Equine Cold Saltwater Spa Helps Horse Recover
Wellington, FL (May 9, 2011) – Charles Jacob and his 16.1 Belgian warmblood, Secret Love, recently won a High Amateur/Owner Jumper class and jumped clean in a Grand Prix, a remarkable feat considering Secret Love was sidelined with an injury last year. Thanks to treatments in the Cold Saltwater Spa at The Sanctuary at PBIEC’s Wellington facility, Secret Love is back in the winner’s circle and according to his groom he is jumping like “a million bucks!”
“Charlie and Secret Love, or Snoopy as we call him, won the Grand Prix during the second week of Lake Placid in 2009. He is a proven Grand Prix horse and a formidable competitor in the High Amateur/Owner jumpers. He was sidelined with an injury last year and our vet suggested the Cold Saltwater Spa,” said Snoopy’s groom, Mindi Verzillo, adding that at first they tried buckets of ice on the horse’s legs.
Snoopy wouldn’t tolerate the ice buckets and that’s when Verzillo said they turned to The Sanctuary at PBIEC, the new world-class rehab and conditioning center located on the show grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The Sanctuary also has a 30-acre facility in Ocala.
“It was so convenient to walk over to The Sanctuary on the show grounds and everyone at The Sanctuary was so nice. We didn’t have to worry anymore about buckets of ice and boots that didn’t fit or stay cold,” Verzillo said. “It was amazing how long Snoopy’s legs stayed cold, even after they were bone dry. The water is the perfect temperature for icing and Snoopy even allowed, and enjoyed, the water to his knees.”
Verzillo added that during the weekend of Snoopy and Jacobs’ recent win in the High Jumper class, the horse was treated to the Cold Saltwater Spa three times throughout the weekend. “He came out like a million bucks on Monday,” she said. “Next year, fingers crossed, he will still be bringing in the ribbons and will be at The Sanctuary, or the ‘Spa’ as I call it, twice a day when living on the show grounds. I just wish we had such a great facility up north as well!” Jacobs, who trains with John and Beezie Madden, owns CMJ Sporthorses, which is based out of Deeridge Farm, of Wellington and East Aurora, New York.
Brenda McDuffee, General Manager of The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, said The Sanctuary at PBIEC was thrilled to help Secret Love on his road to recovery. “The equine Cold Saltwater Spa is a vital treatment for reducing inflammation in lower leg injuries and accelerating the body’s natural healing processes. Spa therapy can help treat injured tendons, ligaments, shins, hooves, wounds, cuts and bruises,” McDuffee said. “The spa can also be used on a regular basis as a preventative measure for reducing the risk of injuries.”
The Sanctuary at PBIEC, built in conjunction with the Wellington Equestrian Partners, is the most advanced facility of its kind in the world and all of the therapies used at The Sanctuary are based on methods used for human rehabilitation and conditioning. “When an injury is swollen, it cannot heal properly until swelling is reduced and controlled. By reducing swelling and encouraging damaged tissues to begin repairing, spa therapy triggers the start of the healing process. Once initial swelling is reduced, continued spa treatments can control any further swelling that may interfere with healing. Regular use of the spa can greatly reduce everyday stresses and strains that could develop into more serious injuries,” McDuffee said.
The Sanctuary at PBIEC features above ground water treadmills, cold saltwater leg spa treatment, two vibration plates with solarium, laser therapy, electromagnetic pulse therapy and a respiratory machine. For more information on The Sanctuary, visit their website at www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com.
For more information contact:
Tom Grabe
The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center
www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com
1-352-369-HEAL (4325)