Whether you’ve already made your seasonal debut, your first entry is circled in red in the diary or you’re waiting for the summer to roll around, we know you’ll probably have this aim, alongside having fun and hopefully picking up some rosettes! That is, you’re hoping to keep your horse sound and healthy from the first until the very last day of the season. That’s why for this month’s blog we’re looking at how to use the water treadmill during the competition season to help your horse stay fit and well. Let’s kick off with the benefits of the water treadmill for all horses, including sports horses at the peak of their fitness:
Low-impact conditioning
Between road work, hard summer ground and general wear and tear, we know that lots of our readers will obsessively check their horse’s legs for any heat, swelling and changes. The water treadmill is an excellent form of exercise that’s kind on limbs. The buoyancy offered by the water reduces concussion on joints, tendons and ligaments while still allowing your horse to build cardiovascular fitness and stamina needed for competition success.
Muscle strength and core engagement
Having to work against the water encourages horses to engage their hindquarters and core, and over time helps to build stronger muscles in both areas. Adjusting the depth of the water can help target their topline and hindquarters even more, and it’s all without the weight of a rider on board. A win-win for the competition season? We think so!
Increased flexibility and stride length
The natural resistance of water has been shown to promote a longer stride and greater range of motion, improving overall suppleness. If you’d like to pick up extra marks for your walk work in dressage and cover more ground in all disciplines, this is a great benefit!
Active recovery and injury prevention
The water treadmill is very adjustable, so you can pick a speed and water depth for recovery days that encourages movement without excessive strain. This gentle movement in straight lines will help boost circulation, flushing waste products like lactic acid from the muscles (which helps to reduce stiffness). Proper muscle recovery is key in preventing injuries between competitions, so this is a great benefit for competition horses.
Mental variety and a change of scenery
If your training regime includes lots of time in the school, the water treadmill can be excellent cross training and a change of routine. Alongside regular hacking, gallops sessions and turnout, using a water treadmill gives you a great fitness session that’s not in the school, preventing mental fatigue.
So, with all that mind, when should you use the water treadmill during the competition season? You can integrate water treadmill sessions into your training and rest regime, and make sure you book sessions ahead of time, so you know there’s availability! Here are some of the ways you can weave in sessions based on your horse’s fitness, workload and needs.
Building fitness prior to competing: We know lots of you will already have your horses fit and ready for the season, but if you’ve had a setback, you’ve bought a new horse that’s not been in work over winter or you’re bringing on a youngster, the water treadmill is a great tool to build fitness. Using a water treadmill helps build baseline cardiovascular fitness and stamina without overloading the joints and soft tissue in the legs.
Post-competition recovery: Horses will experience muscle fatigue and stiffness after demanding training and competition, even though they can’t speak to tell us about it! But a little like booking a spa session after running your first half marathon, a post-event water treadmill session can help aid recovery by increasing circulation and reducing post-competition soreness.
In-season active rest: As we mentioned earlier in this blog, proper recovery for their muscles and joints is key to a sound and happy horse at the end of the season. That means factoring rest and active rest between competitions. Water treadmill sessions give horses a workout while reducing joint strain, making it an excellent tool for mid-season maintenance.
Rehabilitation and targeted strengthening: For horses prone to specific weaknesses, whether it’s a weak topline or hind-end issues, targeted water treadmill work can help strengthen these areas in a controlled and low-impact setting.
If you’re interested in weaving water treadmill sessions into your horse’s training and recovery regime this season, just drop us a line! We’re here to answer any questions you have and are very experienced with introducing horses of all ages to the treadmill and ensuring they enjoy themselves. Drop us a line here.