How Water Treadmill Therapy Is Changing Equine Rehab in Rural Markets

The Hudson team is always proud to spotlight the facilities and trainers expanding access to equine rehabilitation in communities that need it most. Check out this story about how Dare 2 Dream is making a difference in Pierre, South Dakota.

In January 2020, Kelly Wheelhouse opened Dare 2 Dream Equine Conditioning in Pierre, South Dakota, to solve a problem. The region had equine conditioning centers, but nothing established for actual rehabilitation. After utilizing water therapy on her own horses and formalizing her training, she built Dare 2 Dream around an above-ground water treadmill.

Today, Dare 2 Dream houses up to a dozen horses at a time and conditions between 14 and 25 horses a day during the winter season. Kelly’s vision means horse owners across central South Dakota, who once had to travel long distances for rehab, now have a facility close to home. 

Stories like this one are becoming more common across the country, and for good reason. Underwater treadmill therapy gives horse trainers and rehab facilities a level of control that’s hard to match on land. Adjustable water depth lets a horse work through recovery in stages, starting with more buoyancy and support early on and gradually reducing it as strength returns. The resistance of water builds muscle and stamina in both healthy performance horses and those recovering from injury without the impact of hard ground training and exercises.

Read the full article highlighting Dare 2 Dream’s equine rehabilitation services and check out Hudson’s AquaPacer equine underwater treadmills to find the system that fits your facility’s needs.