Rehabilitation program featuring the Equiband® Pro System assists with recovery from neurologic dysfunction

Individualized rehabilitation programs (including the Equiband® Pro System) can help horses to recover from neurologic dysfunction.

Following an outbreak of the neurologic disease, equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), veterinary scientists in Sweden sought to determine the benefit of individualized rehabilitation programs for horse recovering from the disease.

Four horses with severe EHM were hospitalized during the acute phase and recovered. Three months following the outbreak, the horses began a rehabilitation program to return to previous fitness levels.

The rehabilitation programs focused on improving coordination, proprioception, core stability and balance, strength, and conditioning. The methods used included pole work, dynamic stabilization exercises, balance pads, exercise and conditioning, and work with the Equiband® Pro System.

All horses included in the study returned to normal levels of attitude and fitness as determined by their owners by 6-8 months following the outbreak. Within 8-11 months all horses had returned to previous level of activity.

Citation: Ericson & Lassa. 2020. The effects of a 1-year individually adapted rehabilitation programme in horses with neurological dysfunction caused by EHV-1/EHM. Equine Veterinary Journal.