Journal article

Publication year: 2002

Pages: 206-210

Journal: TierÄrztliche Umschau

Volume number: 57

Issue number: 4

ISSN: 0049-3864

Publisher: Terra-Verlag; 1999

Abstract: 
The behaviour of fify-six horses during their initial three workouts on a water treadmill was absurfed. Forty-six horses had some form of orthopaedic disorder and ten were clinically sound animals brought in for conditioning. The average age was 10.7 +/- 4.4 years. The observations comprised: (i) how horses entered the treadmill; (ii) the regularity of their walk; (iii) the type and frequency of had habits, and (iv) the frequency of defaecation during the workout. The results were as follows (i) 82% of horses hesitated at the first time, 12% hesitated at the third time and 86% walked straight into the treadmill; (ii) On the first occasion, 5% of horses had a regular gait from the start, the others took some time, and at the third workout 89% of horses had a regular gait immediately; (iii) bad habits were not exhibited by 92% of horses on the first occasion and on the third occasion 89% had no bad habits, and (iv) the frequency of defaecation did not differ between the three workouts. The results demonstrated that horses adapt to working on a water treadmill very quickly. The likelihood of injury to horses during their exercise periods is very low, Therefore most horses can be submitted repeatedly, without trouble and risks of injury, to exercise on submerged treadmills for rehabilitation and conditioning.

Harvard Citation style: Wurm, S., Beuttler, J., Lindner, A. and Sasse, H. (2002) Behaviour of horses during their initial workouts on a water treadmill, TierÄrztliche Umschau, 57(4), pp. 206-210

APA Citation style: Wurm, S., Beuttler, J., Lindner, A., & Sasse, H. (2002). Behaviour of horses during their initial workouts on a water treadmill. TierÄrztliche Umschau. 57(4), 206-210.