🧲 Vet Insight: Do Magnetic Blankets Help Horses? | 2025 Review of Research & Effectiveness 🐴

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Magnetic therapy has long been marketed to horse owners as a way to **reduce soreness, accelerate healing, and calm stressed horses**. From boots to blankets to wraps, magnets are claimed to improve **circulation, reduce inflammation**, and support recovery. But how much of this is backed by real science? 🧠🐎

In this 2025 guide, I’ll break down what the research says about **magnetic blankets**—and what horse owners need to know before investing. 🧪💡

🧲 What Are Magnetic Blankets?

Magnetic blankets are typically lightweight fabric sheets embedded with **static magnets**, which are advertised to influence blood flow, tissue healing, or even mood. Many products contain magnets rated at **around 900 gauss each**, arranged to cover the back, hips, and shoulders. 🎯

Promised Benefits Include:

• 🩹 Increased wound healing
• 💪 Reduced muscle soreness
• 🌡️ Improved blood flow and tissue oxygenation
• 😌 A calming effect for anxious or tense horses

Sounds great—but are these claims supported by evidence? Let’s take a closer look. 🧠🔬

🔬 Research Results: The Swedish Study

A group of veterinarians in Sweden conducted a controlled study, published in the **Equine Veterinary Journal**, using **10 horses** to test magnetic blankets versus regular blankets. The goal: determine if magnets had any measurable effect. 🧪📊

Study Setup:

• 🧲 Blankets with **120 static magnets** at 900 gauss/magnet
• 🎭 Control group wore regular non-magnetic blankets
• 🔍 Measured blood flow, skin temperature, muscle sensitivity, and behavior

Findings:

• 💉 **No significant increase in muscle blood flow** with magnets
• 🌡️ Slight rise in skin temperature—**but same rise in control group**
• 🧠 **No decrease in muscle tenderness** or behavior changes
• ⏱️ All effects disappeared **within 15 minutes** of removing blankets

Conclusion: The magnetic blankets **did not outperform placebo blankets** in any measurable way. ❌📉

⚠️ What About the Calming Claims?

Some horse owners swear their magnetic gear makes horses more relaxed—but **no calming effect was observed** in the controlled study. Horses wearing magnets behaved the same as those in the placebo group. 🧘‍♂️🐴

This suggests that any calming effect may be due to **owner perception, handling routines**, or simply the comfort of wearing a blanket—not the magnets themselves. 🧠💬

🧪 Do Magnets Increase Blood Flow?

Despite popular belief, there is **no strong evidence** that static magnets increase circulation in horses—or even in humans. Magnetic fields from static magnets used in blankets are typically **too weak to penetrate deeply enough** to affect blood vessels or muscle tissue. 🔬

Known Limitations:

• 🧲 Static magnets produce **no pulsed or electrical field**
• 📉 Magnetic strength **drops off sharply** with tissue depth
• 🧬 Scientific studies do **not support meaningful physiological change**

So while marketing may say otherwise, magnets are unlikely to “boost blood flow” as claimed. ❌💉

⚖️ Should You Still Use a Magnetic Blanket?

While there's **no proven physiological benefit**, many owners find their horses **seem more relaxed** when wearing these blankets. If the product is safe, clean, and used properly, there’s **little harm in trying it**—but it should not replace veterinary care. 🧼🩺

When Magnetic Blankets Are NOT Enough:

• 🩺 Muscle soreness after work—try bodywork, laser, or shockwave therapy
• 🦠 Wounds or swelling—need vet evaluation and targeted treatment
• 🤕 Joint stiffness—may require NSAIDs, injections, or rehab work

📱 Use Ask A Vet for Real Recovery Plans

The Ask A Vet app helps you create a treatment plan for muscle soreness or injury that goes beyond marketing claims:

• 📸 Share photos or videos of stiffness or soreness
• 🩺 Get guidance on therapies that are proven to work
• 📊 Track treatment progress and response
• 📱 Ask if a magnetic blanket is worth using for your specific case

Evidence-based decisions make for better outcomes. 🐴📲

✅ Magnetic Blanket Takeaways

• 🧲 Magnetic blankets are marketed to support healing—but evidence is lacking
• 📊 Controlled studies found **no improvement** in blood flow, pain, or behavior
• 🧘 Horses may feel comforted—but magnets likely aren't the reason
• 🔬 Magnets do not penetrate deeply or cause physiological change
• 📱 Use Ask A Vet for alternative therapies that deliver real results

📲 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Magnetic therapy may sound appealing—but for now, there’s no scientific proof that it improves healing, circulation, or mood in horses. That doesn’t mean it’s worthless—but it does mean you should treat it as **a comfort product, not a medical one**. 🧠💡

For recovery and rehab, stick to **evidence-based therapies**, and download the Ask A Vet app to create a smarter plan for your horse’s care. 🐎📱