Red Light Therapy Usage & Application Guidelines for Horses

Red and near-infrared light can be incorporated into an equine care program in many different ways. The purpose of this guide is to help horse owners understand how to approach session time, light delivery, treatment areas and frequency when using a ReGen Equine system.

Every horse and every application is different. Begin conservatively, observe the horse’s response, and adjust the approach as appropriate.

Before You Begin

Before starting a session, make sure your horse is comfortable and the treatment area is suitable for light application.

Keep your horse securely tied or otherwise safely restrained throughout the session. Do not allow your horse to move freely or run around while wearing a red light wrap or pad.

Keep light away from the eyes and never direct light into the eyes.
Follow the recommended session time for the area being treated.
Observe your horse’s response during the session and discontinue use if discomfort or unusual sensitivity occurs.
Keep the wrap clean, particularly when used around areas of damaged or compromised skin.

Light therapy can be incorporated as supportive care within a broader equine care program. If your horse has an active injury, unexplained lameness, significant swelling, an open wound, a diagnosed tumour or another medical concern, consult your veterinarian before incorporating light therapy into the care plan.

Veterinary guidance identifies the eyes and retina, active haemorrhage and neoplastic tissue among areas requiring particular caution.

Choosing Your Light Mode

ReGen Equine systems offer two delivery options: Continuous and Pulsed. Both use red and near-infrared wavelengths, but the pattern of light delivery is different. Understanding these modes helps you select an application approach that fits your horse's needs, whether you're supporting everyday muscle care, post-exercise recovery or a specific treatment area.

Continuous Mode (Steady)

Continuous mode delivers light at a consistent output throughout the session, without intentional interruptions in delivery.

It is an excellent everyday setting for general muscle care, conditioning, routine wellness and post-exercise applications.

The steady delivery pattern makes Continuous a practical choice when treating larger muscle groups, the back, shoulders and hindquarters, or incorporating light therapy into your horse's regular care routine.

Pulsed Mode — Intermittent Light Delivery

Pulsed mode delivers light in rapid on-and-off cycles, repeating 10 times per second. Rather than delivering light continuously, it provides short intervals between each cycle.

This is a useful option when working with an acute or sensitive area, or when you prefer an intermittent pattern of light delivery.

Which Mode Should You Use?

For everyday muscle care, conditioning and post-exercise applications, Continuous mode is an excellent starting choice.

Pulsed mode offers an alternative delivery pattern when working with an acute or sensitive area.

Both modes can be used across muscle, tendon, ligament and joint areas. Select the mode according to the intended application, your product guidelines and your horse's response.

Session Time & Energy

Treatment time is an important part of every light-application protocol. The appropriate session length depends on the treatment area, the intended application and the individual horse.

ReGen Equine recommends keeping sessions within the maximum application time specified in the product instructions. For ReGen Equine wraps and pads, the maximum session time is 15 minutes per area.

Consistency and appropriate session duration are important considerations when incorporating light into an ongoing care routine. Longer sessions are not automatically better, and more light does not necessarily produce a better response.

Before starting a session, make sure your horse is TIED UP, comfortable and the treatment area is suitable for light application.

Keep light away from the eyes and never direct light into the eyes.
Follow the recommended session time for the area being treated.
Observe your horse’s response during the session and discontinue use if discomfort or unusual sensitivity occurs.
Keep the wrap clean, particularly when used around areas of damaged or compromised skin.

Veterinary guidance identifies the eyes and retina, active haemorrhage and neoplastic tissue among areas requiring particular caution.

Light energy is commonly described using joules (J) and joules per square centimetre (J/cm²).

Joules (J) describe the total amount of energy delivered.
J/cm² describes energy delivered over a defined area.
Session duration influences the total energy delivered during an application.

The relationship between light output, treatment time, delivery mode and the area receiving light all contribute to the overall application.

Research into photobiomodulation also describes a biphasic dose response, meaning biological responses can vary with the amount of light exposure. This is why following recommended session times and maintaining a consistent approach are important.

Understanding Light Energy

Why Appropriate Exposure Matters

Photobiomodulation follows a biphasic dose response. This means biological responses can vary depending on the amount of light delivered.

An appropriate exposure is important because increasing treatment time or light output does not automatically produce a greater biological response.

Wavelength, tissue characteristics, treatment area and individual response all contribute to how light interacts with the body.

Consistency in Application

Photobiomodulation is commonly incorporated into regular care routines through repeated, appropriately timed applications.

Rather than continually increasing session duration, follow the recommended treatment guidelines for your ReGen Equine product and allow time for the horse's response to be observed.

Each ReGen Equine product has its own operating guidelines. Always follow the recommended session duration and maximum exposure specified for your equipment.

Joints & Stifles

The joints play a major role in how a horse moves, balances, turns, pushes off and absorbs impact. Areas such as the hocks, stifles, knees and fetlocks experience different demands depending on the horse's discipline, training and workload.

