Getting on Track with Back on Track

Classy Dan having a BOT nap.

               With my goal made I set out looking for new products that worked.  
​ I hate to admit this in writing but the first time I heard about Back on Track was from a steer wrestler, I know hard to believe but it was true.  Chad Bouchard’s good horse Radar had a bone chip removed from his fetlock and he had heard about these great new wraps maybe he should try so like any cowboy he asked the barrel racer in his life (Justin and Chad are close friends  so when I married Justin I got Chad too.  Chads wife Karen is a purebred cattle lady not so much into horse rehab, at least she wasn’t then now she’s almost barrel racer certified in horse care lol)  Anyways I wasn’t sold on the idea Chad should wrap this post-surgical leg in heat.  I argued heat draws calcium you could reduce the elasticity of the healing tissue I was pretty sure if he was mine I would cold horse.  He told me to go learn about it and let him know.  It was literally days later a friend posted a Back on Track blanket for sale I bought it (what a sucker right) and went to using it on our horses.  Weeks later the same friend I had bought the blanket from was selling her store out so I asked about dealing Back on Track if she wasn’t going to.  She lined me up with Dave from Back on Track Canada and I took over selling her “area” term used lightly because in the end no areas or market share was recognized but that’s a whole other can of worms for another time.   I was one of the first to sell it and was always telling my customers how I felt the best way to use it was.   I had close friends who are equine therapist who resisted it strongly not because they didn’t good in it but because they knew what I didn’t at the time.  A little is never enough for us horse people, there seems to be no such thing as use when needed or for a few hours a day.  If he feels this good after  4 hours how good could he feel if he lived in it, let’s find out.  (my head just hit the key board thinking about it, same as it hits the steering wheel when I pull into and event it’s +29 out and some old horse is tied in the sun wearing his full blanket with neck and his quick wraps and he’s been there for hours probably all day,  I guess he must run better cooked.)  I realize I am going to get some hate mail for this but breathe deep and think about it do professional athletes prepare to compete this way or do they warm up their muscles before and keep them warm during and then cool them down after??  Honestly most horse require no more than 4 hours in Back on Track it is alright to use overnight sometimes  and more often when you are working on an issue but think about your intended purpose and your  plan for it’s use.  What Back on Track actually does is well explained on their webpage http://www.backontrackproducts.com/How-Back-on-Track-Products-Work-22.html   In short it is “long wave infrared heat radiation which increases the blood circulation. The increased blood circulation in the tissues helps to relieve muscles tension and improves performance.”  Basically increased circulation brings more blood more oxygen more “energy” to the cells that require it.  Is it a heal all nope but it does help a lot of things.  I should also mention not all horses enjoy it our hazing horse Twenty despises it he will actually rip it off his body so it’s important to pay attention to their responses.
                                     
                         My Aged Performance Horse Plan
      Missile is old and arthritic Short Go is plagued by an old shoulder injury.  You will be able to read their stories  and our journey in the horses section of this blog.  They both love Back on Track like seriously love it, if they could wear it head to hoof everyday I think they might.  What I found best for them though was to use it 4 hrs a day 4 days a week when I was working on loosening up something on them.  Missile also benefited from wearing the quick wraps when the weather changed I believe it reduced the onset of his arthritis.  When we were competing on them I would put it on 3-4 hours out.  If I was up at 8 am I would get up at  5 and put it on,  I know people who get up to bute or use Lasix so I’m never sure why it’s too hard to get up to Back on Track so your horse wears if for 16 hours before making it less effective in my opinion.   I also liked using the BOT saddle pad liner while riding Missile it equated it to a pitcher keeping his arm warm and loose during a game.  After competition I cooled them out I love a clay or mud or a cold hose if there’s one around (think pitcher icing his shoulder)
 
                        The “Tight” Horse
     Awe, The Fonz is a horse known to many understood by few lol.  If a cowboy would ever admit to loving a horse like a barrel racer this is Justin and Fonz.  Fonz is high maintenance and battled muscle tightness and tension all the time.  He responded huge to BOT but couldn’t use it right before competition or he would be flat even flat enough the fire breathing dragon would be dopey.  We ended up using it when we pulled in somewhere so his whole body would relax and he would feel good the next day.
​
                       Rehab
  This totally depends on the injury I personally like a hot / Cold rotation on limbs.  I also have used it to prevent injury from over compensation which I feel happens a lot.  When Classy Dan was severely hurt with her puncture wound on a hind foot I used my BOT blanket to reduce the tension and pain in her shoulders and other hip from her uneven weight bearing.  She would often lay down and sleep about 20 minutes after I put it on.   I will include when I use it in the other stories about the horses and why. 

---