For Trainers and Owners

Laser Therapy for Grand Prix Results

The days of skepticism over the results of laser therapy are behind us. Leading trainers and owners are now utilizing laser therapy and are looking beyond the realms of conventional medicine when seeking healthcare options for their horses.

The reasons for this are varied--perhaps a long term illness or condition is not responding to conventional treatment or therapy, or perhaps the treatment worked, but the horse still isn't quite "right".

Laser therapy has been used for a number of years to improve the healing of wounds. It is now been scientifically proven to decrease recovery time from athletic injuries, calm the animal before events, increase athletic performance, stimulate acupuncture points and various other benefits.

Modern horse owners and trainers want to do everything possible to bring their horses back to the peak of health regardless of their discipline or endeavor. Whenever an athletic injury occurs, the faster the recovery time, the better it is for the horse. Laser therapy provides an efficient yet cost effective way to return the equine athlete to competition.

Pre-performance enhancement through laser therapy has been used in the human field throughout Europe for numerous years. The competition we see in the Equestrian events during the Olympics is a bench mark of where we need to be.

Laser therapy allows a quicker recovery post-workout through a relief of pain and inflammation than any other modality. This allows for a more efficient and higher level of training to the equine athlete.

Preventing athletic injuries is also possible with laser therapy. An equine athlete that is more flexible, in less pain and relaxed will compete at a higher level and not be as prone to injuries.

Superior treatment, faster recoveries from injuries and performance enhancement are all possible through the use of the Pegasus Therapy Laser System.

New Rules Against Prescription and Herbal Sedatives: Some Horse Organizations Forbid the Use of Herbal Supplements in Competition.

Horse Herbal 'Downers': Looking for an Alternative to Medical Sedatives? Know the Facts about Herbal Supplements before you Administer Them to Your Horse
by Barb Crabbe,DVM

In the April 2004 issue of Horse & Rider, we looked at the ins and outs of tranquilizing drugs and touched on the controversy surrounding their uses (and abuses). You're convinced that medical sedatives aren't the answer for calming your horse, but you've wondered about those popular herbal supplements. After all, they're touted as natural and safe, and are even legal in competition, right? Wrong!

Before you reach for that bucket of herbal powder on the shelf, consider the following: Herbal preparations aren't FDA-approved, meaning they're not well-controlled. In many cases, we don't even know what's in them, or in what amounts. In fact, it's possible that an herbal supplement could contain well-known tranquilizing medications, such as acepromazine or detomidine. In one example, several prominent horsemen were cited by the USEF when the drug reserpine was identified in six different horses during recognized competition. This tranquilizing drug was believed to have come from an herbal supplement-despite manufacturer's claims and labeling on the product to the contrary.

Safety and efficacy of herbal preparations aren't well-established. Unlike approved medications, which undergo extensive safety and dosage testing before they hit the market, herbal preparations aren't submitted to the same rigorous evaluation. Your horse may be at greater risk of harm from the unknown side effects of an herbal product than from the well-documented side effects of an approved medication.

Use of calming herbs is clearly against the rules for both the USEF and the AQHA. The USEF defines as forbidden "any substance or drug that might affect the performance of a horse and/or pony." Similarly, the AQHA forbids "any stimulant, depressant, tranquilizer, or sedative which could affect the performance of a horse." Comparable rules exist for many other organizations.

H&R Contributing Editor Barb Crabbe, DVM, is an Oregon-based equine practitioner.