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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Does Muscle Development of Sport Horses Using Water Treadmil...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(16); 2426; doi: 10.3390/ani15162426

Does Muscle Development of Sport Horses Using Water Treadmill Exercise as Part of a Long-Term Training Programme Differ from That of Horses Not Using Water Treadmill Exercise?

Abstract: Water treadmill (WT) exercise has become a popular tool for equine training and rehabilitation. However, few studies describe the long-term effects of WT exercise in low water on muscle development (MD). This study's objectives were to compare MD changes over a 40-week period in sport horses that regularly used WT in low water within training (Group WTH, = 55) and a control group that did not (control, = 28). Subjective MD assessments were undertaken using an adaptation of a previously published method at weeks 0, 20 and 40. For Group WTH, MD significantly increased in the neck, pelvis and hindlimb adductor and abductors between weeks 0 and 20. Neck, thoracic, thoracic trapezius, lumbar, pelvis, quadriceps, hindlimb adductor and abductor, and hamstring musculature increased between weeks 0 and 40. Thoracic musculature only increased between weeks 20 and 40 ( ≤ 0.001 for all). In the control horses, MD did not significantly change between weeks. Regular WT exercise appears to increase MD, particularly for musculature used to create movement patterns seen on the WT. WTs may be appropriate for use under veterinary guidance as part of a directed rehabilitation/training programme to increase core and hindlimb MD.
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Publication Date: 2025-08-19 PubMed ID: 40867754PubMed Central: PMC12382896DOI: 10.3390/ani15162426Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study investigated how the muscle development of sport horses changes over 40 weeks when using water treadmill (WT) exercise in low water compared to horses not using WT exercise.
  • Regular use of WT exercise was found to increase muscle development, especially in certain areas, while control horses showed no significant changes.

Introduction

  • Water treadmill (WT) exercise is increasingly popular for training and rehabilitation of horses.
  • Though WT benefits for rehabilitation are known, there is limited research on the long-term effects of WT exercise, especially in low water depth, on muscle development (MD).
  • The researchers aimed to determine if WT exercise as part of a long-term training program alters muscle development in sport horses compared to those not using WT.

Study Design and Methods

  • Two groups of sport horses were observed over a 40-week period:
    • Group WTH (n = 55) – horses regularly exercised using WT in low water.
    • Control group (n = 28) – horses that did not use WT exercise.
  • Muscle development was assessed subjectively at three time points: baseline (week 0), mid-point (week 20), and end (week 40).
  • A previously validated method for subjective MD assessment was adapted to evaluate muscle changes across different anatomical regions.

Results: Muscle Development in WT Group

  • Between weeks 0 and 20, significant muscle development was observed in the:
    • Neck muscles
    • Pelvis muscles
    • Hindlimb adductors and abductors
  • Between weeks 0 and 40, further significant muscle development occurred in:
    • Neck
    • Thoracic region including trapezius muscles
    • Lumbar region
    • Pelvis
    • Quadriceps
    • Hindlimb adductors and abductors
    • Hamstring musculature
  • Specific thoracic musculature exhibited significant increase only between weeks 20 and 40, indicating progressive muscular adaptation during prolonged WT exercise.
  • The statistical significance for all reported changes was strong (p ≤ 0.001), supporting the reliability of findings.

Results: Muscle Development in Control Group

  • Horses not undergoing WT exercise exhibited no significant changes in muscle development across all measured time points.
  • This contrast suggests that routine WT exercise contributed meaningfully to muscle growth beyond the effects of standard training alone.

Discussion and Implications

  • Muscle groups that showed increased development in WT horses correspond with those used actively during treadmill movement, emphasizing the specificity of WT exercise benefits.
  • Regular low water WT exercise can be an effective tool to:
    • Enhance core muscle strength
    • Increase muscle mass and strength in hindlimbs
    • Support rehabilitation programs by promoting muscular adaptations
  • The study suggests WT exercise could be incorporated as part of a targeted, veterinary-guided training or rehabilitation regime to improve horse muscle conditioning long-term.
  • Subjective assessment methods were used, and further objective measures (e.g., ultrasound or biopsies) could be valuable for future research to confirm these findings.

Conclusion

  • Water treadmill exercise in low water, practiced regularly over 40 weeks, leads to significant muscle development in sport horses, particularly in key locomotor and stabilization muscles.
  • In contrast, horses not using WT exercise did not show significant muscle changes over the same period.
  • WT exercise appears to be a beneficial training tool that may enhance muscle growth and aid rehabilitation when used appropriately within a training program.

Cite This Article

APA
Tranquille C, Nankervis K, Tacey J, Hopkins E, Deckers I, Walker V, MacKechnie-Guire R, Newton R, Murray R. (2025). Does Muscle Development of Sport Horses Using Water Treadmill Exercise as Part of a Long-Term Training Programme Differ from That of Horses Not Using Water Treadmill Exercise? Animals (Basel), 15(16), 2426. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162426

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 16
PII: 2426

Researcher Affiliations

Tranquille, Carolyne
  • Equestrian Performance Research Centre, Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK.
Nankervis, Kathryn
  • Equestrian Performance Research Centre, Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK.
Tacey, Jack
  • JBT Veterinary Physiotherapy, Nottingham NG10 4EH, UK.
Hopkins, Emily
  • Regain Veterinary Physiotherapy, Bury St Edmunds IP31 3SL, UK.
Deckers, Isabeau
  • Equilibro, Foxemaatstraat 27, 2920 Kalmthout, Belgium.
Walker, Vicki
  • Equestrian Performance Research Centre, Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK.
MacKechnie-Guire, Russell
  • Equestrian Performance Research Centre, Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK.
Newton, Richard
  • Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
Murray, Rachel
  • Ibikus Ltd., Bury St Edmunds IP32 7AR, UK.

Grant Funding

  • S18-625-633 / Petplan Charitable Trust

Conflict of Interest Statement

Author J.T. was employed by the company JBT Veterinary Physiotherapy. Author E.H. was employed by the company Regain Veterinary Physiotherapy. Author I.D. was employed by the company Equilibro. Author R.N. was employed by the company University of Cambridge. Author R.M. was employed by the company Ibikus Ltd. All the authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest.

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