My mare had a soft tissue injury late summer. She is healing well and vet gave me the green light to swim her. 

There are two facilities within 6ish hours of me. One has the deep pool so they actually have to swim, the other has like a chest deep track type pool to swim them in but they walk in it. Seems much like an aquatread to me. I have heard nothing but good things about both facilities so I am curious to get opinions on these two different types of pools. 

Which would you choose? I have read swimming can be hard on stifles and this horse does receive stifle injections yearly. Also, is there cause to be concerned about how a horse must lift their neck so high and thus hollow out their back when swimming? 

I prefer the aquatread over swimming. In my opinion, the aquatread is lower impact for rehabbing but they are using themselves as they would normally. Swimming, a horse uses their body differently.

I hope it is okay that I post this? If not someone yell at me and I will remove. Complete Equine Performance is on my list. They are 6 hours from me. Based on their website I don't think they have an aquatred but their pool is like this.... The horse's head stays at a natural level and they tread the water instead of swimming.

Oh, that looks very similar to using an Aquatread rather than swimming in a pool. 

After having swum one many years ago and then suffering on again, off again stifle issues permanently I will never swim one again. A horse uses 100% of themselves to swim, the leg action is huge under the water. 

I would use aquatred in a heartbeat tho. You have control over so many parameters with aquatred that you can target exactly what you need to without stressing the major joints.

Curious what you think of that pool that is more shallow and allows them to tread? 

I would have to see it in action - treading might be as full a motion on those rear legs?

I swam my horse as a kid in a pond that they could reach the bottom even in the middle so would kinda leap/swim across. I never had any issues with that horse. Xena may have had conformational issues which led to a weaker stifle and the swimming simply affected it negatively because of that. But I also swam a very well balanced cow/race cross at the same time and he just about drowned, so I just don't like pools and full out swimming anymore.  If I had the money I would build and open an aquatred somewhere in my area. Our one pool shut down and now the closest facility with pool or aquatred is 3+ hours in either MD or DE? 

Something else to consider.... not all horses swim! Sounds dumb but honestly the aquatred is a lot safer... u get a better more efficient workout. And someone don't realize that weight bearing exercises create bone density. So the aquatred never removes that aspect from the workout. 

Great feed back y'all. Much appreciated!