The Science Behind Equine Red Light Therapy: Why More Horse Owners Are Adding It to Their Recovery Routine

From post-ride muscle care to everyday comfort, discover the research behind red and near-infrared light therapy — and why it's attracting attention in the equestrian world.

You invest in the best feed. You pay attention to saddle fit. You spend hours ensuring your horse has the right training, conditioning, and care.

But what about recovery?

Every ride asks something of your horse's body. From the muscles supporting the back to the joints and tendons working through every stride, even seemingly effortless movement requires a remarkable amount of physical coordination.

And while we're quick to notice when something is wrong, there's a growing conversation in equine care about what we can do to support our horses before discomfort becomes an obvious problem.

That's where red light therapy comes in.

Once associated primarily with professional rehabilitation settings, light-based therapies are becoming increasingly familiar to everyday horse owners.

But is there real science behind them?

Yes — although the strength of the evidence depends on the type of light therapy, the device, and the intended application.

Researchers have investigated everything from muscle activation and exercise-related physiological responses to how therapeutic light actually penetrates a horse's skin.

Here's what they've discovered, and what it could mean for the way we care for our horses.

Your Horse's Muscles Work Harder Than You Might Think

Whether your horse is schooling, jumping, hacking, or simply moving around the paddock, its musculoskeletal system is constantly working.

The back helps transfer movement between the forehand and hindquarters. The hindquarters generate propulsion. The hocks, tendons, and supporting soft tissues help manage substantial forces during movement.

And just like human athletes, horses need appropriate recovery between periods of physical activity.

This is one reason light-based therapies have attracted interest within equine sports medicine.

Rather than relying primarily on external heat or mechanical pressure, photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of light to influence biological activity within tissues.

Research suggests that appropriately delivered red and near-infrared light can interact with cellular processes involved in energy production and signaling.

That has prompted researchers to investigate whether therapeutic light might complement established approaches to muscle care and rehabilitation.

What Happens When Red Light Reaches the Body?

Every cell in your horse's body depends on energy to function.

Much of that energy is produced inside mitochondria, which help generate a molecule known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.

Think of ATP as one of the body's essential energy currencies.

Photobiomodulation research examines how absorbed light can influence mitochondrial activity and signaling pathways related to inflammation, circulation, and cellular responses.

It's an interesting concept: rather than physically massaging a muscle or heating an area, light therapy aims to influence biological processes through the delivery of light energy.

But there's a catch.

Not every red light delivers the same effect. The wavelength, intensity, treatment duration, and amount of light reaching the target tissue all influence the response.

That's why the difference between a properly designed red light therapy device and an ordinary red light source matters.

Study 1: Researchers Found Changes in Equine Muscle Activity

One of the more interesting studies into equine photobiomodulation was published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in 2021.

Researchers investigated the short-term effects of low-level laser therapy on eight horses, examining muscle activity in the longissimus and gluteus medius muscles.

These are important muscle groups involved in movement through the back and hindquarters.

Using acoustic myography, researchers measured muscle activity during different gaits before and after treatment.

The interesting finding?

The researchers observed measurable changes in certain aspects of muscle activity following treatment.

Although they did not find significant improvements in the measured pressure-pain thresholds, the findings suggest that light-based treatment can influence physiological measures related to muscle function.

For horse owners, this opens up an interesting area of investigation.

Can photobiomodulation become a useful addition to equine muscle-care routines?

We don't yet have a definitive answer for everyday LED products, but the research gives scientists a reason to continue exploring that question.

Scientific reference: Ahmed et al. (2021), Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Read the published research.

Study 2: Why Researchers Are Looking at Light Therapy Around Exercise

It's easy to focus on what happens during a ride.

But for athletic horses, what happens before and after exercise matters too.

In research presented in the Journal of Animal Science in 2020, scientists investigated the physiological responses of 12 Quarter Horses receiving low-level laser therapy around exercise.

The horses were separated into groups receiving treatment before exercise, after exercise, or no treatment.

Researchers monitored physiological indicators, including cortisol and lactate.

They identified differences in certain blood measurements across the treatment groups and study period.

These findings are preliminary and do not establish that laser-treated horses recovered faster or performed better.

However, they help explain why the timing of photobiomodulation is being studied in athletic horses.

The bigger takeaway is that equine recovery is an active area of research — and scientists are investigating how therapeutic light might fit into it.

Scientific reference: Rosenkrans et al. (2020), Journal of Animal Science, conference abstract. View the research.

Not All Red Light Therapy Devices Are Created Equal

Here's something every horse owner should understand before buying a red light therapy product:

The wavelength alone doesn't tell you how effectively a device delivers light to your horse.

A study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in 2020 compared the penetration of light through equine skin using two different photobiomodulation devices.

Researchers observed meaningful differences in light transmission between the devices.

They also found that skin pigmentation influenced the amount of light passing through the tissue.

Why does this matter?

Because two products can both be advertised as therapeutic light devices while delivering very different light exposure.

When comparing equipment, it's worth looking beyond the headline claims and considering the wavelength, output, treatment area, fit, and recommended application protocol.

For horse owners, those details are especially important when choosing equipment intended for different anatomical areas.

A wrap designed for the back, for example, has different coverage and fitting requirements than one intended for the hock or poll.

Scientific reference: Penetration Profiles of a Class IV Therapeutic Laser and a Photobiomodulation Therapy Device in Equine Skin, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2020).

Where Does Red Light Therapy Fit Into Everyday Horse Care?

