Welcome to the Epsom Equine Spa website.

The Epsom Equine Spa has been founded to provide a cold water hydrotherapy unit to all equines wishing to visit it.

The Spa is situtated close to Epsom Downs making it an ideal venue for use by the numerous racehorses trained in the area. The Spa unit is ajacent to the yard of Jim Boyle who is the resident trainer at South Hatch Stables.

Cold Water Hydrotherapy can be used for the majority of lower leg injuries. Spa treatment assists injuries in two ways; firstly, by keeping the leg temperature lower it minimises the effect of fibre deterioration; and secondly by reducing the swelling it allows collagen fibres to repair neatly.This helps to reduce convalescence time. As the water is chilled it causes a massive resurge to the circulation in the legs as they begin to warm after treatment, this delivers oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the injured area also aiding healing.

Cold water hydrotherapy has also proven very effective in prevention of injury. By regular use of cold therapy immediately after strenuous exercise, many of the stressors within the tissues are removed before inflammation develops. Cold also significantly improves bone surface density reducing the opportunity for bone stress related injuries to occur.

Cold water hydrotherapy can be effect in treating and helping to prevent:

• Tendonitis
• Desmitis
• Arthritis
• Shin Splints
• Sore Shins
• Concussion (Jar Up or Jarring)
• Bursitis
• Synovitis
• Hoof Injuries
• Open Wounds
• Skin Conditions

The Therapeutic Effects

Temperature

The spa solution is maintained between 2 and 4 ºC, to minimise heat and inflammation. It also provides analgesic pain management.

Salt Concentration

The salt solutions acts as a hypertonic poultice as well as having a natural healing effect on wounds.

Aeration

water aeration has a massaging effect on the legs. Recent studies have also found that horses heart rates drop considerably whilst using the spa, this is believed to be due to oxygen absorbtion through the skin. As horse legs have relatively little flesh on them it greatly reduces the distance abosorbed oxygen has to travel to reach the blood stream.

Depth

Solution Depth is proportoinal to the pressure exerted on the leg which aids fluid and waste disperal; the depth of the solution can be varied according to the position and severity of the injury.

Biological control

The water is chlorinated, salty and filtered to 10 Microns. The temperature of the water also means that nothing could live in it.

Tel: 07879 882672            Email: info@epsomequinespa.co.uk