Red light therapy is a remarkable way to help heal injuries and help your horse feel their best. Light therapy in itself consists of specific rays of light concentrated on various parts of the body. The red color has a low frequency and a large wavelength in the light spectrum, penetrating tissue layers to safely and effectively prevent and heal the injury. Light panels or pads are used in various parts of equipment to expose a horse to safe and targeted red light specific to the region of your horse’s body you are working on.
Red light therapy is an excellent way to prevent strains or soreness before and after exercise. It is a great way for owners to offer their horses some relief and help heal those ailments as part of a daily routine.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work
Red light therapy for horses works by absorbing red light into multiple layers of soft tissue, speeding up the formation of new capillaries. This results in increased circulation and blood flow. It can help speed healing from soft tissue injuries, wounds, or other inflammation causes. Collagen is also increased when using light therapy, which can result in reduced scar tissue buildup 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, which can help relax muscles and fight pain. Still, some riders have reported it to have a natural calming effect on their horse, which is especially beneficial before training or competition and for horses on stall-rest for an injury.
How often should you treat your horse with red light therapy?
You can use red light therapy daily to treat your horse! Whether treating for injuries or as maintenance, it is typically recommended to treat for 20–30-minute sessions once or twice daily. You can use red light therapy before, after, and before massage or therapy sessions.
Before exercise: Use before daily training sessions to loosen up tense muscles, tendons, and joints. If your horse tends to be stiff, tense, or has a sore back or neck, for example, red-light therapy for horses can help them feel loose and warmed up before stepping foot in the arena.
After Exercise: This light therapy for horses can help them recover from general use, prevent soreness, and keep your horse relaxed and inflammation at bay.
Before Massage or Therapy Sessions: Using this light therapy for horses before massage or therapy can help your horse relax for those sessions, making it easier for the masseuse or therapist to get to the heart of what they are there to work on.
The Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Horses
The benefits of red light therapy for horses seem endless. Here are just a few ways it is beneficial to your horse:
- Alleviation of pain
- Alleviation of inflammation
- Stimulates the immune system
- Deep Wound Healing
- Tissue regeneration
- Faster treatment of skin conditions, hair loss, scraps, cuts, and wounds
- Effective treatment of hoof problems- laminitis, navicular, abscesses, and ringbone
- Effective treatment of sore backs, shoulders, strains, splints, stifle problems, tendons, and ligaments
Finding The Best Red Light Therapy For Horses
With all the benefits of red light therapy, owners don’t have to contact their vet to complete this therapy. Many wonderful products on the market will treat injuries, help chronic conditions, and keep your horse relaxed and comfortable. Below are some of the best products you can have for your horse.
Red Light Therapy for Your Horse’s Back
Keeping your horse’s back supple and injury-free is paramount for comfortable movement. Plus, forget about saddling your horse with an ouchy back! Red light therapy can help your horse’s back heal from injury and alleviate chronic conditions.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Back and Hip Pad
The EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Back and Hip Pad is the perfect LED therapy solution for sore back muscles, croup, and some SI coverage. This wrap will cover most horses from wither to croup. It can help prevent, maintain, and treat soft tissue injuries, as well as help alleviate chronic conditions. This product includes one case, back and hip wrap with straps, batteries, and chargers.
Red Light Therapy for Your Horse's Legs and Hooves
Your horse’s legs and hooves are delicate and deserve the best care. That’s why red light therapy can be another tool to help keep your horse in top shape and heal an injury.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Medium and Large Wraps
The EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Wraps, Bell Boots, and Wand Kit is part of a Red Light Therapy product line for the everyday horseman. The full kit includes two medium and two large LED wraps that treat various areas on your horse's body, knees, cannon bones, stifles, and more. It's perfect for helping prevent, maintain, and treat soft tissue injuries and helping alleviate chronic conditions in horses.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Bell Boots
The EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Bell Boots promote less stiffness and tension in the hoof and hock, helping relieve pain for old injuries and arthritis. With treatment, your horse will be more comfortable as they move. These boots also aid in the maintenance and recovery of laminitis, abscesses, and other hoof issues. The bell boots are part of a kit with two LED bell boots.
Wearable LASERwrap™ - Leg Wraps
Wearable LASERwrap™ leg wraps apply red light therapy to your horse’s legs at programmed intervals, including overnight. These leg wraps help heal tendon and ligament injuries, resolve muscle and shin soreness, and help with pre-performance stimulation and post-performance recovery. The leg wraps consist of light-transmitting filaments encased in soft fleece with a foam center and ensure a secure fit with an adjustable hook and loop closure.
Red Light Therapy for Your Horse's Neck and Poll
Your horse’s neck and poll can carry a lot of stress and tension. Red light therapy and helping treat various ailments can help your horse relax and focus more on the ride ahead.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Neck Wrap for Horses
The EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Neck Wrap for Horses speeds up and enhances healing in the neck, improving the range of motion in the neck. A red light therapy neck wrap will also help calm your horse so they can focus on the ride ahead, not on any pain. The neck wrap uses two types of wavelengths, a visible red light (660nm) and an invisible near-infrared light (850nm) both work in unison to penetrate the tissue levels. It also has 200 LED lights, with 100 LED lights on each side.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Calming Horse Bonnet
Alleviate pain and inflammation while helping your horse stay calm, focused, and more relaxed with the EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Calming Horse Bonnet. The bonnet not only can calm a nervous horse on show day, but it can also help thin out thick throat latches. The bonnet is made from a self-sticking neoprene with hook and loop closures. One size will fit most.
Red Light Therapy Kits
Red light therapy kits are your all-in-one solution for everything you need to start red light therapy. They treat tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints and more. They can aid in treating arthritis, laminitis, navicular, tendon strains, muscle swelling, and tightness.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Equine Kit
EquiCare LED Therapy® is a remarkable line of wraps of multiple sizes for the everyday horseman. This kit is great to have in the barn to help prevent, maintain, and treat soft tissue injuries and help alleviate chronic conditions in horses. It can aid in treating arthritis, laminitis, navicular, tendon strains, muscle swelling, and tightness. Kits are offered in pairs... The Equine Kit offers one pair of bell boots, one medium wrap, one large wrap, four batteries, two chargers, and one extension belt with a case.
EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Wraps, Bell Boots, and Wand Kit
The EquiCare LED Therapy® Red Light Wraps, Bell Boots, and Wand Kit is part of a Red Light Therapy product line for the everyday horseman. The full kit includes two medium LED wraps, two LED bell boots, and one handheld LED wand to treat various areas on your horse's body, hooves, knees, cannon bones, hocks, neck, stifles, back, and more. It's perfect for helping prevent, maintain, and treat soft tissue injuries and helping alleviate chronic conditions in horses.
We want the best for our horses. Red light therapy is a wonderful way to keep your horse feeling their best. With the benefits of healing, preventing injury, and helping relax and focus your horse, having red light therapy equipment in your barn is a must-have.
