The State of the art AquaTrainerŽ is the new proven way to improve the
fitness and performance of the racehorse with the minimum amount of
stress on your valuable investments.
The Aqua TrainerŽ improves the recovery time of racehorses after a strenuous
race or campaign. It also facilitates a quicker turnaround for the horse's return to
the race track after injury and or surgery.
All trainers know that swimming their horses is an excellent general fitness aid,
designed to improve stamina, circulation, flexibility and muscle tone without the
risk of impact injuries to legs or joints, when training on hard tracks.
How it works
The AquaTrainerŽ looks like your normal, everyday horse walker only it is filled
with water. It has a unique baffle system that reduces the whirlpool flow close
to zero resistance, ensuring that your horse is worked more effectively for a
shorter period of time. The shorter period in the pool avoids the negative affects
arising from extended time in the water. The specially designed filtration system
ensures the highest clarity chlorine free water, whilst removing all solids produced
by the horse, before the water actually goes through the filtration process. The
AquaTrainerŽ is sanitized with the latest chlorine free technology developed in
Australia, enabling horses on completion of their session not having to be hosed
down with fresh water.
The water level of the AquaTrainerŽ is adjusted to shoulder height and therefore
allows a degree of buoyancy during exercise, with the horse still able to touch the
bottom. This has the effect of reducing the horse's weight bearing stain whilst
exercising. This buoyancy enables the rehabilitation of the horse to be several times
quicker and more beneficial than having to be ridden slowly or reintroduced to full
weight bearing and impact, in a safe, controlled and monitored environment.
Muscles have to work harder walking through water, creating a much higher
intensity exercise than moving at the same pace on land, on a dry treadmill or
horse walker. This higher rate of exertion while moving at a slower pace, combined
with reducing weight bearing, means horses can be exercised intensively without
being overstretched.
A 30 minute session of buoyant training in the Aqua TrainerŽ, can be as effective
as 1 hour of equivalent exercise on land at a much faster pace. Our research
shows that horses using the Aqua TrainerŽ can improve cardiovascular fitness, strength and flexibility while minimizing the stresses and strains of training on hard
tracks. Horses with relatively minor injuries like bruised soles, for example, can
continue to exercise without losing valuable training time. The AquaTrainerŽ also
improves the mental attitude of the horse by providing them a break from their
daily routine.
Horses recovering from more serious injuries, that require more time and attention
can be gradually and safely prepared using the AquaTrainerŽ, eventually returning
them with a healthy and fit condition, to enable the to resume their normal stable
and racetrack training regime.
Your horse will be rejuvenated, back in full work and return to racing much quicker.
In effect it reduces your frustration, frees up your time and saves you money in
the long run.
The AquaTrainerŽ is also an ideal pre-training aid for horses that need to lose
weight after having done 'a bit too well' in the paddock. The process of getting
the horse in shape for the rigors of full-scale training can be safely speeded up
without overtaxing the horse. The Aqua TrainerŽ is also very useful for improving
the topline and gait of a horse, as it encourages the animal to move long and low
in the water, building muscle strength and flexibility in the shoulders, back and
hindquarters.
The horse's movement pattern can be modified by adjusting the speed of the
AquaTrainerŽ to create more or less buoyancy and resistance, depending of
the needs of the horse. This enhances recovery and rehabilitation in a controlled
environment. Trainers can carefully control each session in the AquaTrainerŽ to
suit your horse's needs and observe if the horse is moving in a balanced manner
and whether they have a tendency to lean to one side or the other. Constant
viewing of your horse in the AquaTrainerŽ allows your staff to identify and correct
problems, not only for improving a horse's performance but also to help prevent
chronic injuries, which can develop from continual exercise with an unbalanced
posture.
The AquaTrainerŽ can be operated in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction,
therefore suiting the recovery and rehabilitation of all horses, regardless of what
state in Australia they race.
Another benefit that leading trainers are pleased with, is that their horse can go
straight from the races and have 2 or 3 days R & R in the AquaTrainerŽ over a
period of a week and return to significant work and yet still be ready to race.
