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Archive for Equine

Not All PEMF Blankets Are Created Equal

April 8, 2021

If you want to take full advantage of all that magnetic therapy can offer your horse, a PEMF therapy blanket is your best bet.

Your horse has likely already used a blanket, so wearing one won’t be an unfamiliar experience. What’s more, like other PEMF systems, the blankets don’t have dangling coils and wires for horses to trip on or noisy machines for horses to get accustomed to.

Another benefit of a PEMF blanket is that it can treat all the horse’s muscle groups at one time. This makes treatment easy and efficient, so you (and your horse!) can get back to riding!

Be Cautious of These Less-Appealing Features

While there are several PEMF therapy blankets available within the equine industry, not all are created equal. Some features to avoid:

• The blanket is made outside the United States, which means you could receive minimal support if the company that made your therapy blanket is based in another country.

• Lack of accessories such as a neck wrap or hock wraps.

• The blanket comes with other options like heating or massage that add features but reduce the overall effectiveness of each individual feature while also adding to the cost of the blanket and complicating repair issues.

• Programming is complicated, making it hard for horse owners to provide proper treatment.

• Intensity (or gauss) isn’t powerful enough to address all muscle treatment and repair needs.

• A brand sales structure that favors multi-level reps and prioritizes sales volume over customer education, service and results.

Introducing the PEMF Therapy Blanket from Respond Systems

At Respond Systems, Inc., we have been providing top-tier healing products for animals since 1983. All products are made in the United States, and we service and support customers worldwide.

Our PEMF Therapy Blanket has 14 coils to ensure all important muscle groups are completely covered in a single treatment session. This expansive coverage not only aids in full body circulation but also targets core muscle and soft tissue areas that are most compromised during exercise and competition.

With a peak intensity that is 50 times stronger than some other blankets, the depth of the therapeutic field can reach up to 15 to 18 inches into tissue allowing for better targeting and repair of muscle, tendon, ligaments and fascia. So in addition to promoting relaxation and release for your horse, the Respond PEMF blanket is designed to stimulate healing from the inside out.

In addition, the Respond Systems blanket offers a variety of frequency options within the 10-60Hz range, which has been identified through research as the therapeutic range. With the ability to rotate through all the options, this variety allows the user the flexibility to alter the frequency based on the animal’s response, condition (acute, chronic, bone, ligament, or fascia) and needs.

Whether you choose a blanket for therapeutic needs or for conditioning and injury prevention, we believe your horse deserves the therapy blanket that will make a difference for him and for you.
With some of our clients having used a single blanket for more than 15 years, that is testimony to the fact that we not only create high-quality systems to deliver results for your horse, but we also provide great service to our customers when – and if – they need it.

If you have comments or questions about our top-tier PEMF therapy blanket, we have a simple form on our website for your convenience.

The Benefits of PEMF Therapy Blanket by Respond Systems Over High-Powered PEMF

March 26, 2021

PEMF, which stands for pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, offers multiple benefits for horses ranging from aging and injured horses to pleasure horses and those in elite-level competition. This non-invasive treatment helps a horse recover from injuries quickly, decreases muscle inflammation, stimulates cell metabolism, and helps horses become more supple. 

What is High-Intensity PEMF?

Most high-powered PEMF systems use coil loops, which are placed strategically on parts of a horse’s body to transmit power to the injured area and to focus on precise nerves and muscles. Due to the high-power capabilities of some PEMF machines, these treatments should be administered by an equine veterinarian or a certified equine therapist to avoid injury to the horse.

Whether a horse owner hires a certified expert to handle the task or purchases a PEMF system to work on their own horses, these high-powered PEMF systems aren’t without disadvantages.

In addition to the high cost of the machines, which can vary in price up to $25,000, some of the other drawbacks include:

• Treating multiple areas of the horse can mean a lengthy treatment time due to the limitations of the single coil attachment.
• If applied incorrectly, the high-level PEMF can actually cause tissue damage, especially when treating acute injuries or when treating a horse with neurological conditions like EPM.
• Because high-intensity PEMF can excel at blocking the pain receptor pathways, these high-intensity systems are banned from certain FEI-level equestrian events. Due to the lack of pain response caused by the pain blocking, horses run the risk of additional injuries.
• There are few, if any studies to date that document the long-term impact of high-intensity PEMF at the cellular level.

