Hydrotherapy provides therapeutic exercise for injured horses with reduced weight-bearing load. Understanding the evidence base guides appropriate use in rehabilitation programs.
Equine hydrotherapy provides welfare benefits through enabling therapeutic exercise during rehabilitation stages when land-based exercise would cause pain or risk reinjury. The ability to maintain muscle condition and cardiovascular fitness during recuperation reduces the physical and psychological welfare impact of enforced rest and speeds return to full function. The psychological welfare benefit of movement for confined horses should not be underestimated: the ability to move and exercise, even in the controlled environment of an underwater treadmill, significantly reduces the frustration and anxiety associated with prolonged box rest. However, hydrotherapy must be introduced with appropriate acclimatization to prevent the new experience itself becoming a welfare stressor.