Horse Exerciser

Belebro Horse Exerciser:

Practical value

Our exercisers can positively affect the health and usability of horses. Just putting the horse out to pasture is not enough, as the amount and intensity of exercise that they take of their own accord is too little. A horse needs a lot more exercise than just an hour a day. Hoof problems are a typical consequence of horses being kept by humans. Most deformities of the foot (and other parts) are related to a shortage of exercise. Standing still hinders blood saturation and growth. A hoof that is stimulated by daily work maintains itself the best. In their natural habitat horses walk about 16 hours a day, covering over 20 miles (30 kilometres) to scrape out a meagre living. Research at the Testing Station for Horse Husbandry in Lelystad, The Netherlands, has shown that nutrition and exercise are the two key factors in determining horses’ health and especially the quality of the legs.

Bones: strengthens, thus better defence against pathogens and cancer cells.
Back: better development of the back muscles.
Muscles: keeps muscle cells healthier by better blood saturation, and slows down aging.
Lungs: increases blood saturation and so improves oxygen supply and removal of carbon dioxide.
Heart: strengthens the heart muscles, resulting in higher efficiency, lower pulse rate and blood pressure.
Brain: increases blood saturation, resulting in improved alertness, brightness, and intellect.
Reflexes: faster, improved correction in the case of a false step or imminent fall.
Colic: highly effective for prevention and cure.

Furthermore, with a TRC computer equipped exerciser you can train the five factors that, according to the Testing Station for Horse Husbandry in Lelystad, the Netherlands, most determine the performance of the horse. These are:

Character: focused tempo training, whereby horses sometimes are pushed to their limits.
Quality of the legs: short and intense stimulation (interval training) improves the bone tissue.
Coordination: varying movements by applying different speeds.
Suppleness: less stiffness.
Reflexes: great improvement thus considerably less risk of injury.

Scientific and practical research over a period of several years shows what a good exerciser can achieve with the right use (along with adequate nutrition):

Fewer health problems.
Significantly fewer leg and hoof problems.
Better muscle development, especially the back muscles.
Improved suppleness and reflexes.
Significantly fewer injuries.
Less risk of ataxic defects (free walk).
60% less risk of osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD).
Less risk of arthritis.

To actually realise the results mentioned above, specific design is required.

Belebro Horse Exercisers

A Belebro horse exerciser consists of the following components:

free-moving exerciser (walk or training)
separations
dust prevention provision
footing
fencing
roof (if desired)

Design

As far as the design goes, each component of the exerciser must be tuned to its users, the horses. If one of the components is not up to scratch, then this is immediately detrimental to safety and the functionality as a whole. Apart from safety, the design also determines how a horse feels and behaves in the facility.

The design of the Belebro Safeguard© exerciser is patented internationally. Hundreds of Belebro Safeguard© exercisers worldwide keep horses in top condition and do their work day in, day out, without a single accident ever having happened.

No one other than Belebro can claim that!

Important factors for a good walker or training exerciser are:

User-friendly
Reliable
Long life
Little and simple maintenance
Safe for human beings and horses
Cost efficient

Belebro exercisers carry the CE and CSA quality marks. The CE mark means that the manufacturer declares that the machine meets the guidelines laid down for it and that the electrical installation is in accordance with the EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) guidelines. Both these guidelines are concerned with the safety of the operators and those in the immediate surroundings of the machine. The CSA mark means, that the specific device complies with the standards for technical and electric safety in the USA and Canada.

For the best results for your horse, Belebro can offer you various possibilities regarding operating systems, warning current arrangements, drive systems, lubrication systems and sprinkler systems, all based on our experience and development since 1986. The possibilities guarantee you a user-friendly, reliable, safe and efficient machine (see also the technical information).

Types:

Standing: walkers and/or training exercisers that stand on the ground in the middle of the installation.
Suspended: hanging “Topspin” training exercisers that hang under a roof: the central surface of the base remains free for other uses such as lunging.
Suspended: hanging “Oval” training exercisers that hang under a roof: the central surface of the base remains free for other uses such as lunging.

The basis of all types of walkers and training exercisers that Belebro supplies is that a horse can move freely in compartments that are formed by forward-moving separations between an internal and external fence.

Standing walkers and/or training exercisers:

ST : Exercisers with continuously manually adjustable walk speed, whereby the exerciser turns automatically. They can be delivered with a maximum diameter of 20 metres (about 60 feet).
TR : Training exercisers with continuously manually adjustable walk and trotting speed, whereby the exerciser automatically changes direction.
TRC : Completely computer driven training exerciser with memory for the storage of up to 99 programs entered by the user, whereby speeds and turning times are variable. Training exercisers with a diameter of more than 20 metres (60 feet) are only available with a TRC drive.

Hanging training exercisers (“Topspin”):

TRC : Completely computer driven training exercisers with memory for programs entered by the user, whereby speed, duration and turning time are variable.

