Where do champion horses relax in Maryland? A horse spa, of course
By LINH BUI
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FALLSTON, Maryland (WJZ) — Nestled among farms in Fallston lies a state-of-the-art facility for elite athletes. They offer the latest therapies and treatments for sports injuries, rehabilitation, and conditioning. But good luck getting a stall.
“We get a lot of people who come in here and say, ‘Do you have any human stalls I can stay in, and take some of these treatments?”
Veterinarian Doctor Chris Smith opened Foxhall Equine in 2020, after working at the Pimlico and Laurel race tracks for years.
He says, “When a horse had an injury or came back not so well from a race, owners were left with that big question – what do I do?”
Foxhall Equine is a place to rest and recover. Treatments include an underwater treadmill.
“When they’re in there, they can become about 60 percent buoyant, which is really integral in getting these tendons and ligaments and bone bruising and joints back to optimal condition,” Smith says.
There’s a solarium room using light therapy.
“In moderation, sunlight can be really great at helping to kill bacteria and support the skin in some healing,” says veterinarian Dr. Erin Margolis.
And regenerative laser therapy can relieve pain.
“We’ve seen it able to speed up wound healing by weeks, instead of it taking months for wounds to heal,” Smith says.
Foxhall Equine is the only veterinarian-run and owned facility like this in Maryland.
“Horses come in off the van, and they’re lame. They’re holding a leg up. And we’ve been able to take that horse through 30 to 60 days… through the treatments… and then he’s able to jog completely sound down the aisleway,” Smith says. “That’s the biggest thing for us – to take a horse who comes in hurt and let him leave healthy.”
It gives the phrase “healthy as a horse” new meaning.
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