6 Things To Know About Red Light Therapy For Horses

If you take care of horses, you should be familiar with the health conditions these animals often face. Skin conditions, chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, and perhaps the most common problem you’ll encounter, wounds. Wounds are a staple among horses; some are small and require little effort to treat, but there are cases when if neglected, it may lead to severe consequences.

Red Light Therapy 101

The bad news is if you’re dealing with many horses, you can’t possibly treat all of them every time. But if you keep up with the news, you’re probably familiar with red light therapy (RLT) and its claims of wound-healing effects. In this guide, you’ll get to know more about this therapeutic technique and what it holds for your horses.

1. Red Light Therapy Doesn’t Hurt The Skin

There have been a few discussions whether red light therapy hurts the skin, which is an alarming matter for skin-conscious individuals, especially since it may lead to burns. Fortunately, it doesn’t.

RLT only uses low heat levels, which wouldn’t be enough to burn your skin and to result in pain. Furthermore, most red light techniques don’t involve harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Take note, this applies to red light therapy devices for horses, so it should be safe for humans and animals.

Even though it only emits low heat levels, it can still cause burns if you leave it in one area for too long. There have already been cases of burns because of accidentally falling asleep while the RLT device is in place.

2. Red Light Therapy Goes By Many Names

If you’ve done your research on red light therapy prior to this guide, you may have heard of all kinds of terms.

While it goes by many names, experts use the term suiting the context the most. For instance, if it’s being used for photosynthesizing, it might be referred to as photobiomodulation. In the case of horses, people like to call it red light therapy or light therapy for short.

3. Red Light Therapy Works The Same With Horses

As with many people, you probably have inquiries on how red light therapy works on humans, so if you intend to use it on horses, then you’re most likely even more concerned. But rest assured this technique works with horses the same way it does with humans.

For starters, light therapy involves using natural light with a low wavelength, hence the color. This light can penetrate deep into your skin; and once it does, your cells, specifically the mitochondria or the powerhouse of the cell, absorbs the energy from this light, which powers it up.

With this extra energy, your cells can operate more efficiently than before, leading to all kinds of benefits like wound healing, which is perhaps what sparked your curiosity. That’s pretty much how light therapy works, or at least what you need to know. And since it works with horses and humans alike, its effects are also similar. 

4. Red Light Therapy’s Effects Extend Beyond Regeneration

Red light therapy is known for its apparent wound healing effects as it works by providing energy to your cells.

Perhaps, the main reason it became as popular as it is now is because of its ability to treat skin issues like wrinkles. Regardless, you should know by now why this technique has caught the attention of many horse caretakers since its effects are compatible with horses. However, it doesn’t mean you can use RLT devices as much as you like because there’s always a limit. 

5. Horses Require A Specific Amount Of Red Light

Too much of anything is bad, and red light therapy is no exception. If you want your horse to benefit as much as possible from RLT without any consequences, you need to know how often they should be exposed to red light. Unfortunately, this is the one area that’d be different from humans since a horse’s body behaves differently from a human’s.

Nonetheless, the ideal duration per red light therapy session is 20 minutes, and you can administer it three to five times a week. You should then decrease the frequency after a couple of weeks.

For the best results, experts recommend taking notes of the effects of the therapy, so you can find out if you’re using the treatment too much or too little.

You should be able to notice the difference and take notes since its effects tend to be varying. It can also be tricky to determine the ideal amount of red light if you’re taking care of a unique type of horse such as miniature horses since there are fewer references.

6. Red Light Therapy Devices Can Be Found Online

Related Reading

• Get a stall Toy for Your Horse
• Pet Horse Care Guide
• Horse Red Light Therapy
• Teaching Your Horse Manners
• What Is Equine Assisted Therapy?
• How to Deworm a Horse
• Guide to Miniature Horse Care

You’ve probably worked up over where you can get red light therapy, especially you intend to use it on your horses. The good news is you can find red light therapy devices online.

However, you need to make sure the device is approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You can do this by doing your research on the brand. Prices may also vary according to the brand and type of device. You can look for devices in different marketplaces, but since you want to use them on horses, you’re better off looking for brands specializing in RLT devices for animals.

Wrapping Up

As a horse owner, it’s your responsibility to find out what they need to live a comfortable life. Unfortunately, horses have many needs, but it shouldn’t stop you from taking care of them. You can, however, make things easier by relying on newer technologies, and red light therapy would be the perfect fit for the job.