Separations

Depriving a horse of the opportunity to flee, along with view of the surroundings, results in stress. Because of this a horse feels less secure, which increases the chance of unusual reactions. It is important that if a horse starts to buck and kick out, the exerciser remains stable and noiseless, so as not to scare the other horses and stress them. The kicking by the horses against the separations may never result in risks to the other horses. This is why Belebro only supplies its patented Safeguard^© separations.

Safeguard^© separation rods

The Safeguard^©separations are formed of synthetic rods that hang next to each other on the arms. These rods are constructed such that they are extraordinarily strong but still very flexible, even in temperatures below freezing. Under heavy loads the rods can bend, but they never end up with sharp edges. During the production process the rods are given an aluminium layer that is conductive, so there is the option of putting an electric charge on them if desired. We also offer the choice of either 14 or 28 rods per separation arm.

Recognised and protected by international patent (EU no. 0838152, 5 July 2000; USA no. 6,000,364,14 December 1999).

Belebro Safeguard^©separation construction

Safeguard-14: 14 rods, for the average barn.
Safeguard-28: 28 rods, especially for stallions and/or “wild” horses.

Safeguard^© separation rod advantages:

Completely flexible plastic rods.
Conductive.
No risk of being hit by a separation being kicked upwards or backwards.
No risk of horses’ hooves getting caught in the separation.
No risk of horses being injured by a damaged separation.
No risk of injury from pointed ends, as with metal rods.
No risk of being speared by a broken rod, as with metal or other synthetic rods.
No agitation caused by horses striking out against separations.

And further:

By far the most economical: Safeguard^© separation rods last longer than any others, and if a rod does get damaged you can replace just the rod, by yourself and in no time.
The light weight of the Safeguard^© separations mean less energy is used and less wear and tear on the drive. They also safeguard the entire exerciser because the force of any blow is not transferred to the construction and the drive.

Hot wire system:

Belebro walkers and training exercisers are insulated as standard, so that current can be placed on the construction with a warning current switchbox. The construction transfers the warning current to the Safeguard^© separations. This means that we work without brushes and wiring, which increases reliability.

Construction:

The exerciser with ST drive has the option of being constructed with a warning current system on the Safeguard^© separations, controllable using an on/off switch.
The exerciser driving systems TR and TRC has the option to be constructed with a four-phase warning current system on the Safeguard^© separations. With this you can regulate the strength of the warning current system yourself. This prevents horses losing their trust in the training exerciser and/or getting into a panic because of a current being too powerful.

Dust prevention provision (sprinkler system):

Keeping the footing dust-free is very important for your horses’ bronchial system. Airborne dust particles can definitely damage their bronchial system, reduce the performance and even lessen life expectancy. All Belebro exercisers can be equipped with a simple but very effective water sprinkling system. With this system you can keep the footing moist, which prevents dust and keeps the footing stable. A must for every exerciser!

Not so much for safety, but more for reliability and the lifetime of the equipment, you can also choose from the following extras:

Automatic lubrication

The automatic lubricator automatically greases the drive ring at regular intervals, thus preventing drive overload, which in turn is also good for the reliability and lifetime of your exerciser. Depending on use, the grease filling must be replaced once every six months to a year.

Powder coating

The hot-dipped galvanised construction of the exercisers can be equipped with a powder coating in any RAL colour, whereby the lacquer is applied under heat. Powder coating is the same as galvanising as far as the class of its durability is concerned.

Construction

The construction of all Belebro walkers and training exercisers consists of a stable platform with a drive ring on it with a tower on which the carrying arms for the separation rods are mounted. The motor is mounted on the platform as low as possible, whereby the platform is also low (60 cm or about 2 feet). Keeping the weight low like this makes the exerciser very stable. The arms are in the shape of a triangle and therefore cannot move in relation to the tower. All parts are thermally galvanised as standard, and all assembly materials are galvanised electrolytically.

Drive

Motors

Exercisers are driven by a 0.5 kW electromotor with a reduction gear unit. The life expectancy in average use is expected to be around 15,000 hours.

Exercisers with a diameter of up to 20 metres (60 feet) are driven by a 1.1 kW electromotor with a reduction gear unit. The life expectancy in normal use is expected to be an average of 15,000 hours.

Exercisers with a diameter of more than 20 meters (60 feet) are equipped with a motor in accordance with the necessary capacity. For determining the specific motor’s power, Belebro had the power current calculations made by the Eindhoven Technical University.

Transmission

The drive takes place through three V-belts that are driven by a V-belt pulley mounted on the motor’s axle. The three V-belts drive the tower round on a horizontal plane rim.
Advantages:

The forces that arise because of any play in the bearings are taken up by the V-belts and not by the motor’s bearings.
V-belts slip if they are overloaded (slip-action clutch)
In more than ten years of the application of the Belebro drive construction, a V-belt has never had to be replaced because of wear and tear!

For more details check www.belebro.com