just get your horse wet; get them working correctly. Visit our specialists at Hansen Dam to discuss which protocol is right for your horse's specific needs.
