The most effective and certainly the least costly method of physical therapy for the Equine athlete is routinely applying cold therapy after exercise, schooling or showing.
There are two good reasons. First inflammation is a normal event after physical exercise. This inflammation is like a small brush fire. ..If you do not snuff it out quickly it will rage into a major blaze and become more difficult to control. Secondly, heat is damaging to tendons. Veterinary studies show exercise decreased pH and increased core temperatures of the tendons beyond physiologically healthy limits

Four new products are available from Ice Horse/ First Ice , namely The Knee to Ankle Wrap, Tendon Wraps, Hock Wraps and the Big Black Boot for the hooves. These products and the First Ice inserts provide comfortable, soothing cold for the horse, without skin irritation, and eliminate the ice mess in the stall.

FIRST+ICE is a new cold therapy system developed by MacKinnon Ice Horse products, The First Ice product is a unique mix of polymers, food grade propylene glycol and a low volume of water contained in a durable, reusable, refreezable plastic bag which is applied to the horses leg , hock or hoof with a durable wrap. The cold lasts for up to two (2) hours.

The reusable feature of FIRST+ICE saves buying ice every day. The non-gel formula is safe, soft and configures perfectly to the treatment site be it a bowed tendon or any soft tissue trauma. The shape and size of the various leg, hock and hoof wrap permits placing the cold therapy exactly where it's needed. Once attached it stays in position, delivering the benefits of cold therapy while the horse feeds or rests in its stall.

The FIRST +ICE cold packs are placed in the refrigerator freezer for three hours or overnight. When removed from the freezer, a simple 5-second massage results in a loose flexible cold source that configures to the horse's cannon bone, tendon areas and suspensory ligaments, or where ever else it is applied...

FIRST+ICE is another innovative product from MacKinnon Inc, the developer of The Ice Horse Equine Continuous Cold Therapy System. For details on veterinary or direct customer service, contact MacKinnon Inc at 4408 Ocean Valley Lane, San Diego, Ca. 92130 or call 858 792 0881. . Email; Macequine@aol.com or visit our web site at www.mackinnonicehorse.com.

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