My Equilibrium Magnetic Rug from World Equestrian Brands appeared faster than you could say its name, arriving promptly at my door shortly after I submitted my size to review. I might have done a little dance as I opened the package.
I was so excited to check out this product for the benefit of the horses in my program. I have a diverse group, everything from my personal horse (a 23-year-old mare), young horses being backed, OTTBs, horses coming back into work, and horses in full work. With such a wide variety of types, I knew the Magnetic Rug’s versatility would come in handy.
Even the barn dogs were excited to open up the box!
Components:
The Equilibrium Magnetic Rug includes 6 powerful and large VITAflex(r) magnets (25cm each), all of which are moveable, to be placed directly where each horse would benefit. With a detachable neck and anti-rub lining, the product is focused on ensuring the comfort of each horse using the product.
Holding true to my nerdy, research-oriented personality, I did some digging into the benefits and uses of magnetic treatments for horses. As stated in Your Horse magazine, “magnetic therapy is natural and non-invasive, but it’s important to note that the magnets themselves don’t heal — they are thought to help support the right environment for the body to heal itself.”
There are many claims of the benefits of magnetic treatments, and anecdotal evidence to back up many of those claims, including: helping warm muscles up before and after work, relieving tension and aid relaxation, easing general stiffness, reducing swelling, boosting general well-being, and supporting the body to heal. With that, I was excited to check it out for myself!
Impressions:
The rug arrived in a neat bag, perfectly convenient for storage around the barn. Fitting the rug to each horse in my program was easy — and each of them looked so sharp with the classic black look.
Looking absolutely sharp!
Of course, the look is not the main factor to consider (although it definitely doesn’t hurt!). Beyond the horses looking wonderful, I was seriously impressed with the quality of material on the rug. Originally, I was curious as far as the security of the magnets — since the rug is intended to be worn for hours, or even overnight, but the magnets are movable, I was concerned that the magnets wouldn’t stay in the appropriate location.
However, immediately after placing the magnets for my first horse, I realized that Equilibrium must have found the strongest velcro in the world. Those magnets are not going anywhere without human assistance. And despite multiple uses, the velcro has yet to weaken.
In practice:
As a therapeutic product, results take some time to see. Due to the toasty Pennsylvania summer weather, my use of the blanket was limited to early mornings and late evenings, when the weather was cooler. With our current turnout schedule (overnight turnout in the summer), I haven’t yet been able to use the product overnight. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to experience results due to the structured use. However, I was able to see progress faster than I had anticipated.
My personal mare, who is 23 and retired from competition, has been dealing with some general stiffness. While we manage her changing body with body work, movement, and a nutrition plan, I was thrilled to be able to loop the Magnetic Rug into our program for her. After fitting the rug to her personal needs, I hung outside of her stall, spying on her — yes, I am that helicopter mom. Just minutes after placing the rug on her, I watched her stretch and lick/chew multiple times. Integrating the rug into her daily routine will continue to add comfort to her retired lifestyle.
From horses in work to older retired residents, everyone seemed comfortable and happy in the Magnetic Rug.
The rug didn’t only show positive results with comfort for older horses, but with horses in work as well.
A friend of mine has a horse with a perpetually tight right shoulder. Naturally, when I received the Magnetic Rug, I wondered what effects the rug might have on this challenge. When I asked if I could test the product out on her horse, my friend jumped at the opportunity!
Again, because of the adjustability of the magnets, we were able to perfectly fit the rug to her specific horse, addressing individual and specific challenges each horse faces. After a few uses of the Magnetic Rug, my friend was already remarking on how her shoulder felt looser and more mobile. Yay for comfort and rideability!
Final Reflections:
The Equilibrium Magnetic Rug carried by World Equestrian Brands provided me with straightforward and quality magnetic treatment that seemed to encourage increased mobility and comfort for the horses it had been used on. I absolutely love the adjustability of this product; the moveable magnets are huge when it comes to finding a product that can benefit a variety of types of horses. That isn’t found easily! Additionally, the quality of the material was unbelievable, with some impressive stickability with the velcro.
I’m looking forward to continued use of the rug, and am curious to see what benefits the product can bring as the weather cools. Naturally, the horses get a bit tighter and friskier, but with the chillier weather, the product can be used for longer periods of time to encourage softness, despite the changing seasons!
If you’re interested in learning more about the product, or more about World Equestrian Brands, check out the product on their website, and the World Equestrian Brands Instagram for more information.
