Equilibrium Massage Mitt Hotspot
• The choice is yours – pick from heat and two different types of massage.
• Tailor the massage with three different strengths.
• Fits into your daily routine with a 10-minute programme.
• There’s no muscle you can’t reach.
• Battery operated to take it with you wherever you go.
Contains 1 x Mitt Hotspot, 1 x Storage Bag, 1 x Equilibrium Battery, 1 x Equilibrium Charger.
Plus – the Hotspot heat pad is not just for horses. You can use it on yourself too!
What inspired the horse Massage Mitt Hotspot Heat Pad for horses?
With the Equilibrium Massage range already helping horses worldwide, it seemed only natural to add the next best thing – heat! Not just a heat pad, Equilibrium have added different types of massage so you can really tailor the session to your horses needs and preferences.
How can Massage and Heat benefit horses?
Our horses work hard for us with a lot of pressure being put onto their muscles through exercise.
Massage and heat are two simple ways in which we can help support healthy muscle function in our horse.
Massage
Performance depends on freedom of movement, full flexibility, and an absence of musculoskeletal pain, all of which can be improved using massage (Gellman, 1998).
These factors also contribute towards keeping your horse comfortable and happy in general too!
Benefits of Massage include:
• Helps maintain healthy blood and lymph circulation.
• Soothes tired muscles.
• Supports recovery after exercise.
• Promotes relaxation.
Heat
Using heat is a great way to help sensitive horses who may find massage too much. Heat is non-invasive, gentle, and well accepted with many associated benefits.
Research suggests that tissue temperature needs to increase by at least 3 to 5°C from the resting temperature (Bockstahler et al, 2004). However, using something that is too hot could cause discomfort and even damage to the tissue.
Did you know?
The Massage Mitt Hotspot has been tested to increase skin temperature by 8.7°C on average?
Benefits of Heat include:
• Helps maintain good oxygen supply to muscles.
• Encourages muscle relaxation.
• Increases flexibility.
Using the equine Massage Mitt Hotspot Heat Pad:
LOW – this is best suited for a relaxing massage:
• After exercise.
• On a day of rest.
• For a sensitive horse.
• When introducing the Hotspot for the first time.
MEDIUM – this is best suited for general maintenance and everyday use:
• For a pre-exercise warm up.
• General maintenance massage.
HIGH – this is best suited:
• For horses who prefer a more intense massage.
• Those with thicker coats.
• Horses who are a bit overweight.
Use cyclical massage for your horse if you are holding the Hotspot heat pad still. This is useful when targeting a specific area.
Use continuous massage for your horse if you are moving the Hotspot heat pad over larger areas. This allows each sweep to deliver the same massage.
Use the heat for your horse on its own for a gentle session to aid healthy circulation. This is ideal for sensitive horses or those returning to work. Heat is also perfect to help warm up muscles prior to stretching your horse.
For the ultimate session, use heat and massage together! This is best suited when holding the Hotspot heat pad in one area or sweeping it over a smaller area.
Who is the Massage Mitt Hotspot for?
All horses and ponies could certainly benefit from the Massage Mitt Hotspot, including those:
• At rest/retirement.
• In work from hacking to competition. This includes horses returning to work or retraining.
• For older horses.
• Horses on box rest, standing in for long periods of time or on limited turnout.
How do I care for the Massage Mitt Hotspot?
The Massage Mitt Hotspot just needs a gentle wipe down with a damp, clean cloth if the material gets scurfy. For Battery and Charger care, please see their safety instructions included in the packaging, or here.
Caution! Do not use on the following (for humans and horses):
• Open wounds, new injuries, or new swelling (for the first 48 hours).
• Where there is suspected infection or malignant tumours.
• Burn injuries or deep vein thrombosis.
• Over the abdomen if pregnant.
• Circulatory problems, causing hypo or hyper sensitivity to heat.
• Active bleeding, bruising or haematoma.
• Bony areas such as the wither, point of shoulder or hip.
• Do not apply more than 2 consecutive cycles of heat in one spot.