The Better Alternative to High-Intensity PEMF: Introducing the PEMF Therapy Blanket by Respond Systems

With thousands of peer-reviewed research studies on the FDA-approved, low-level PEMF intensity used in the PEMF Therapy Blanket by Respond Systems, treating your horse with PEMF therapy can be easy and effective. With over 35 years of results, the intensity level of the Respond Therapy Blanket has consistently proven to have an analgesic effect while reducing inflammation to promote healing and provide long-lasting therapeutic benefits that go beyond blocking pain.

Although used widely by veterinarians and equine therapists, the safe intensity level of the Respond Therapy Blanket makes it ideal for horse owners to use whether treating a diagnosed lameness or simply for conditioning.

The following are some of the many reasons horse owners around the world are choosing this low-level PEMF treatment option:

• The blanket is lightweight and breathable to ensure a horse’s full comfort during treatment.
• Battery packs offer up to 20, 30-minute treatments per charge.
• The battery is small and integrated into the horse blanket so there are no wires, cords or coils to get caught in the horse’s feet or tangled around their legs.
• A timer automatically shuts the blanket off, so you don’t have to supervise the full treatment course.
• The blanket comes with accessories to offer full treatment to the horse’s entire body, saving a horse owner time with the capability to focus on all major muscle groups at one time, during the same 30-minute treatment.
• The PEMF Therapy Blanket by Respond Systems is made in the United States.

If you have questions, we have a simple form on our website you can fill out. We’re always happy to answer with personalized advice and assistance to ensure your horse is getting the best PEMF treatment possible.

Respond Systems Recharges Chester Weber’s Team

October 19, 2016

Ocala, FL (October 18, 2016) — Thanks to two new Sentry PEMF Blankets in Chester Weber’s arsenal, Respond Systems – a longtime supporter of Team Weber and Jane Clark’s high performance KWPN geldings – kept the World Equestrian Games Silver Medalist and 13-time National Champion combined driver recharged over his summer CAI European tour. Team Weber finished the summer as the top-placed American team in the 2016 FEI World Four-in-Hand Championships in Breda, the Netherlands.

Respond Systems Sentry PEMF Blankets with therapeutic magnetic fields are a cutting edge option in caring for the sore muscles and stiff joints found in today’s equine athletes. Respond Systems blankets have been utilized by Team Weber since 2009, and help to ensure that Weber and Clark’s horses stay in tip-top shape while facing the world’s most competitive FEI drivers and teams.

Team Weber has been equipped with two Sentry PEMF full body suits, a neck piece, and hock boots, courtesy of Respond Systems of Branford, Connecticut. The company has been developing state-of-the-art veterinary therapy systems for horses and small animals since 1989. Sentry PEMF bio-pulse blankets are designed to cover all major muscle groups. With eight large coils, (two for the topline, plus coils for the hamstring muscles and inside the stifle), this is a must-have blanket for the highly athletic, injured or aging horse. Each battery-powered blanket provides up to 20 treatments per full charge.

“In driving, with a marathon carriage being 600 kilos and the horses having to work well over their backs, Respond Systems is a big help,” says Weber. “People ask if I have worked with other magnetic products or lasers, and I have always said that I have no need to – Respond Systems answers all the questions they should. The whole crew from Respond Systems is fantastic to work with. Our therapy blankets get tuned up every fall and come back good as new. It’s a product you wouldn’t know you needed until you have one.”

Respond Systems is equally as pleased to provide the athlete and his team of high caliber horses with the tools to aid in their success. Vice President and Director of Marketing for Respond Systems, Lisa Miksis, stated that, “Chester and his team not only represent excellence in the sport, but are also an inspirational example of the magic that can happen when a team works in unison. We sponsor Chester’s team so that the horses can perform in peak condition and their bodies can keep up with the demands of that excellence. Our Sentry PEMF blanket system helps to do exactly that, and with a competing team of four equine athletes, the blankets get a lot of wear and tear. Given the intense levels of performance that the team has achieved over the last few years, in addition to the wonderful relationships we have built, we felt it was time to outfit the team with two new Sentry blanket systems! We are looking forward to cheering on the team for many years to come!”

Team Weber began its summer with a solid performance at the CHIO4* Royal Windsor Horse Show in England, then on to Drebkau, Germany to win top honors at its CAI3* tournament, and a third overall in the CAIO4* at CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Germany before Breda. Now back in Ocala for the fall, Weber is turning his focus to developing a potential new bay to the team, a five year-old KWPN gelding called Governor. Weber and his champion team will head to their next competition, the Hermitage Classic and Fall Festival in Goshen, Kentucky, on October 21-23.

