Red Light Therapy for Horses: What the Equine Research Shows
Red light therapy for horses is used by vets and equine therapists mainly for tendon and ligament rehab and for sore backs, and the best results so far come from controlled studies of high-power lasers. Home LED panels deliver the same kinds of red and near-infrared light at lower power, so equine red light therapy at home fits as a vet-approved extra, not a substitute for diagnosis. Below: the tendon and back studies, LED vs laser, coat colour and clipping, competition rules, and safe use in the yard.
Key takeaways
- A 2023 systematic review of laser therapy in animals included 20 horse studies, and its authors found "a general lack of quality evidence" overall. Millis and Bergh, 2023
- In 12 warmbloods with standardised suspensory branch lesions, a high-power laser used daily for 4 weeks left smaller lesions on MRI than in untreated branches. Pluim, 2020
- Clipping the leg significantly increased the amount of 810 nm light passing through a horse's tendon area (p=0.0043). Ryan and Smith, 2007
- Under the FEI rule set summarised by US Eventing in 2018, LED therapy devices are listed as non-restricted supportive therapies. US Eventing, 2018
- A horse's pupils can dilate to about 6 times the area of a human's, which is why the eyes stay out of the beam. UC Davis, 2024
What do vets and equine therapists use light therapy for in horses?
Mostly for leg tendon and ligament injuries, back pain and some wounds. Most published work used clinic lasers, often at several watts.
A 2023 systematic review of studies from 1980 to 2020 found 45 on laser therapy in animals, 20 of them in horses. Millis and Bergh, 2023 Positive or mixed horse results covered back pain, tendon and ligament injuries, proud flesh on limb wounds and fetlock arthritis, while other studies found no effect.
The Merck Veterinary Manual gives typical clinic doses of about 10 to 100 mW/cm² and about 4 to 50 J/cm², and adds that "the specific dose(s) of laser required to heal tissue and treat pain remains unclear". Merck Veterinary Manual, 2025 For small animals, see red light therapy for dogs and red light therapy for cats.
What did the tendon and suspensory ligament studies find?
Two controlled studies of high-power lasers found better healing on several measures than in limbs not given laser.
In the first, 12 warmbloods had standardised lesions made in their suspensory branches, with two branches per horse treated and two left untreated. A 635 to 980 nm laser at up to 15 W was used for 20 minutes a day for 4 weeks. Treated branches had a smaller lesion area on MRI: 14.6 vs 18.7 mm². Pluim, 2020
The second followed 26 performance warmbloods with 29 natural tendon and ligament injuries. Treated limbs received 808 and 980 nm at 16 J/cm² over 15 sessions in 40 days. Zielińska, 2020
- Swelling: 2.4% in the laser group at the end of treatment, against 6.8% in controls.
- Lesion size: fell from 24.1% to 15.7% of the tendon cross section with laser, and from 39.7% to 35.7% in controls.
- Lameness: lower after treatment in the laser group.
- Ultrasound echogenicity: no difference between groups.
The authors called laser "useful as a supportive therapy". A 2023 evidence summary rated the evidence for high-intensity laser in suspensory injuries as "weak", meaning early rather than settled. Veterinary Evidence, 2023 Diagnosis by ultrasound and a rehab plan from your vet come first.
Can red light help a horse with a sore back?
Laser studies on the back are encouraging. In a randomised trial of 61 Quarter Horses with back pain, laser alone reduced pain, muscle tension and stiffness, while chiropractic care alone did not.
That trial used four 810 nm diodes with a total output of 3 W on the sore spots, as summarised in a later study. Zielińska, 2023 That study gave one 500 second session at 20 J/cm² to 20 Thoroughbred racehorses, half with kissing spines. Palpation pain scores fell by about 1.5 points, a short term effect, and no burns were seen.
The back is a broad, flat area, which suits a panel. Saddle fit and a vet check for kissing spines come first.
Is an LED panel the same as a vet's laser?
No. Both emit red and near-infrared light, but a laser sends a narrow, concentrated beam at high power from a small probe, while an LED panel spreads lower power over a wide area.
