www.thehorsegame.com
By Claire Addey-Jibb October, 2003
Over the five years that he has been treating horses with the Leg
Saver developer Gary DesRoches has met with many skeptics. Despite
his skeptics, Gary works seven days a week treating horses at Hastings
Racecourse, Fraser Downs, Santa Anita, Southlands Equestrian Center
and in private barns throughout the Lower Mainland in B.C. His website
(www.equi-stimlegsaver.com) has generated interest from as far away
of Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and he plans to fly to Dubai
in the New Year with a few of his machines.
The EQUI-STIM LEG SAVER® is a pocket sized micro current device,
which essentially stimulates blood flow to injured areas on the
horse in order to flush out wastes and decrease inflammation, thereby
stimulating the healing process. This method, much like Reflexology
in humans, uses meridians or Ting Points found on the horse coronet
bands, which relate to specific areas in the equine body. By applying
a stimulating current between the corresponding Ting Point and the
injured area, the blood flow increases and assists the animal’s
fight against in injury.
Orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists have used micro current
therapy consistently and effectively in the sports world. Nick Addey-Jibb,
Athletic Therapist for the St. John’s Maple Leafs says they
use several types of Therapeutic Electrical Modalities (or therapy
involving electrical current) on hockey players all of which perform
similar functions to the Leg Saver. "On an acute injury I will
use this kind of therapy daily, sometimes twice a day. There is
no reason why this kind of therapy would not work on a horse,”
said Nick.
Gary has had success using his machines for the treatment of a
wide range of injuries including bucked shins, check ligaments,
bowed tendons, lung bleeding, asthma, torn stifles and founder.
He does not pretend to be a veterinarian but has been around horses
all of his life (his father Emil was an owner trainer at Hasting)
and believes passionately in this method of treatment as an important
part of any rehabilitation program.
In 1996 Gary found himself a co-owner of a racehorse named Addicted
to Love which started to show signs of bowing. He decided rather
than giving up on the animal he would find a way to treat it and
was turned on to the Cell Stimulator machines being used by the
Vancouver Grizzly’s basketball team. “I was given a
couple of old machines to play with and went from there,”
said Gary. Gary developed the machines to suit the horses, creating
the leg wraps and harness to fit his horse, which made a full recovery,
thereby becoming his first success story. Gary worked in sales most
of his life, and although he says he hated the twenty years he spent
in the profession, he has learned the value of sales support and
provides open lines of communication for the horse owners and trainers
he works with. “My work is on my hip,” he said patting
his cell phone, which is a toll free call for anyone in North America.
He believes that anyone can learn to treat their own horses and
offers the EQUI-STIM LEG SAVER® Package for $2800.00 which includes
the machine and all the accessories as well as an instructional
video and manual, and of course customer support, twenty-four-seven.
He has sold 75 machines to date.
Hastings trainer Rick Kamps owns three machines and believes they
have definitely helped his horses. Earlier this year Rick claimed
a four-year-old mare named Viva Vista for owner Alan May, she came
off her claiming race so sore that she could barely walk around
the shed row. It turns out she had torn a muscle in her right shoulder.
“I thought we had bought a broodmare,” said Rick after
she was lame for 37 days in a row. I used the machine on her 20
of those 37 days and finally, almost overnight she was sound again.”
On September 6th under the guidance of jockey Chris Loseth, Viva
Vista won an $8000 claiming race at 6.5 furlongs.
Dale Price, groom and assistant to trainer Allan Jack believes
that the Vying Victor filly Bamboo Orient (owned by UMA Racing Stables
Ltd.) would not be where she is today without the use of the Leg
Saver. “She is as sound as any two-year-old on the grounds
right now,” said Dale. Two months ago, the two-year-old could
not even move around her stall, she was suffering from stifle problems
as well as beginning to buck her shins. After only four treatments,
she has been slowly improving on the track, with a second place
finish at 3.5 furlongs on Aug. 10th and a win in last outing at
6 furlongs on September 1st. On Sept. 14 she went up against Hastings,
top two-year-old for the coveted $100.000 Sadie Diamond Futurity.
She had a great race, setting the pace for most of the way round.
She and jockey Larry Lacoursiere were beaten in the stretch and
finished a respectable third.
Horse of the year for 2002, Elana D'Amour has also benefited from
the Leg Saver this summer. Another Vying Victor has also benefited
from the Leg Saver this summer. Another Vying Victor filly, Elana
bled after her first race this spring and after an unsuccessful
run in Seattle, assistant trainer Brian Giesbrecht decided to bring
her back home where she is much happier. “She is not a traveler,”
said Brian of the four-year-old mare who can be very aggressive
to handle. Brian plans to run her off lasix the next time out, as
she was developing cramping in the hind end. Something Gary treated
using his machines. Since beginning treatment, she won the Cover
Girl Handicap on August 23rd and placed third in the Delta Colleen
Stakes on September 21st (off Lasix for this race).
For more information contact Gary at 1-877-215-3622
|