For all the news on Team Weber’s latest triumphs and additions to the team, follow the official Facebook and Instagram @ChesterWeber accounts and visit www.ChesterWeber.com.

Photo: Team Weber thanks Respond Systems for two new Sentry PEMF Blankets (Photo courtesy of Chester Weber, contact staffwriter@jrprnews.com for full resolution image).

Prevention is the Best Medicine

May 9, 2016

Image courtesy of Therapy4Horses.

Ben Franklin’s words of wisdom that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is just as true today as it was 300 years ago when he said it.  Although Franklin was most likely referring to the human species when he voiced those wise words, the same can easily be applied to the equine species as well.

Humans and horses have forged a powerful bond dating back thousands of years. From use in the Greek military over 2,000 years ago to the ranches of the burgeoning American Wild West, horses have fulfilled a crucial role in the history of man. Their bodies have evolved to master speed, endurance and strength and today, many of those qualities are exhibited in sport.

Their bodies may be built to run, jump, and support a rider, but training can put incredible stress on the body of a horse.  Common conditions such as suspensory and other ligament and soft tissue injuries are occurring at incredible rates. Kissing spine, SI pain, tying up, navicular and other conditions are common among horses across all sport disciplines.

While all injuries are not preventable, many can be with carefully executed training and conditioning programs. A key team comprised of a trainer, veterinarian, therapist and chiropractor is the first component in prevention. The expertise of this team in conjunction with a rider and owner who are in tune to the body and needs of the horse can make for a very successful injury prevention strategy.

Right on level with the importance of nutrition are laser and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy systems. Both systems use FDA approved, non-pharmaceutical mechanisms to reduce inflammation and pain and accelerate healing by using a specific wavelength of light or pulsed magnetic fields to stimulate the body’s own healing and immune process.

PEMF blankets and wraps are a crucial component of the conditioning regime of top equine athletes around the world. Used prior to competition to warm-up the joints and muscles to prevent injury, or after competition to remove lactic acid, reduce soft tissue inflammation and ease the tension in muscles and joints, these systems are a must-have for overall conditioning and treating injuries.

Laser therapy uses scientifically proven wavelengths of light to jumpstart the body’s cells to churn out ATP, the energy molecule crucial for all cellular function, to help reduce pain, decrease inflammation and accelerate healing. From healing wounds to soft-tissue injuries, laser therapy can target specific areas of the horse’s body to treat a specific injury or strengthen a weak area prior to competition to help prevent further injury.

Peak condition is required for elite performance and that is where RSI Equine, a division of Respond Systems Inc., plays an integral role. Backed by 30 years of experience manufacturing laser and pulsed magnetic field therapy in the USA, RSI Equine’s products have become a critical component for conditioning and have become a therapy of choice for healing injuries.

Visit RSIequine.com for more information on how to not only prevent injury, but to also treat conditions and injuries quickly, safely and effectively to get your horse back into peak condition.

Made in the USA for over 30 years!

December 7, 2015

What sets Respond Systems apart from other laser companies? The most frequent responses we hear are excellent products, proven history, and exemplary customer service. But did you also know that Respond Systems has been manufacturing Laser and PEMF veterinary systems on the shoreline of Connecticut for almost 30 years? The company was founded by Doreen and Don Hudson in 1983, when they were the only laser company based in the United States.

From the very start, the overall development of Respond Systems’ products were based on extensive scientific research, data and proof.  And since the products were originally going to be used in horse barns, they were designed to be workhorses – able to stand up to arduous conditions and work all day every day. We are very proud to say that some of the original systems, made in 1983, are still being used today – pretty amazing considering the delicate components that go into each system!

Since their premier, Respond Systems has made many updates and upgrades to the initial product line, which is continuously being improved upon. We now offer 3 models of lasers, including the 2400 XL, the Luminex Vet and our newest Class 4, the Luminex Ultra.  We also carry an extensive line of PEMF equipment, for horses, dogs, cats, bulls…

When you purchase products from Respond Systems, you can be assured that the entire process happens in one place – testing, designing, manufacturing, order fulfillment, shipping, customer service and repairs are all performed at our large facility in Branford, CT.   The core products and values of the company have never changed since their inception in 1983 and the company is second generation family owned and operated.

Respond Systems Continues a Family Legacy

December 7, 2015

Respond Systems, Inc has welcomed Lisa Miksis to the business on April 6, 2015 as the Vice President and Director of Marketing. After spending the last 7 years as Publisher of a community media group in CT, Lisa is bringing her communications, operations and marketing expertise to Respond.

