Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment is not just for use by professionals on high-level competition horses; all horses can benefit from the relief AVL provides.  Think about when you go to the gym or participate in something active.  Even a moderate level of exercise can leave you sore the next day.  It is the same for your horse.  While it may seem like training at home is lower impact, there is a lot of invisible stress that our horses experience that we as riders don’t perceive.  As their caretakers, it is our responsibility to make sure they always feel their best and to prevent injuries whenever possible – using a liniment like AVL is one of the easiest and fastest ways to help relieve and even prevent after workout stiffness and soreness.

Stiff muscles are more susceptible to injury, which is why proper cool down after a ride is so important.  AVL is a reliable and affordable first line of defense against potential injury due to stiff muscles and tendons.  It can also help manage chronic muscle, tendon, and joint soreness in working or older horses.  Here are three easy ways to apply Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment after a ride to prevent stiff muscles and sore joints:

• Apply by hand to sore or stiff areas to increase circulation and speed recovery. Hand application also gives you a chance to check your horse’s legs for any bumps or other abnormalities.  If you rub the liniment in during application, do not wrap your horse’s legs afterwards.
• Make an invigorating liniment bath by adding to water or following the recipe on the back of the label, then sponge it over your horse for all-over relief. This is both refreshing and prevents muscles from becoming stiff during cool-down.
• Add a sprayer to the liniment bottle for easy undiluted application over large muscle areas.

If your horse often starts out with some stiffness you can also apply Absorbine® Veterinary Liniment before a ride.  Simply apply AVL to the affected joints or muscular areas to increase circulation, which will make warm-up easier and more comfortable for your horse.

AVL is the best of both worlds: it’s a time honored herbal remedy and there is scientific evidence behind it.  It uses a special mixture of extracts from healing herbs, including Calendula, Echinacea, and Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), which penetrates the soft tissues of the skin, opening pores and capillaries to bring needed blood flow to tired and inflamed tissues, thereby helping to boost healing and recovery.  A scientific study using thermography to measure the effect of AVL over time identified an initial cooling effect to the limb, followed by a 3.3°C increase in temperature over the next hour, indicating an increase of blood flow to the leg and hoof.   This evidence of prolonged vasodilation is proof that AVL accomplishes what it says it does – help to relieve inflammation in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints – which aids in recovery and helps to prevent future injury.

Absorbine® has a liniment for every horse ranging from warm penetrating relief to gentle cooling relief.  The guide below can help you choose the best liniment based on warmth and strength: