by Roger Dowd, for Goshen Historic Track

Goshen, NY — “Standardbred horses — all race horses — are like Olympic athletes,” said Goshen Historic Track’s Facility Manager Tim Masters. Among other responsibilities, Masters oversees the half-mile track’s daily maintenance to ensure that it is in optimal condition throughout the year.

Racehorses are highly sensitive to track surfaces, which affect their stride and speed. They jog nearly every day and perform at their best only when they can pace or trot in confidence. However, like all athletes, they are prone to strains and injuries.

Roger Dowd photo

Gotmyredressontnit receives star treatment from owner/trainer Chuck Connor, Echo Equine Spa representative Ray Osborne and principal spa sponsor Peter Gerry.

A little more than a year ago, with this concern in mind, veteran Standardbred owners and trainers Chuck Connor and Peter Gerry proposed the purchase and installation of a therapeutic equine spa to address equine injuries at the track. They recognized the need to treat a horse’s injuries shortly after they occur and, at times, as a preventative measure to be taken before races and training sessions.

On Jan. 22, their vision became a reality when Gotmyredressontnit was the first horse to step into the new cold salt water enclosure at Goshen Historic Track.

Thanks to generous funding from Peter Gerry, and the track’s budget for operational improvements, construction on the spa commenced late last fall and proceeded quickly to completion by the second week of January. Ray Osborne from Echo Equine, the spa equipment’s manufacturer, came in from corporate headquarters in England to provide instruction and troubleshoot any problems that might have occurred on the first day of operation.

The 4-year-old mare had suffered a fracture of a bone above one of her hooves. Up until then, she had won both races in which she had competed. Her owner Janice Connor elected to forego expensive surgery and opt for spa therapy. She is hoping that a regimen of regular spa treatments and rest will have her magnificent pacer with the colorful name back on the track sometime soon.

The therapeutic properties of salt water and epsom salt are well known.

When it is chilled to 34 degrees Fahrenheit the treatment does wonders. One might ask, isn’t that too cold — it’s nearly freezing. It certainly would be for humans. But for horses who lack fleshy tissue in their legs and are accustomed to standing outdoors in frigid weather, there are no concerns about hypothermia. Upon exiting the half-hour immersion, warm blood surges through their veins and arteries, accelerating the healing process.

Good news for horse owners in the area — the Eco Equine Spa is not open just for race horses. It is open to horses of every discipline, from jumpers to trail horses. As an introductory offer to horse owners, Goshen Historic Track is offering free spa sessions until March 1.

Like the track, the spa will be open year round.

Goshen Historic Track is the world’s oldest operating harness racing track. It is a national historic landmark and non-profit that covers its annual operational costs largely through income from its boarding and training facilities, as well as seven days of harness racing in the summer months. Revenue from the spa will go a long way to keep the track trotting and pacing in its 107th Grand Circuit racing season. Visit the track website at www.goshenhistorictrack.com.

To schedule your horse’s spa treatment call 845.294.5333. Treatments are by appointment only.