Respond Systems manufactures and sells magnetic therapy equipment and Class 3 and 4 lasers to the equestrian and small animal veterinary markets both nationally and internationally. The company is based in Branford, CT and has been manufacturing in the USA for over 30 years.

“My goal is to package the incredible quality, impeccable customer service and innovative technology of Respond’s products into a message that resonates with the customers we can serve best” says Miksis.

As the wife of owner Brian Richardson, Lisa has been admiring Respond Systems from the sidelines for the last 19 years as Brian and founders, Doreen and Don Hudson, in addition to their staff of seasoned employees, have contributed to the health and wellbeing of thousands of animals across the country.

“My degree is in Biology, and I studied pre-med as an undergrad. To be able to marry my passion for animals and science to my business experience in sales, operations and marketing is like a dream come true for me,” Lisa comments. “It is an honor to be able to carry on the mission that Doreen and Don created over 30 years ago.”

Respond System’s has been innovating in the PEMF and laser therapy markets with products such as the Bio-Pulse Sentry PEMF Horse Blanket, targeted to treating equine muscle fatigue, stiffness, fractures, inflammation and injuries, and the Luminex Vet Laser that specializes in wound healing, pain management and repairing muscle and tendon tears.

Brian Richardson has been a part of Respond Systems since he started working in the office during summers while in high school. Now owner of the business, Richardson had this to say about the addition to the team.

“From a very young age I watched my Mom and my Stepfather run Respond together; the business was just a natural part of our lives. I saw them enjoy their work and each other’s company as they built up the company from our basement to our position as a leader in our industry 30 years later. I am incredibly lucky to be able to do that too, by welcoming my lovely wife Lisa “home” to the family business and continuing the legacy they left for us. With her deep experience in marketing and operations, Lisa is the perfect fit for the needs of a small business like ours competing in this global, technology driven marketplace. As Publisher, Lisa helped so many small local businesses navigate those tricky waters, and I will look to her to help Respond do the same. It’s an exciting time for all of us, but most of all for me, as I look forward to sharing my life’s work with my life partner!”

Lisa and Brian reside in Madison, CT with their two rescue cats and Norman, their tri-pod rescue dog from Atlanta. All of the four, and three-legged friends, are of course the lucky beneficiaries of the therapy equipment manufactured at Respond Systems.

“I am looking forward to contributing to the continuous innovation that is happening here at Respond,” Miksis concludes, “and to bringing all of our products to the forefront of technology in the veterinary industry while also getting to work side by side with my husband….and my dog! We are incredibly excited for the next 30 years of Respond!”

Eventer Hollie Swain Becomes Part of the Respond Systems Team

December 4, 2015

New Zealand-born but now United Kingdom-based eventer Hollie Swain has joined up with international marketing company Pulse Solutions to promote the Respond Systems range of magnetic therapy products. She will assume the role of brand ambassador and sponsored rider under the RSI mantle.

The appointment coincides with Hollie’s move to her new training facilities in Dunsfold in England’s Surrey County. This comes after six years of being an integral part of Olympic team bronze medallist and Badminton Horse Trials winner Jock Paget’s eventing operation.

“Having my own facility is another step toward my ambition of representing New Zealand in international competition. It’s important that I have a professional environment to work in which is also part of show casing my sponsor’s products and services,” says Hollie.

“It is a great honour to have been selected to now be part of the Respond/Pulse Solutions family. I’ll be doing my utmost to demonstrate to riders of all abilities how the Respond PEMF blanket should be an essential part of training and competition to ensure your horse is in optimum condition.”

The appointment of Hollie Swain is another milestone in the relationship between the two companies in bringing the best of equine health management technology to the wider world.

Based in Branford, Connecticut in the United States, Respond Systems is a pioneer in the manufacturing of magnetic therapy (PEMF) systems including wraps and boots for pain relief and treatment of conditions such as arthritis and tendinitis. The company has been operating for over 30 years and has just recently launched its equine division, RSI Equine.

Pulse Solutions serves as an independent sales and marketing arm for the Respond Systems range of products. Pulse Solutions managing director Kathryn Picton-Warlow says her company has had great success in marketing the Respond system in New Zealand and Australia.

“We’re in the process of looking to introduce their product in other global markets. We’ve had a number of strategic connections and affiliations that should assist us with our plans.

“Getting Hollie on board will certainly help in this process. She is young, talented and ambitious. She handles herself in a very professional way and her approach and style is a perfect ‘fit’ with both the Pulse and Respond brands.”

