EQUI-LIFT: Equine Rehabilitation Suspension System

Every year, elite racehorses are euthanized on the spot following limb fractures. The true killer is rarely the break itself, but Supporting Limb Laminitis (SLL)—a fatal condition triggered when a horse overloads its healthy limbs to relieve pain in injured limb. Conventional rehabilitation slings fail because they offer a grim compromise: they provide weight relief but compress the horse's soft abdomen, restricting vital respiration and causing debilitating pressure sores due to poor ventilation and constant localized pressure.

EQUI-LIFT disrupts this tragic cycle by redefining the equine weight-compensation pathway through biomechanical innovation. Moving away from traditional "belly-sling" designs, EQUI-LIFT utilizes a decoupled fore and hind support strategy. It shifts the entire lifting force away from vulnerable soft tissues and onto the horse’s skeletal system—specifically the sternum and ischial tuberosities. By targeting these robust bony structures and the surrounding dense musculature, the system provides safe, long-term unloading without causing respiratory or internal organ distress.

To eradicate the secondary threat of pressure sores, EQUI-LIFT integrates a 1/4 cyclic alternating TPU air-cushion array. This dynamic system prevents long-term, continuous pressure on a single point of a horse's body, maintaining continuous blood circulation in contact areas. This is paired with an advanced ventilation architecture: a high-strength, 3D warp-knitted spacer fabric sandwiched between the air cushions and a silver-ion antibacterial layer. This ensures permanent, non-collapsing airflow channels that aggressively dissipate heat and moisture, maintaining skin integrity over months of recovery.

The engineering is as adaptable as it is durable. A modular, adjustable frame allows veterinarians to customize the fit for diverse equine anatomies, while twin omnidirectional overhead cranes permit the animal to move instinctively within its stall. Constructed with industrial-grade 1050D Cordura® and ultra-strong Dyneema® webbing, EQUI-LIFT merges medical precision with extreme durability. It transforms terminal fractures into manageable recoveries, providing a humane, technological leap that honors the life and dignity of these majestic animals.