There’s something almost spiritual about the healing properties of water. Humans have used this life-giving liquid to encourage healing, in themselves and in their horses, since the dawn of time. Water cleanses (in fact, several of the world’s religions have endowed it with symbolic purifying properties). It soothes, it draws away inflammation and infection, and it does so in the most natural way. It’s simplicity itself, borne of a simple molecule composed of two hydrogen atoms bound to an oxygen atom.

Even with all of the advances in veterinary medicine we’ve seen over the past century, there’s still no substitute for simple, soothing water. For many equine injuries, hydrotherapy (applying water to encourage healing) is just what the doctor ordered–and can help the healing along better, and more cheaply, than many of our chemically advanced lotions and potions or electronic gadgets