What is Red Light Therapy for Horses?

It’s just a matter of time before most horses hurt themselves. This can be a simple wound or a more serious soft tissue injury, such as to a tendon or ligament. More often than we wish, horses can suffer from injuries or chronic pain in their joints and muscles, either from an injury or over the duration of their careers. Red light therapy for horses is a useful tool for any horse owner as a safe and easy to use therapy product for horses.

As horse owners, we are always trying to find ways to help our horse heal and feel their best in any way possible. Laser light therapy for horses is a great way for owners to offer their horse some relief and help heal those ailments as part of a daily routine. Red Light Therapy is an excellent way to prevent strains or soreness before and after exercise.

So, what is red light therapy for horses and how can it help your horse?

Red Light Therapy for Horses

What is Red Light Therapy for Horses?

Red light therapy for horses is made up from two different types of medical grade wavelengths, both a visible red light (660 mm) and an invisible near-infrared light (850mm). Together, these two wavelengths work in unison to penetrate different levels of tissue to positively affect everything from tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and soft tissue. By combining these two types of light therapy, you can dramatically increase the blood flow to the areas the light is penetrating. This sends more oxygen throughout the body, increases collagen, endorphins, and capillary production. This process is important for removing waste products in the body and helping heal not just the area used but the entire body. You are essentially helping the body heal itself, naturally, and faster!

Anything from soft tissue injuries, inflammation, muscle and body tightness or soreness, tendon or ligament issues, sore backs and necks, stifle and joint pain, arthritis pain, and even cuts, scrapes, and wounds can benefit from red light therapy for horses.

What Type of Injuries Does Red Light Therapy Treat?

What Does Light Therapy Do for Horses?

Laser light therapy for horses absorbs into multiple layers of the horse’s soft tissue, which speeds up the formation of new capillaries, resulting in increased circulation and blood flow. This can help speed up healing from soft tissue injuries, wounds, or other causes of inflammation. Collagen is also increased when using light therapy which can result in reduced scar tissue build up during the healing process.

Common horse injuries and issues that can benefit from red light therapy for horses are:

• Arthritis
• Laminitis
• Navicular
• Tendon Injuries
• Bone Bruising
• Splits
• Abscesses
• Muscle Strains and Swelling
• Inflammation
• Sore Backs or Necks
• Wounds, Abrasions, Cuts

Endorphins are also released during light therapy use which can help not only relax muscles and fight pain, but some riders have reported it to have a natural calming effect on their hose, which is especially beneficial before training or competition, and for horses on stall-rest for an injury.

What Are the Side Effects of Red-Light Therapy?

Many horse owners have started using red-light therapy for their horses after both learning about and seeing first-hand, the many benefits it can have on so many common issues horse owners face tending. Chris Culbreth, Arabian Horse Trainer of Culbreth Equine Training and Management in Scottsdale, Arizona says,

“Our EquiCare® LED Light Kit has quickly become an integral part of our training program. At the encouragement of our veterinarian, we regularly use the light therapy for the treatment of sore muscles as well as any inflammation which may occur for a variety of reasons. We have found that for senior horses who experience slight tightness at the beginning of their workouts, we can assist them by using the therapy before any exercise. We have found that horses with some minor chronic issues will often attain complete reversal of symptoms over a very short period of time using the EquiCare® Light Therapy. We now use this daily at home and at horse shows to keep our horses performing at the top level they need to.”

How Often Should You Do Infrared Light Therapy?

The great thing about light therapy for horses is that you can use it every day! Whether treating for injuries or as maintenance, it is typically recommended to treat for 20–30-minute sessions, once or twice per day.

• Use Before Exercise:Use prior to daily training sessions to loosen up tense muscles, tendons, and joints. If your horse tends to be stiff, tense, or have a sore back or neck for example, red-light therapy for horses can help them feel loose and warmed-up prior to stepping foot in the arena.


• Use After Exercise: Training, exercise, and competition can take a toll on their body. Using this light therapy for horses you can help their recovery from general use, prevent soreness, and keep your horse relaxed and inflammation at bay.


• Before Massage or Therapy Sessions: Training, exercise, and competition can take a toll on their body. Using this light therapy for horses you can help their recovery from general use, prevent soreness, and keep your horse relaxed and inflammation at bay.

Finding the Best Red Light Therapy Products for Your Horse

What Type of Red-Light Therapy Products for Horses Are Out There?

There are a variety of red-light therapy products for horses on the market. Everything from solarium units that can hang in a grooming area of the barn to corded and cordless hand-held devices, pads, and wraps. The most popular and affordable option seems to be the pads and wraps. These come in different sizes and styles but are designed to be used on various areas of the horse such as across their back, neck, and hips, or wrapped around legs, stifles, hocks, and forelimbs. The great thing about the wraps and pads are that you can also use them on your dogs and yourself!

We offer some of the most popular and affordable options when it comes to red-light therapy products for horses. With several choices of wearable red-light therapy leg wraps that can also be placed across the body and legs, in medium, large, and extra-large sizes, to bell boots, neck wraps, and even cordless hand-held units. The Equine Light Therapy® kits come in a Large Kit, Leg Wraps as Large Pairs or Large Singles, Medium Pairs or Medium Singles, and an X-Large Single Wraps that can also be used over a large part of the body.

How Can You Use Red-Light Therapy Products?

Most red-light therapy handheld units, wraps, and pads, come with rechargeable battery packs so that there are no dangerous cords to drag around and risk your horse stepping on or getting tangled in. Just recharge as needed, for most users this is as little as once a week when used regularly, and you can take them with you wherever you go around the barn, in stalls, ring-side, and traveling.

Wherever your horse has pain, stiffness, soreness, or injuries, you can find the right type of pad, wrap, or handheld device to target that area. Whether you drape the pads or wraps across large areas of their body, such as over their back, withers, hips, or neck, or wrap around their legs and joints. You can also drape or wrap these around your own sore areas from your shoulders, back, and knees for your own therapeutic benefit!

What Are the Benefits to the Different Types of Red-Light Therapy Products?

Whether you choose a handheld unit, wraps, or pads, red-light therapy offers incredible benefits when used as either prevention, maintenance, or treating injuries. At affordable price points for many styles of portable products, light therapy products for horses are a great tool to have on hand when it comes to owning horses. Some of the many benefits include:

• Alleviation of pain
• Alleviation of inflammation
• Stimulates the immune system
• Deep Wound Healing
• Tissue regeneration
• Faster treatment of skin conditions-eczema, hair loss, scraps, cuts and wounds
• Effective treatment of hoof issues- laminitis, navicular, abscesses, and ringbone
• Effective treatment of sore backs, shoulders, strains, splints, stifle problems, tendons, and ligaments

Many riders, trainers, and horse owners work hard every day to ensure their horses are feeling and performing their best. From the right care, proper diet, a good farrier, and veterinarian, to utilizing today’s most popular equine therapy treatments such as massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and PEMF therapy. Red-light therapy is just another beneficial tool that horse owners can add to their program with the perk of being able to use this form of therapy as often as every day, without the risk of side effects or expensive therapies. Plus, what isn’t there to love about a therapeutic device you can even use on yourself, too!