Rick Dabner and Noblewood Park Barcelona in action.
KEEP COOL. STAY SOUND
‘Tendon injury’ – two words guaranteed to make any horse owner shudder! But did you know that one of the most common ways we protect tendons could actually be doing more harm than good?
Tendons connect muscle to bone. They’re made up of bundles of collagen fibres that are elastic and stretch during exercise. They can only stretch so far and if the maximum strain limit is exceeded, it can result in the structure tearing.
Most of us know that these types of injuries are most commonly caused by over-exertion in training and competition and it’s why we use protective boots. But if you’re not adequately cooling your horse’s legs down, those boots or bandages could well be causing damage.
The temperature of the tendons in your horse’s legs continues to increase after exercise, so it is VITAL to remove boots immediately to prevent them acting as insulation, trapping heat and inhibiting airflow. Research tells us that when tendons reach a temperature of 42.5 degrees or above, the cells inside begin to die, weakening them and making them more susceptible to strain.
So BE COOL, remove boots or bandages straight away and get the temperature of those legs down by hosing with cold water, icing or using specifically designed cooling products like the easy and effective ‘CoolingGEL, featured in the link below.
Top Tip: Riders are reporting that they are also using CoolingGEL to great effect on their aches and pains. Try it and experience the CoolingGEL sensation!
WA Showjumpers Eve Jarvis & Rick Dabner applying Kelato’s CoolingGEL to their stallion Noblewood Park Barcelona.
Find out more here:
www.kelato.com.au/products/coolinggel/
READ THE LATEST NEWS ARTICLES HERE
