Facilities – Aqua Therapy Pool

Banshee Ranch Equine is a performance & rehabilitation center near Montgomery, Texas. We are dedicated to rehabilitation of the equine athlete. Our philosophy is a logical one:  Activity promotes healing. 

“You don’t just put a football player on the couch after surgery, but until now that’s what has been done with horses.” said Sue Porter who with her husband, Jim Porter, owns and operates Banshee Ranch.

 “A lot of very progressive vets are turning towards us because they recognize the importance of keeping these equine athletes active and maintaining their nutrition.” notes Jim.

 Banshee’s program of controlled physical exercise and hydrotherapy enables horses to recover more efficiently by promoting cardiovascular activity which keeps blood flowing to affected areas.  Additionally, exercise enables equine athletes to remain on a good nutrition program which also aids healing.

 “Many times feed must be withdrawn from stall-bound horses because they get too high spirited,” said Sue.  “This means you are taking away the nutrition they need to repair their bodies.  By keeping them active, we can continue to feed them well without the worry about them hurting themselves in the stall.”

Banshee Ranch is equipped with a swimming pool; lighted automatic-walker, jogging track; lighted full-size arena; riding trails; lighted round-pen, and a 24-stall Texas style barn.

“We work with the veterinarians and other professionals  who provide services to assist in the healing.” said Sue. “We are the ones who put it all together and make sure everything is done to get the horse back to his previous performance level.”

“We are not only here to get the horse back on track faster but also more efficiently and safely.  When they have recovered they are ready to jump right back into competition.  These horses don’t return with long hair and pot bellies from being left to pasture, they are ready to perform so the owner doesn’t waste any time.” said Jim.

 Modeled After Human Facility

 Each patient in the 24-stall facility has a unique rehabilitation program designed for that horse’s specific needs. Some patients are recovering from surgery. Others are receiving physical therapy for injuries.  Some are building up their strength after a severe illness and some are simply endurance training. A medical chart for each horse hangs on the wall of each stall.  On that chart the vet prescribes the horse’s daily rehabilitation activities, medication, and specific care.  As in a human rehabilitation facility each patient’s chart contains notations from the treating physician and caregivers as to the horse’s progress, areas of concern, and other pertinent medical information.

“When the veterinarian comes, I can hand him the chart and he can tweak it, change it, or do whatever he wants.” Sue said. “We never take one step farther with these horse’s from what the vet has prescribed until we are told that an ultrasound shows the horse can go on.”

All horses start out doing one lap in the pool, then we take them out of the pool and let them catch their breath; then we put them back in to swim a second lap.  We do that for a couple days to help them get over the fear factor.  This also builds confidence in these horses when they can conquer their fears.

 “The program typically progresses so the horse is exercising in the pool daily with the number of pool laps gradually increased as the horse becomes more fit.  We can get them up to as much as 18 laps in the pool at a time,” Jim said. “They come out of the water, and their cardiovascular system is so good that they take a few breaths and they are recovered.”

 The automatic walker reintroduces the horse to weight-bearing exercise as it walks, trots, and canters on a sand surface.  In the last stage of rehabilitation, a rider jogs the horse around the track, which is covered with a special padded surface that provides good footing and guards against percussion.

 “Depending on the severity of the horses injury and the specific protocol designed by the veterinarian, most horses return to their sport within 45 days.  Injuries like this used to take 120 days, and the horse lost all his condition,” Sue said. “What we are able to do now is remarkable.”

“We try to create the safest environment we can to bring an equine athlete back to his job as expeditiously as possible,” said Jim. “The horse comes out ahead so the trainer can start right where he left off, and the owner gets the horse back to producing income faster.”