Shropshire firm makes a splash for top horse training
Some of Britain's top horses could be making their way to Shropshire for a dip after the opening of a new equine swimming pool.
SyncEquine has launched the facility at Tedsmore Hall Estate at West Felton, near Oswestry, and is scheduled to be officially opened by international event rider Polly Stockton this month. Sophie Gent and Iain Johnston set up the business to help train performance horses.
Miss Gent said the 25-metre swimming lane was the first in Shropshire, Cheshire, the Midlands, Wales and Lancashire to be made available to both horse owners and professionals.
"We are providing horse owners with a service that can improve their horse's performance, fitness and assist rehabilitation cases," she said. "Some of the UK's leading professionals use swimming within the training of their horses."
Mr Johnston said lots of people had already signed up for their horses to use the pool.
He said: "The horses can exercise without putting strain on their bones muscles and tendons. Galloping has such an impact on the horse that this is a stress free way to exercise, particularly for the horses that are in rehabilitation.
"They also are perfectly balanced when they swim and once they have got used to the pool the swimming comes naturally to them. The benefits are phenomenal."
SyncEquine specialises in a technique called thermology, which uses an infra red camera to diagnose problem areas of the horse's body, helping in training the animals and making them fitter.
Miss Gent said: "Education is at the core of what we do and, as well as providing unique thermology programs we are also hosting numerous lectures and courses throughout the year.
"We are the first company in the UK to provide a centre dedicated to the advancement of medical grade thermology and we provide training to owners, professionals and students."