“It’s very exciting for us to work with her and also be part of her plans to achieve higher eventing honours.”

RSI vice president and director of marketing Lisa Miksis says this new chapter continues the strong affiliation the company has with Pulse in marketing the Respond products in strategic locations around the world.

“Our Bio-Pulse systems are the best equine PEMF systems in the world. They’ve been chosen by the most discriminating owners and trainers of jumpers, dressage, driving and three day event horses. The United States Equestrian Team takes the Sentry system with them to world class venues where they help to keep the horses conditioned for peak performance.

“We love working with Pulse Solutions and the sharing of expertise and marketing connections. They bring a real international orientation and perspective to the mix which is exciting for all concerned. For us, a brand ambassador foraging new markets for our equine PEMF systems plays an important role in our growth and evolution and we’re so excited to have Hollie working with us.”

Says Kathryn Picton-Warlow: “Clearly there is a new force in the equestrian world that has the power of three entities working as one to share the benefits of the Respond PEMF system wherever in the world horses happen to be competing.”

Winners of Respond Systems Amateur Rider Award Announced

December 1, 2015

(Branford, CT) – Many manufacturers of equine health and wellness products are approached on a regular basis with sponsorship requests from riders, trainers and physiotherapists looking to acquire the best possible products for their horse’s wellbeing. “We are regularly contacted by trainers and physiotherapists and as of late, we have been receiving a lot of inquiries from amateur athletes in both the rodeo and equestrian event disciplines,” says Brian Richardson, owner of Respond Systems and their equine division, RSI Equine.

“We manufacture and sell laser and pulsed magnetic therapy equipment for the veterinary market, and due to the non-invasive healing capabilities of our therapies, our products are in demand with amateur and professional riders a like!”

 

Respond Systems and RSI Equine launched their first annual Amateur Rider Award earlier this year with the goal to support riders who compete with passion and dedication while also holding down full -time careers or are pursing a full-time degree. Twice in 2015, Spring and later Summer RSI Equine will award two amateur riders, one in the Western and one in the Equestrian disciplines, with a Sentry Pulsed Magnetic Therapy Blanket valued at over $5,000.

“This award was created to help support riders who strive to excel in their sport while also putting the health of their horse at the forefront,” comments Richardson. “We hear the genuine love and concern in their voices for their horses when they call us for sponsorship. Yes, they want to get a leg up on the competition of course, it is a competition after all,” he continues, “but the horse comes first, and we see time and time again how respectful the riders are of their equine partners. It is a beautiful thing.”

And it is precisely for those reasons that RSI Equine is thrilled to announce the winners of the Spring Respond Systems Amateur Award, Cynthia Bayles of Camas, Washington (Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage) and April Masterson, of Lincoln, Vermont (Barrel Racing).

Cynthia Bayles balances a full time career at a financial institution, a family and competitive riding. “I really am thrilled and honored to be one of the two lucky winners of Respond Systems’ first Amateur Rider Award Contest,” comments Bales, “I’ve seen the positive results from using the Respond Cold Laser I purchased a couple of years ago and can hardly wait to start using the Sentry Magnetic Therapy Blanket! The timing is perfect too as our competitive season is just getting started. I’m looking forward to “experimenting” with it – pre and post competition, training etc. to see how it affects the horses and gets the best results,” she concludes.

April Masterson carries a B.S in Exercise Science and Sports Administration, an M.S in Administration and works at United Technologies Aerospace Systems.  She has also been Barrel Racing for 20 years. “The knowledge I gained in my studies earning my B.S I take pride in applying in my daily care of and working with my horses, and I find it very stimulating to keep up with the evolving equine therapies, and scientific research behind them,” Masterson says. “Rodeos are different from shows because it is not uncommon to be in three different states in three days for rodeos. Very rarely do our horses have stalls; they spend their time tied to a trailer or in temporary pens we bring with us,” she continues. “The Sentry Blanket would be a crucial part of my pre-race regimen and is an efficient way to reduce pain, swelling, stress and therefor healing time by stimulating cell repair. I am really excited for this opportunity and thank Respond for this once in a lifetime opportunity. With hundredths of a second determining the winners, everything you can do to make your horse feel better will help you win,” she concludes enthusiastically.

Both winners will be receiving their Sentry Magnetic Blankets early May just in time for the height of the summer season.

“We very much look forward to following our winners throughout the season and cheering them on,” Richardson says with a smile, “and knowing that our products are out there helping to enhance the lives of both the riders and horses is exactly what Respond is all about.”