What Does A Solarium Do For Horses?

The horse solarium is more in demand than ever – no wonder, because sun and warmth are also good for our horses. What exactly is meant by a horse solarium, you will learn in the following guide.

What is infrared light?

Solariums, whether for us humans or for our horses, work with infrared light. So far, so good. But what actually is “infrared” and what can this light do?

Infrared light is divided into three so-called wavelengths:

Short-wave A infrared:
Easily penetrates the skin and reaches the inside of a body, most intense heat radiation.
Medium-wave B infrared:
Passes through the epidermis to the dermis, medium heat radiation.
Long-wave C infrared:
has hardly any penetration depth, spreads on the epidermis, lowest heat radiation
Solarium for your horse? Absolutely!

Before training

Everybody knows it: You come to the stable, it is bitterly cold and you are not really motivated. You ride the first rounds and realize: “My horse is very stiff. It is anything but loose… There is only one thing that helps: long warm-up phases, riding the horse properly “warm”. And now the horse solarium comes into play:

Just ten minutes under the solarium is enough for your horse to start training relaxed and loose. The muscles are warmed up and the blood circulation is stimulated.

By the way: Just stand under the solarium together with your horse. You will notice how your body also enjoys this pleasant warmth.

So, now it’s off to the indoor arena. A good warm-up is still necessary, of course, but your horse doesn’t need a “cold start” anymore.

Even in warmer temperatures, the use of the solarium is recommended. A well circulated musculature is always an advantage before you start training.

After the workout

The training is over. Your horse and you have been hard at work. The muscles, ligaments and joints of your four-legged friend have been properly challenged. Even now it is best to go under the solarium. The infrared light ensures that the lactic acid is broken down more quickly and that neither sore muscles nor tension develop. In addition, thanks to the heat, the immune system is strengthened and your horse will remain healthy and ready to perform for longer.

If your horse has sweated during training and you don’t have a sweat blanket at hand, let it dry slowly under the solarium.

Warmth for the soul

It is well known how important sunlight and warmth are for the psyche – and that for almost all living creatures.

Horses were not born to stand in a box for long periods of their lives. They need light as well as exercise and social contact. So if your horse stands in a box for a long time, using the horse solarium will have a positive effect on his psyche and mental performance.

The horse solarium as a therapeutic measure

Infrared light also helps in the therapy of acute injuries, tension or chronic complaints.

Heat reduces muscle spasms and pain in the treated area. The thermal stimulus stimulates metabolism and local blood circulation. This improves the extensibility of the tissue – the relaxing effect sets in.

Pain in the area of joints and tendons can thus be alleviated. Every muscle is connected to the bone via a tendon structure. Here, suppleness is the trump card. Stimulated blood circulation means that pain and inflammatory substances are transported away more quickly. The improved lymph flow also has a supporting effect in the diseased area.

Just put under it and ready?

How and where should the horse solarium be placed?
Most horse solariums are placed under a sturdy blanket in the stable. They float freely and are adjustable in height. Most horses love it and will stay quietly under the horse solarium, enjoying the warmth. Nevertheless, it is advisable to delimit the area where your horse stands during the heat treatment with a panel. So that you don’t have to stand next to your horse the whole time of the treatment (but as I said, you will also feel the soothing warmth immediately!), there should be eyelets on the side walls for tethering your animal.

Duration of the infrared treatment

It is optimal to put your horse under the solarium three times a week – at least during the cold months – before and after training. The duration should be set to ten to twenty minutes. Too short has no deep-penetrating effect, too long can hit the cardiovascular system.

With how much distance should the solarium hang over your horse?

One should always observe the minimum distance specified by the manufacturer. Most often, the recommended distance is between sixty and eighty centimeters.

How much does a horse solarium cost?

The cheapest devices are at three – four thousand euros, professional devices cost sometimes around nine thousand euros. But then you have a luxury solarium, such as our model Summerwind Premium from Kneilmann:

36 IR lamps a 250 watts
16 fans
Integrated circulating air hair dryer (patent protected)
Timer with program
Emergency stop switch
Control box
Coin-operated machine

Click here for our horse solarium offers.

Conclusion

The purchase of a horse solarium is not really cheap, yet worth every penny:

Physical and mental fitness of your horse
Shorter warm-up phase when riding
Sweaty horse dries out and can relax at the same time
Tension and sore muscles are significantly reduced
Helpful also as a therapeutic measure
Very little wear and tear on the equipment
Often equipped with coin-operated machines, purchase pays off quickly