Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Aqua Therapy Program

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Swimming is a great exercise for all racehorses but in particular sore or injured horses. Swimming builds cardiovascular and muscle mass without the pounding attributed to jogging on a racetrack. Swimming also allows an injured horse to resume exercising sooner with little risk of re-injuring itself. Most horses are natural born swimmers and seem to enjoy the chance to participate. Before any horse enters the pool, they are first given a bath to remove any dirt or loose hair to help insure the cleanest pool possible. The horses are then lead down a skid-proof ramp to enter the pool. Every horse has their own style of entering the pool, many like to splash like children do, while others like to put their heads in the water while blowing out thru their nose. Once the horse gets to the end of the ramp they begin their swim. When a horse first starts the Aqua therapy program they are only required to swim a few laps. As the horses build up their endurance, each horse swims within their individual level of fitness. When they are finished they exit the pool using the ramp, and many of them like to splash and play as they exit the pool. After completing their swim they are given another bath before leaving the pool building.

Pool Facts:

Pool building: 40' X 80'
Diameter: 32'
Depth: 10'
Gallons: 60,000
Wash stalls: 5
Water temp.
Amount of water filtered: 30,000 gal/hr.

This pool was especially designed for our horses at Odds On AcresTM. Our horses have the advantage of training and therapy, by swimming and exercising in their own pool. Not only is swimming a perfect exercise for the racing horse, but also for horses going through a healing therapy program to restore sore muscles and tendons. Our pool contains 60,000 gallons of water and is ten feet deep.

This pool was designed in the round so there are no sharp corners, which guarantees a constant glide path. There is a skid-proof ramp at one end sloping down slowly so each horse can comfortably enter the water. Our pool is backwashed every day and only the safest chemicals are used. We use alternate means of sterilization, far safer than chlorine.

As each horse is slowly lead into the pool a pole is attached to his or her halter. The pole is used for guiding the horse as it swims around the pool. Each horse is on his or her own specially planned training schedule. Swimming is a very demanding exercise; even the veteran racehorse needs to start out with only a lap or two. Exercising in the water puts less stress and minimizes concussion to joints, and at the same time increases their aerobic capacity. We generally start our training program with a relatively short training schedule and work his or her exercise time up over time. Each horse swims within their individual level of fitness.