top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon

World first in horse therapy: France's Kinesia Centre opens

The €1.7 million pioneering pool in Normandy is a big step in horse physiotherapy

A new purpose-built therapy swimming pool for horses is a world first and will allow vets and researchers to study muscle and tendon problems and develop proven methods of treatment.

The €1.7million Kinesia centre in Normandy has a U-shaped 40-metre pool with sloped entries to let horses enter and swim in the 3m water.

Transparent sides allow movements to be monitored and videoed. Studies include physical injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as general overall fitness. There is an underwater moving walkway and also a solarium where the horses can warm up after being in the pool.

Aqua-therapy improves horses’ health and wellbeing in the same way as humans, but until now there has been no scientific evidence about how it works and how much of what therapies to use.

Research institution Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort researchers and students will use the centre at Goustranville, Calvados, to establish scientifically proven protocols that say precisely what therapies can be used to treat what kinds of problems.

The centre took a year to build and was planned for nearly a decade as its research is important in sporting and racing horses, where trainers rely on non-medical treatments to maintain and boost performance so as not to fall foul of doping regulations.

It will also help private animals referred to the veterinary school’s hospital. The centre’s director Alexia Lemoine said a limping Shetland pony had been one of the first to be treated.

“We want to find how swimming helps, which muscles and tendons are used and in what way, so vets can write precise prescriptions about exactly what is beneficial, not just for each animal but for each injury or illness.

“There is no other facility like this anywhere else in the world,” she said.

Related stories

How you can help puppies become guide dogs in France

Wolves rehomed after storm destroys French wildlife park

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Healthcare in France*
Featured Help Guide
- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
Get news, views and information from France