Cold Therapy for Your Horse

Have you ever wanted to cool down your horse's injured leg but didn't know an efficient way to apply the cold? There are many variables to think about when administering cold therapy. The length of time the therapy is applied, the frequency of use and the temperature of the cold applied are all factors that should be considered. If the temperature is too cold for too long, you may cause tissue damage. If the temperature is too warm, the therapy will be ineffective. This article outlines various cold therapy application methods and some of their pros and cons.

Instant Cold Compress Bags

• The bag becomes cold when the inside bag is broken to allow for a chemical reaction


• Easy to apply


• Does not stay cold for long


• Bags are not re-useable but relatively inexpensive

Continuous passive compression cold therapy system

• Add water and ice to a light weight cooler type unit


• When the unit is powered on, a quiet pump circulates the chilled water through insulated tubes to a circulation pad that wraps around the horse's injured leg with an expandable insulated compression bandage


• The water that circulates between the unit and the horse remains at the correct temperature for the duration of the therapy


• Offers slight uniform compression to minimize swelling


• Easy to apply to the injured area


• The unit is able to be placed far enough away from the horse that there's no concern of it being tipped over


• The horse's legs stays dry throughout the process


• The initial investment is more than some methods but it may ultimately save money on veterinary bills in the end

Gel wraps

• Place gel wrap in the freezer to bring it down to the proper temperature


• Contours well to the horse's leg


• Easy to apply


• Does not stay cold for long


• May be placed in the freezer repeatedly and re-used

Hose

• Run cold water on the horse's injury


• Minimally effective


• Time consuming


• Uses a lot of water


• Need a well-drained location to administer

Ice and water sealed in a plastic bag

• Works best with crushed ice


• The bag contours well to the horse's leg when using crushed ice


• Inexpensive to administer


• Difficult to regulate the temperature

Ice cup

• Fill a styrofoam cup with water and place it in the freezer


• Cut away the top of the cup when the water is frozen


• Move the ice around the horse's affected area


• Inexpensive to administer

Whirlpool/Tub

• Fill the whirlpool with cold water and immerse the horse's leg


• May add crushed ice to the water to bring the temperature down


• Need to monitor the process to ensure the horse doesn't tip over the tub

As I indicated, the correct temperature of cold therapy is important. Some of the methods identified above may start out too cold and end up too warm. I would recommend consulting with a local veterinarian for advice as to the best method for your needs. Your veterinarian can also recommended the proper frequency, duration and temperature to be used for the cold therapy.