Massage Pad Testing The Equilibrium Massage Pad was independently tested by Myerscough College and the findings showed: Increased Flexibility Results showed an overall improvement in back flexibility of approximately 46%. Stride Length The stride length of the treated horses increased over the period of the test by 12cms, whereas the control group showed little improvement. Promoting Relaxation Using a heart rate monitor, horses wearing the Equilibrium Massage Pad showed a decrease in heart rate when compared to the horses in the control group. Heat is a non-invasive, gentle, and generally a well-accepted form of therapy with many associated benefits. However, it is important that heat is delivered at the correct temperature, and for an appropriate amount of time to achieve the desired effects. If temperatures are not high enough, there is unlikely to be any significant effect to the tissue. If temperatures are too high, or are left in position too long, then tissue damage may occur. Heat Sensor Technology Our Heatsense Pad has therefore been thoroughly tested to ensure the heat is delivered in accordance with supporting research. A range of sources determined the following necessities for the Massage Pad Heatsense. - Heat is delivered between 40-45 degrees Celsius. - The target temperature is maintained for 15 minutes. - The heat should never exceed 45 degrees Celsius for an extended period of time. Due to the risks associated with heat, and the narrow target window for therapeutic heat, we developed an intelligent monitoring system that is constantly checking the temperature being delivered to the horse. This adjusts accordingly to ensure a repeatable session is experienced each time the pad is used. This is especially important in a product that is strapped to the horse, that they cannot easily move away from. As the temperature reaches the target of 42 degrees Celsius power to the heat pads will cut out. As the temperature drops again, power to the heat pads will resume. This process continues to ensure the horse receives 15 minutes at the target temperature. This monitoring system will also help prevent the pad heating tissue that is already hot, whether that is due to ambient temperatures, or if the horse has just been exercised. The left and right side of the pad also work independently of each other, meaning one side could be receiving heat, even if the other is too warm.

Crafted with a smart, weather-proof material and backed by scientific testing, the Stellar All-Weather Safety Headcollar is ideal for daily use, competitions, and as a field-safe option.

Key Features of the Stellar Headcollar:

• Reusable and replaceable safety release system tailored to your horses’ size and weight.
• Scientifically tested for reliability.
• User tested for fit and ease of use.
• Constructed from PVC with high-grade metal fittings for durability and weather resistance.
• Enhanced comfort with soft leather look padding on the headpiece and nosepiece.
• Complete the set with the matching Stellar Lead rope.

Inspiration Behind the Design of Stellar:

Driven by a commitment to equine welfare and safety, Equilibrium embarked on a journey to investigate headcollar standards, a piece of equipment used daily by most horse owners. The survey findings were startling, showcasing alarming injury rates. This ignited the start of a commitment to delve deeper into headcollar testing and safety.

At Equilibrium we are dedicated to continuously evaluating and developing our products. After conducting a thorough examination of headcollar safety and incorporating valuable feedback from our dedicated customer-base, an opportunity was highlighted to further elevate the Stellar All-Weather Headcollar design to offer a tailored release system, which is appropriate for the individual horse’s size and weight. The Safety Release System is now located on the right side of the headcollar allowing for easy replacement no longer needing to replace the whole headpiece, but also allowing for easy adjustability.

Headcollar Safety Survey Results:

Equilibrium commissioned Dr David Marlin to conduct a survey. Answered by 5615 horse owners*, the survey aimed to find out their experience with using headcollars. This included how often they used them, what types were used, how they were used and the problems associated with them.
The results were surprising.
• Almost 1 out of 3 people experienced a horse being injured as a result of a headcollar.
• More than 1 in 7 people have been injured in a headcollar related incident.
• There were 167 horse fatalities as a result of a headcollar.

Unsurprisingly the majority of incidents happened tied outside, closely followed by in the field.
These results demonstrated that perhaps, headcollars should be investigated in more depth…
Find the published results here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eve.13480

Scientific Testing of Headcollars:

To explore headcollar safety further, Equilibrium commissioned Dr. David Marlin to test the release points of different types of headcollars and tying up devices, including baling twine. The results showed a great variation, from some tie up aids releasing as low as 9kg, to some headcollars releasing as high as over 600kg - more than the average horses’ weight.

Find the full research paper here: https://doi.org/10.1177/17543371211039610

Equilibrium conducted more testing to develop this concept further using a tensile machine. Different lengths of straps were tested to measure their maximum load before releasing. This allowed the appropriate strap and release weight to be matched with the ideal horse size, with the average release rates being based on 10-15% of the horse’s or pony’s weight. Therefore, the different headcollar sizes are set to release at an average of:

Small/Pony Headcollar = 45kg.

Medium/Cob Headcollar = 58kg.

Large/Horse Headcollar = 68kg.

Extra Large Headcollar = 83kg.

The release system is tested to release consistently, up to 10 times. Equilibrium recommends that the safety strap is replaced after 10 pulls (or if the Velcro is not adhering well) to ensure efficiency of the strap.

The Stellar Style Safety Headcollar combines scientifically tested safety with superior comfort and durability, giving you peace of mind every day.