LI Horse Rehabilitation Center Brings Spa-Like Therapies To Injured Equines
WEST HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Horses are routinely injured when performing publicly -- whether on the racetrack or in children's shows. Often, the injuries leave the animals sidelined for months as they recover.
A new race horse rehabilitation center on Long Island combines intensive exercise regimes with spa-like treatments and technologies to bring a total healing experience to injured horses.
The rehab center is part of the newly-renovated New York Equestrian Center in West Hempstead, CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported.
"The goal obviously is to cut down recovery time," NYEC President Alex Jacobson said.
Trainers are using cutting-edge technology to first relax the injured horses before putting them through a rigorous workout.
The water in the facility's aqua trainer -- a treadmill submerged in water -- are actually cool, to stimulate muscle tissue. According to rehab managers, the high waters in the aqua spa actually creates a sense of floating for the horses as they complete trotting exercises.
A vibrating solarium uses a pulsating platform to deliver soothing infrared light -- proven effective for horses that have trouble standing.
The center has drawn interest from professional trainers like Ed Baker, who manages a dozen horses at Belmont and Aquaduct race tracks.
"If you can get a horse that usually takes three months to heal, you can take him to a facility like this where you can get him back into the races in a month," Baker said.