Published: November 12, 2007 09:57 am            

Eqine therapist leades horses to water

Libby Cluett

lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

Brazos Heights resident Deb Williams, a former racehorse trainer, knows well that running is in a horse’s nature.

As a prey animal, a horse must run, and as an athlete, they are expected to run. As an injured or post-operative patient, horses are expected to defy their nature – and not run around – or else they are likely to harm themselves.

In partnership with her husband, Tim, Deb Williams has been implementing and refining a solution to the equine rehabilitation dilemma for the past seven years. Her journey to this business specialty came circuitously.

Born and raised in Michigan, Williams knew about horses from competing in shows while she was young. While her grandfather trained Thoroughbred racehorses and later in his life her father trained quarter horses to race, it wasn’t until later that she became involved.

Her degree and first career were in marketing. After she graduating from Eastern Michigan University, Williams worked at GMAC for four years then started her own vending business for two to three years. While working in Lansing, Michigan, Williams met Tim, a jockey who had just started training racehorses.

She joined Tim in the racing industry and they moved to Texas. She learned the skill of training quarter horse racers alongside her husband. At the top of their game, they had 30-plus head of racehorses in their barn and had a win average of 20 percent to 25 percent, sometimes 30 percent, in a highly competitive sport.

Working together, she learned the value of being a hands-on trainer, limiting how many horses she trained and being concerned about the longevity of their horses’ careers. The process of conditioning and rehabilitating racehorses, led them to discover the underwater hydraulic treadmill system that forms the core of her business today.

The Williamses first tried a rehabilitative treadmill with a few horses at a rehabilitative center in El Paso. Within a year, they installed one at their racing stable in Whitt.

Williams noted that horses are required to go faster and faster with a large body on small legs. Even in non-speed events, horse trainers are asking horses “to do so much more,” she said.

“God has a perfect design for everything, but in the racehorse industry we’ve messed with the design,” she added, noting that large-bodied horses are expected to do amazing work on four relatively small legs.

Williams’ passion for the Aquatred system is backed by the performance of a large quarter horse filly she trained named Eyesa Shaker. In 2005, the filly won the prestigious $538,822 Heritage Place Futurity after the couple conditioned the horse primarily on their underwater treadmill to help keep her sound during the trials and final race.

However, the yearly racing schedule took its toll and in October 2005 the Williamses decided to sell their farm. The decision to stop training racehorses for the public came for several reasons – their sons were in school and racing required having one or both parents away managing racehorses.

“It was busy and grueling – a constant rat race,” according to Williams.

They continued to train “a handful of horses of our own” and a few for loyal owners at the farm until late February 2006 when they “quit the barn.” Four months later, they moved to smaller acreage in Brazos Heights. In the same month as their move, Tim, who had continued riding as a jockey, took a final career-ending spill while galloping (exercising) a horse for a friend.

“The horse took a bad step and went down on my husband,” said Williams of the injury that caused him permanent pain and disability.

Deb and Tim Williams were given the opportunity and encouragement to start the rehabilitative treadmill business back up in April by the new farm owner.

She and her husband took the offer to start the business again and seem to be rising back in the equine industry by rehabilitating horses – somewhat like the proverbial Phoenix.

While he struggles with physical duties, Deb Williams says that Tim has his knowledge of horses and is “great at diagnostics and figuring out what’s going on with a horse.”

Deb Williams spent several years working on her alternative certification to teach. She also taught as a substitute for Millsap and Mineral Wells ISD, mainly for Junior High and High School assumed the physical work and started working with contractors to rebuild the “pool” part of the treadmill system.

Back in the business, Williams focuses on bringing equine athletes back to peak performance and keeping some horses fit that could not exercise on hard ground in a daily regimen.

“It’s rewarding. We love the aspect of seeing the wonderful things the system does [for horses],” Williams said.

Williams is passionate about the system they purchased – they later purchased the company and honed and refined the treadmill.

In addition to racehorses, Williams works with equine athletes that compete in cutting, roping, barrel racing, reining and show events.

“We’ve never had an animal this hasn’t helped,” Williams said.

Her rehab patients “must have movement – at least – or it will have adhesions and scar tissue.” Williams added that they also “need mild concussion to heal.”

The treadmill system allows the horses to walk sooner after injury than they would without water, which helps decrease some of the weight from the joint.

Williams knows from experience that equine athletes can often self destruct in a stall.

“The horse’s mind needs as much care as the body,” added Williams.

The treadmill helps “knock the edge off so they are not going wild and don’t want to self-destruct,” she said.

Swimmers might sympathize that working in water increases the appetite. Williams’ patients typically “empty their feed buckets,” unlike many post-injury horses.

Williams, who stays lean and lithe working with horses, shares her husband’s philosophy – keep the business hands on so they know exactly what is going on.

“That’s what people pay for and that’s what they get,” she said.

“One can never ever call me lazy or say I don’t try,” said added.

        

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