Has anyone ever had an infrared scan done on there horses? It goes by either infrared imaging or equine thermography, not sure what the correct term is here. I have a horse that is having back issues but they can’t see/find anything and was curious if anyone has ever had it done and what it cost.
Also, Ber Blankets? Has anyone had any success with these? What did you pay for a session with the blanket?
Looking for all and any info on either of these topics. Thank you!
Hi
I used to do equine infrared imaging.
Its a very useful tool, in your case I think it would be excellent as sore back horses can have underlying issues pretty much anywhere else, present there.
It shouldnt be expensive, as they will come take the pics and send to you.
If you cant find a dedicated horse person doing it, approach a building or electrical equivalent, they will have no idea what they are looking at, but thats ok because they will just give you the pictures.
Its very obvious from the pictures what areas require further investigation, so you can narrow down your search.
It wont diagnose you, but should lead you to where to look to diagnose.
If you end up with pics you cant read, ill happily look at them for you too and give some insight.
Good luck.
kiwichick - Do the pictures need to be taken after exercise or at rest? Could the infrared technology be used to identify if there are pressure points being caused by a saddle?
One of my boarders has a beamer blanket and insisted she try it on my horse for a week. I noticed zero change in him. All it does is open capillaries. It is nowhere near as strong as a real PEMF machine.
I’m pretty sure it needs to be taken after the horse isn’t touch, in a stall or barn with doors closed, no wind, etc. As i have read on different websites!
Yes sorry I didnt see your reply.
You just stand them undercover somewhere out of the elements at least an hour before.
True inflammation and environmental interference show up pretty differently to an experienced operator, you just need to take their word for it. If its an inexperienced or cross industry operator, it would be important to have the horse as prepared as can be. I ahve had them stoof under trees and in shadows thrown by houses before though, it can be done.
You can check saddle fit after exercise, and yes it will show pressure spots.
I found one of my own saddles was bridging using this technique
kiwichick - Is there a handheld version for the lay user that is budget friendly?
I just had thermography done on my horse and it was very interesting and informative. Generally, the horse needs to be at rest and out of the weather (sun and wind) for a while so their body temperature equalizes. This would be for detecting general/underlying issues. An experienced operator is very helpful for interpretation. I do think it could help with saddle fit questions if you did a baseline scan, then light exercise without the saddle, then with a rider mounted in the saddle.
I’ve tried the Bemer on myself and noticed zero difference. I have used PEMF on my horse (couldn’t afford it for me and her!) and a friend has used it on herself and her horse and we both feel differences were noticed in both horses and human. In particular, I noticed specific differences in my horse’s reactivity to the treatment between 2 different treatments that were quite informative. I don’t think the Bemer is really strong enough for a large mammal such as a horse. There is also more research supporting the effectiveness of PEMF, in my opinion. I am actually considering purchasing one because there is no local provider and I think it would be worth the investment.
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