Honor Roll Racing

Honor Roll Racing will open a second Equine Spa at a Churchill Downs owned
facility early next week.  The spa will be located on the Churchill Downs
backside near the chute on the main dirt track.  The spa will be available
to all horses stabled at the main facility.  Hours of operation will vary,
but the spa will generally be open for use during regular training hours
and on afternoons and evenings when racing is in progress.  Details
regarding how the spa components work to treat and heal injuries in horses
follows:

The Effect of Near Freezing Ice Water
Icing speeds healing by causing constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels,
limiting internal bleeding, reducing inflammation, and flushing toxins
from the site of injury. The Equine Spa is able to cool the treated areas
to 35 degrees Fahrenheit or less continuously for the duration of the ten
to sixteen minute treatment, due to constant circulation of 520 gallons of
chilled water. Traditional methods of icing are typically unable to
maintain a therapeutic temperature next to the skin due to the warming
influence of the horse’s flesh. Studies have shown that traditional icing
methods have a difficult time maintaining cooling of the flesh below
temperatures in the 40’s, significantly limiting the positive impact of
the ice application.

The Impact of Drawing and Healing Salts
Over 250 lbs. of dissolved salts (a combination of sea salt and Epsom
salt)are part of the solution that is used to treat the horses. The salts
can be absorbed into the skin, further reducing the inflammation at the
treatment site. Dissolved salt in ice water also has a drawing effect that
aids in pulling abscesses out from areas such as the foot. A soothing,
numbing, healing effect on surface cuts and abrasions is a third benefit
of the dissolved salts.

The Power of Dense Ice Cold Saltwater
The density of water is important in the treatment or prevention of
injury. The colder the water is, the denser it is. The more dissolved salt
in the water, you guessed it, the denser it is. This combination of cold
and salt forms an extremely dense (heavy) solution, which thus applies
pressure to the treated areas, helping to force inflammation and swelling
out of the lower limbs and back to the heart. The heart then pumps it to
the body’s organs which dispose of the toxins– including lactic acid–that
contribute to soreness.  The therapeutic value of oxygenated massage is
delivered directly into the treatment chamber and quickly converted to
oxygen in the cold water environment of the Spa. It is believed that
horses absorb the oxygen, increasing the level in the bloodstream and
lowering blood pressure, which aids in relaxation and healing. The
massaging effect of the jets also helps horses to relax. Horses using the
spa following strenuous exercise are able to rest and sleep much better,
significantly aiding in the body’s recovery process.