Most horse studies used lasers, several at 5 to 15 W, and Merck notes that "debate continues" about lasers vs LEDs. On unclipped skin of 12 horses, a photobiomodulation device penetrated further than a high-power laser, so more power does not automatically mean more light at depth. Luna, 2020 More in cold laser vs red light therapy.
| Study | Horses | Device and light | Dose and schedule | Main finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pluim 2020 | 12 warmbloods, made lesions | Laser, 635 to 980 nm, up to 15 W | 20 min daily, 4 weeks | Smaller lesion area on MRI |
| Zielińska 2020 | 26 warmbloods, natural injuries | Laser, 808 + 980 nm | 16 J/cm², 15 sessions over 40 days | Less swelling, smaller lesions, less lameness |
| Haussler 2020 | 61 Quarter Horses, back pain | Laser, 810 nm, 3 W total | Applied to local pain sites | Less pain, muscle tension and stiffness |
| Zielińska 2023 | 20 Thoroughbreds, back pain | Laser, 808 + 980 nm | 20 J/cm², one 500 s session | Lower palpation pain scores |
| Michanek 2021 | 8 Standardbreds, small neck wounds | Handheld LED, 637 + 956 nm | About 1.4 J/cm² per session, 5 days a week, 4 weeks | No clinically relevant difference in healing |
The one controlled LED trial in horses used about 1.4 J/cm² on small experimental wounds, well below the laser trials, and found no clinically relevant difference. Michanek, 2021
Does red light get through a horse's coat, or should you clip?
Hair and skin absorb a large share of the light, so less reaches the tissue under a thick coat. Clipping and cleaning the area significantly increased the light passing through a horse's leg.
Researchers shone an 810 nm laser across the tendon area of 17 forelimbs in 9 horses. Transmission rose after clipping (p=0.0043) and after clipping plus cleaning (p=0.0023). Wiping with alcohol alone made no difference. The authors advise that the practitioner "clips and cleans the area to be irradiated". Ryan and Smith, 2007
A study of cannon bone skin from 19 horses came to a similar view: "Most laser energy directed through equine skin was absorbed or scattered by the skin." Clipping improved penetration. EquiManagement
In practice, work on a clean, dry coat brushed flat, because dirt and sweat block light. Clipping is your choice and your vet's, and a full winter coat cuts what arrives.
Does coat colour matter for a grey, bay or black horse?
Skin and hair colour change how light travels, and darker hair and skin let less through in laboratory tests. In a live horse study, grey and bay legs did not differ significantly.
In the cadaver skin study, light skin transmitted best at 800 nm, while medium and dark skin transmitted best at 970 nm. The Horse In the live study of 9 horses, coat colour had no significant effect on transmission. Ryan and Smith, 2007
Our panel's near-infrared channels at 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm sit at the longer end of the spectrum, which suited darker skin in that test. Dark coats also absorb more energy and warm faster, so check the coat by hand every minute or two. It should feel warm, never hot.
How much light does a horse get from a panel session?
At 6 inches and full brightness our panel gives about 157 mW/cm², roughly 9 J/cm² per minute at the coat surface. Hair absorbs part of that, and the dose falls as you step back.
On paper, the 16 to 20 J/cm² used in the laser trials corresponds to about 2 minutes at 6 inches, before losses in the coat. Long sessions are not needed. To match the studied range you have three controls:
- Brightness: dim each wavelength from 1 to 100%.
- Time: set the timer from 1 minute upwards.
- Distance: step back from 6 to 12 inches, which lowers the dose per minute.
Use continuous mode. The human evidence rests on continuous light, as covered in pulsed vs continuous red light therapy, and a sudden flicker could startle a prey animal.
Can you use red light therapy before a competition?
Under FEI rules as summarised in 2018, LED therapy devices and lasers of classes I to III are non-restricted supportive therapies. The most powerful lasers are banned at FEI events, and racing has its own rules.