For example, barrel horses place considerable demand on the hocks and stifles through acceleration, collection and tight turns. Jumpers rely heavily on their shoulders, forelimbs and hindquarters to generate power and absorb landing forces. Event horses experience repeated demands across several phases of competition, making attention to multiple joint areas an important part of their overall care routine.

The ReGen Equine Tri-Wave Stifle Wrap combines 660 nm red light with 850 nm and 940 nm near-infrared wavelengths. For joint applications, 850 nm and 940 nm are the primary wavelengths in your recommended protocol, with 940 nm adding another near-infrared wavelength to complement 850 nm.

Recommended application:

Wavelengths: 850 nm and 940 nm
Mode: Continuous or Pulsed (10 Hz)
Acute applications: 5–8 minutes per joint, up to 3 times daily when appropriate.
Ongoing care: 8–10 minutes per joint, 3–5 times weekly.

Position the wrap over the joint area, keeping it evenly placed for consistent light coverage. Depending on the size and shape of the area, repositioning may help provide coverage around the joint.

Joint applications can be incorporated into regular conditioning, post-exercise care and competition routines, with attention given to the areas working hardest for your horse.

Back & Sacroiliac

The back and hindquarters work together to support balance, movement and athletic performance. The topline, long back muscles, loin and gluteal muscles all contribute to how a horse carries a rider, engages its hindquarters and generates forward movement.

Different riding activities place different demands on the back and hindquarters:

Everyday pleasure and trail riding: The back, topline and hindquarters support the horse through regular riding, hills, uneven terrain and longer periods under saddle.
Western riding: Reining, ranch riding, cutting and roping place demands on the back, loin and hindquarters through stops, turns, collection and quick changes of direction.
Barrel racing: The loin, back and hindquarters work hard through acceleration, collection and tight turns.
English riding: Flatwork, dressage and jumping involve the topline and hindquarters in posture, balance, engagement and take-off.
Eventing: The topline and hindquarters experience varied demands through dressage, cross-country and jumping.

The sacroiliac (SI) region is particularly important to hindquarter movement. It connects the pelvis and sacrum, forming a key part of the horse's pelvic structure. Light application in this area focuses on the surrounding muscles and soft tissues as part of an overall back and hindquarter care routine.

Recommended application:

Wavelengths: 850 nm and 940 nm
Mode: Continuous or Pulsed (10 Hz)
Acute applications: 5–8 minutes per area, up to 3 times daily when appropriate.
Ongoing care: 8–10 minutes per area, 3–5 times weekly.

Application positioning:

Position the back pad over the topline, beginning behind the withers and extending toward the loin. Adjust the placement to cover the intended area evenly. For additional attention to the hindquarters, reposition the pad over the gluteal muscles and surrounding SI region.

For larger treatment areas, work through individual sections rather than assuming one placement covers the entire back and hindquarters.

Back and SI applications can be included in regular conditioning, post-exercise care and competition routines, with particular attention to the areas carrying the greatest workload.

Muscle & Soft Tissue

Muscles are involved in nearly every movement your horse makes. From daily activity and riding to training and competition, different muscle groups experience varying levels of workload.

Red and near-infrared light can be incorporated into routine muscle care, conditioning programs and post-exercise applications, with particular attention to areas that experience the greatest workload.

The 850 nm and 940 nm wavelengths are used in this protocol for muscle and deeper soft-tissue applications. The 660 nm wavelength complements the near-infrared wavelengths as part of the ReGen Equine Tri-Wave Light System™.

Recommended application:

Wavelengths: 850 nm and 940 nm
Mode: Continuous or Pulsed (10 Hz)
Acute applications: 5–8 minutes per area, up to 3 times daily when appropriate.
Ongoing care: 8–10 minutes per area, 3–5 times weekly.

Position the wrap evenly over the intended muscle group to provide consistent coverage. For larger muscle groups, reposition the wrap as needed to cover the area.

Tendons & Ligaments

Tendons and ligaments are essential components of the horse's musculoskeletal system. Tendons connect muscle to bone and transmit the forces required for movement, while ligaments connect and support structures around joints.

These collagen-rich connective tissues experience considerable loading during exercise, training and competition. Red and near-infrared light can be incorporated into a broader care routine to support soft-tissue wellness.

Wavelengths & Mode

850nm near-infrared: Provides greater tissue transmission than red light and is commonly used in photobiomodulation applications involving connective tissue.
940nm near-infrared: Complements 850nm with different absorption characteristics as part of the Tri-Wave Light System™.

Mode: Continuous or Pulsed (10 Hz), according to the intended application and product guidelines.

Session Guidelines

Targeted or acute care: 5–8 minutes per area, with frequency guided by the horse's needs and veterinary recommendations.
Ongoing care: 8–10 minutes per area, 3–5 times weekly.

For diagnosed tendon or ligament injuries, light therapy can be considered alongside veterinary assessment and the horse's rehabilitation plan.