Equine Sports Medicine

Equine Sports Therapies & Treatments

Manning Equine provides services for a large sport horse population. We frequently provide soundness exams once or twice a year, particularly before the show season starts, to ensure your horse is sound and feeling their best for a successful show season. During these exams routine limb flexions are often performed to serve as a base line for the future and identify small issues before they become injuries or cause lameness.

In keeping our equine athletes at the top of their game we rely on riders, trainers and owners to notice when a horse is not quite right. We work together to help diagnose the cause of an acute lameness or subtle issues such as a horse starting to drift over jumps. At Manning Equine we find a team approach gives the best chance of full recovery, and value the input of owner, trainer, rider, farrier and other equine specialists.

All of our veterinarians are members of the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology (ISELP), a world leader in equine anatomy and lameness.

Our practice aims to stay at the forefront of new veterinary techniques in diagnostics and treatments to help keep your horses at their best.

Treatment modalities frequently incorporate:

ProStride Therapy

ProStride Therapy uses the horse’s own blood to create an injection that reduces inflammation and encourages healing of joints and other areas affected by arthritis or injury. This therapy combines the properties of IRAP and PRP into one injection.  The blood is collected, spun in a special centrifuge, and then harvested for injection all within minutes of collection.  This therapy is an alternative for horses that may not respond well, or have other contraindications to traditional joint injections.  This therapy can be repeated as often as needed, varying by case.

IRAP Therapy

IRAP, or Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein, is a gene therapy which uses the horse’s own anti-inflammatory proteins to reduce intra-articular inflammation, thus slowing the progression of osteoarthritis.  Blood is drawn from the horse, incubated for 24 hours and the serum containing these anti-inflammatory mediators is harvested and divided into single dose syringes and frozen for future use.  IRAP is then administered through intra-articular injections for a usual course of three treatments.  IRAP is a great maintenance therapy that can reduce the amount of steroid use or can be used in conjunction with routine joint injections throughout the competitive season. 

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

PRP therapy is a regenerative therapy that uses the horse’s own platelets to assist in the healing process of tendon and ligament injuries or joint problems.  Blood is collected from the horse and passed through a special filter that concentrates and separates out the platelets.  The PRP is then injected directly into the injured area. 

Stem Cell Therapy

This therapy uses the horse’s own stem cells to repair and naturally regenerate tissue that has been damaged.  Stem cell therapy is usually used in equine tendon and ligament injuries.  This therapy does include a minor surgical procedure where stem cells are extracted from the injured horse’s bone marrow (performed under sedation and local anaesthesia).  The sample is then sent to a laboratory where it will be cultured for approximately 2-3 weeks to increase cell numbers and sent back to the veterinarian for implantation.  Using ultrasound guidance, the veterinarian implants the cells into the site of the injury. It is important to note that Stem Cell Therapy is used to improve the quality of the end result rather than reducing rehabilitation time.

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave therapy is used to treat equine musculoskeletal disorders of both soft tissue and bone.  The treatment is usually performed on the horse under mild sedation, and the procedure lasts only 10-15 minutes.  Shockwave therapy is usually carried out in a series of 3-4 treatments 2-4 weeks apart.

Osphos

Osphos is a biophosphate drug used to slow breakdown and encourage healthy remodeling of bone. This drug slows down the progression of degenerative joint disease and assists in the healing of a variety of equine boney ailments, such as navicular syndrome.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is a treatment that helps to promote healing, reduce edema/ inflammation and reduce pain for both acute and chronic conditions.  Using the Multi Radiance MR4 ACTIVet system that combines the synergetic influence of 4 electromagnetic radiances, laser therapy offers safe results with a less invasive procedure. We have multiple laser options depending on the injury, some lasers can even be rented to clients for use on their equine partners.

Veterinary Spinal Manipulation

Veterinary Spinal Manipulation (also known as chiropractic care) is a non invasive adjunct therapy that can help get that competitive edge for many equine athletes.  Performed by one of our veterinarians certified in the therapy, treatments are usually very enjoyable for the horse, and result in greater symmetry and balance from our equine partners.  The treatments usually last about 30 minutes and are completed regularly as a complement to our other therapies.