US Eventing's refresher lists "light emitting diode (LED) therapy devices" under Article 1064, so the person responsible or support staff may use them without registering as a Permitted Equine Therapist. US Eventing, 2018 Equestrian Australia's FAQ states: "The use of Class IV lasers is prohibited at FEI Events." Shock wave and cryotherapy are barred for 5 days before an event. Equestrian Australia
Racing differs by jurisdiction. Harness Racing NSW lists laser treatment among therapies that "should not be administered on the day of racing". Harness Racing NSW, 2020 Rules change, so check the current FEI Veterinary Regulations, your national federation and your racing authority.
How do you set up a red light panel safely around a horse?
Fix the panel firmly out of the horse's reach, keep the cable off the floor, and have a handler at the head. Never tie the horse and leave it.
The panel weighs 6.3 kg, so mounting matters, and electrical faults are the top cause of barn fires. UConn Extension
- Mounting: a wall, a stable stand, or the door hook on a door the horse cannot reach, push or chew. Never loose where it can swing.
- Place: an aisle with good footing and a dry floor, not a tight stall.
- Cable: along the wall, out of chewing reach and away from hooves.
- After the session: unplug the panel and any extension cord. Horse Council BC
- Water: not on wet legs or straight after hosing.
- Handler: holds the lead at the head, on the panel side, and approaches from the front or side.
- A calm start: let the horse sniff the panel switched off, then turn it on with the controller at 1 to 10% brightness.
- Stop early: if the horse fidgets, paws or tries to move away. Never restrain it.
How do you protect a horse's eyes during a session?
Aim the panel at the body and keep the head turned away. Never place the panel at head height facing the horse.
Horse eyes are among the largest of any land mammal, a reflective tapetum boosts the light reaching the retina, and blind spots sit in front of the forehead and directly behind. UC Davis, 2024 Merck names retinal damage as the main risk and notes that light above 760 nm is invisible, so a horse gets no glare to make it blink or look away. The handler wears the included goggles; see is red light therapy safe for eyes.
When should you not use red light on a horse?
Avoid lumps, open wounds, the eyes, a pregnant mare's belly and the throat area, and ask your vet first about foals or horses on medication. Laminitis is a job for your vet, not for a home panel.
- Lumps: sarcoids are "the most common skin tumour of horses". Racing Queensland Merck advises avoiding tumours, so have any lump checked first.
- Pregnant mares and foals: Merck lists the pregnant uterus and, with higher powered devices, the long bones of animals under 1 year.
- Throat area: Merck lists an overactive thyroid.
- Medication and plants: Merck advises lower intensity with photosensitising drugs or plants such as St John's wort.
- Open wounds: our precautions exclude broken skin on the treatment area, so keep the panel off proud flesh and abscesses.
- Hooves: evidence for laminitis is limited to an uncontrolled report.
How does the Kivorla panel fit an equine routine?
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel may be used on pets and suits broad areas such as the back and hindquarters. Use it on your vet's advice, alongside the rehab plan, not instead of it.
It emits 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%, with at least 1,567 W/m² at 6 inches (near-infrared at least 1,200, red at least 150). The timer runs from 1 to 30 minutes and stops at 5 minutes if unset. The surface stays at or below 40 °C. Goggles, a controller, a pulley and a door hook are included. The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is made for human faces, so use the panel with horses.
| Area | Panel position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back, saddle area, hindquarters | On a wall or stand at back height, horse alongside at about 12 inches | The broad face of the panel suits it |
| Legs, tendons, fetlocks | Stood on the ground to the side of the leg, never behind | Clean, dry and brushed flat; keep clear of the kicking zone |
| Coronary band | Only if your vet agrees | Not for laminitis |
| Head, poll, throat | Avoid | Eyes and thyroid |
A starting routine, consistent with our dog and cat guidance: about 12 inches, first sessions of 2 to 3 minutes at low brightness, building to about 5 minutes on one area, 2 to 3 times a week, in continuous mode. Increase only with your vet's agreement, and never beyond the 10 to 15 minutes per area we suggest for people. Log date, area, distance, minutes, brightness and response, plus your vet's lameness grade, swelling and back palpation.
Read the precautions before ordering. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical or veterinary devices, and are not intended to treat any condition in horses. Ask your vet before using light on a horse with lameness, a back problem, a lump or a wound, and check your competition rules before an event.