Evidence led
What the research says – honestly
The most convincing approach isn’t to label every technology “scientifically proven”. Instead, we say what was measured in horses, under what conditions – and where the evidence is still weak.
Summary
Strength of evidence by technology
| Technology | What has been studied in horses | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Cold + compression | Reduced tendon temperature; greater cooling than ice boots or cooling without compression | stronger |
| Active cooling after work | Faster drop in body temperature compared with passive rest | stronger |
| Low-level laser | Reduced back pain, back muscle tension and trunk stiffness (randomised, no placebo) | moderate |
| PEMF / BEMER | Signs suggestive of relaxation; recovery benefit not confirmed; small uncontrolled back study with favourable changes | preliminary |
| LED red/NIR | Researched area, few and mixed equine data | limited |
Most of these studies are small. The devices and parameters used in research are not necessarily the same as ours, so results cannot be guaranteed for every horse.
Key findings
Numbers measured in horses
−10.8 °C
Core temperature of the superficial digital flexor tendon with compression cooling (60 min), compared with −7.5 °C for ice boots. 6 horses, experimental study.
McCarthy, Ordóñez, Semevolos, 2025
−10.2 °C
Maximum drop in superficial digital flexor tendon temperature with 20 min cooling + intermittent compression, versus −1.65 °C without compression. 6 horses.
Jacobs, O’Neil, Prange, 2022
61 horses
Randomised clinical trial: low-level laser therapy was associated with significant reductions in back pain, hypertonicity and trunk stiffness.
Haussler, Manchon, Donnell, Frisbie, 2020
Sources
Scientific publications cited
- McCarthy RD, Ordóñez HJ, Semevolos SA. In vivo effects of cold therapy and bandaging on core temperatures of equine superficial and deep digital flexor tendons. Veterinary Surgery. 2025;54(3):470–477. doi:10.1111/vsu.14235
- Jacobs CC, O’Neil E, Prange T. Efficacy of a commercial dry sleeve cryotherapy system for cooling the equine metacarpus. Veterinary Surgery. 2022;51(7):1070–1077. doi:10.1111/vsu.13847
- Takahashi Y, et al. A comparison of five cooling methods in hot and humid environments in Thoroughbred horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2020;91:103130. doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103130
- Haussler KK, Manchon PT, Donnell JR, Frisbie DD. Effects of low-level laser therapy and chiropractic care on back pain in Quarter Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2020;86:102891. doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2019.102891
- Dai F, Dalla Costa E, Giordano A, et al. Effects of BEMER® physical vascular therapy in horses under training: a randomized, controlled double blind study. Research in Veterinary Science. 2022;144:108–114. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.01.017
- King MR, et al. Effects of a bio-electromagnetic energy regulation blanket on thoracolumbar epaxial muscle pain in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2022;111:103867.
- Millis DL, Bergh A. A systematic literature review of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine: laser therapy. Animals. 2023;13(4):667. doi:10.3390/ani13040667
- Hyytiäinen HK, Boström A, Asplund K, Bergh A. A systematic review of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine in sport and companion animals: electrotherapy. Animals. 2023;13(1):64. doi:10.3390/ani13010064
How we communicate
How do we talk about effects?
How we put it
- “may help support recovery”
- “as a complementary part of rehabilitation”
- “in a study in horses, researchers measured…”
- “fits into the veterinary plan”
What we don’t say
- “cures”, “rebuilds”, “eliminates”
- “prevents injuries”
- “removes toxins / lactic acid”
- “guaranteed better performance”
Questions about the evidence?
We’re happy to tell you what we think about your horse’s situation – including if we think our service isn’t the answer.