Interest in equine light therapy isn't limited to one specific part of the body.

Because different regions experience different stresses, owners are exploring devices designed for different areas of the horse.

Back and Muscle Care

Your horse's back is essential to comfortable, coordinated movement.

Every training session places demands on the supporting muscles, particularly when carrying a rider.

That's why back care involves more than the occasional day off.

Appropriate conditioning, correctly fitted tack, nutrition, and recovery are all important parts of keeping a horse comfortable.

For owners interested in incorporating photobiomodulation into their routines, back wraps offer a way to apply light across a broader area of musculature.

They should be viewed as a potential complement to established muscle-care practices, not a substitute for investigating persistent back pain.

Hocks and Joint Care

The hocks play an important role in propulsion and hindquarter movement.

For horses with demanding workloads, older horses, or those with diagnosed joint conditions, joint care is often a significant part of management.

Red and near-infrared light therapies are being studied for musculoskeletal applications, although direct evidence for consumer LED hock wraps in horses remains limited.

A light therapy device cannot reverse arthritic changes or correct an underlying joint problem.

However, for owners interested in complementary wellness tools, hock-specific designs offer a practical way to position light around the intended region.

Legs, Tendons, and Soft Tissues

A horse's lower limbs manage considerable forces, despite having relatively little muscle below the knee and hock.

That makes correct conditioning, appropriate footing, workload management, and careful monitoring especially important.

Some forms of veterinary laser therapy have been investigated in rehabilitation settings.

Owners considering red light wraps for the legs should distinguish routine care from the treatment of an injury. Suspected tendon or ligament damage needs veterinary diagnosis and structured rehabilitation.

Poll and Neck Care

The poll and neck contribute to the horse's balance, head carriage, and communication with the rider.

These regions can be affected by training demands, equipment fit, and muscular discomfort.

Although specific research validating consumer LED poll caps is limited, wearable designs offer owners a convenient way to incorporate an additional light-based modality into a general wellness routine.

Head tossing, resistance to contact, and changes in behaviour can have many causes, so identifying an underlying issue should always come before choosing a therapy.

Why 660 nm and 850 nm Are Commonly Used Together

If you've been researching equine red light therapy, you've probably come across two numbers:

660 nm and 850 nm.

These refer to the wavelengths of light emitted by a device.

660 nm is visible red light, commonly used in photobiomodulation applications involving relatively superficial tissues.

850 nm is near-infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye and has different tissue transmission characteristics.

Using both wavelengths allows a device to deliver light with complementary optical properties.

However, it is important to understand that near-infrared light does not automatically penetrate every deep joint or muscle, and wavelength alone cannot establish a device's effectiveness.

A well-informed purchasing decision should consider wavelength alongside output, coverage, device design, and treatment instructions.

A More Thoughtful Approach to Horse Recovery

There is no single product that replaces good horsemanship.

No wrap can compensate for a poorly fitted saddle. No therapy device should replace veterinary care. And no recovery routine makes proper conditioning any less important.

But that doesn't mean owners should stop exploring ways to improve their everyday care practices.

Quite the opposite.

As new technologies become more accessible, we have more opportunities to learn about the different tools available to us.

Photobiomodulation is one of those technologies.

While research is still developing, scientists have identified measurable biological responses to certain forms of therapeutic light, and continued studies are helping establish where it may be most useful.

For owners, the goal shouldn't be to find a miracle cure.

It should be to understand the options, evaluate the evidence, and choose products that fit the individual needs of their horses.

Introducing VitaWell: Practical Equine Wellness for Everyday Owners

At VitaWell, we believe taking care of your horse should extend beyond the hours you spend riding.

It should be part of your everyday routine.

That's why we're passionate about making equine wellness technology more accessible to the owners who do so much for their horses already.

From red and near-infrared light therapy equipment to muscle-care tools, VitaWell focuses on products that are practical to use around the barn.

Our equine red light range is built around area-specific applications, allowing owners to explore products designed for different parts of the horse — including the back, hocks, and poll.

For our products featuring 660 nm red light and 850 nm near-infrared technology, the aim is to offer an accessible way to incorporate those wavelengths into an at-home care routine.

Our philosophy is straightforward:

Support the horse. Respect the science. Make great care more accessible.

Because the best riders don't only think about performance.

They think about the horse who makes it possible.

Discover the VitaWell approach to equine wellness — designed for the owners who believe their horses deserve thoughtful care, every day.

Scientific References

1. Ahmed, W., et al. (2021). An Investigation Into the Short-Term Effects of Photobiomodulation on the Mechanical Nociceptive Thresholds of M. Longissimus and M. Gluteus Medius, in Relation to Muscle Firing Rate in Horses at Three Different Gaits. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 98, 103363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103363

2. Rosenkrans, A., et al. (2020). Physiological Effects of Low Level Laser Therapy on Exercised Horses. Journal of Animal Science, 98(Suppl. 2). Conference abstract. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7697320/

3. Penetration Profiles of a Class IV Therapeutic Laser and a Photobiomodulation Therapy Device in Equine Skin.(2020). Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31952636/

4. Michanek, P., et al. (2021). Effect of Infrared and Red Monochromatic Light on Equine Wound Healing. Equine Veterinary Journal, 53(1), 143–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13266

This guide is intended for education and general equine wellness information. The cited research does not directly establish the clinical effectiveness of VitaWell products. Consult a veterinarian for individual treatment and rehabilitation advice.