Water walker set to revolutionise training

A South West property is set to become WA’s most revolutionary racehorse retreat.

Rob Witten installed a state-of- the-art water walker at his Capel stables earlier this year — the first of its kind in WA — and the machine is now open for business.

The $400,000 high-tech swimming pool, designed by Victorian equine company GG Engineering, is used for rehabilitation and pre-training horses.

Similar facilities are available in the eastern States and have risen to particular prominence through legendary mare Black Caviar, who uses the technology extensively.

Witten said the water walker, which can hold up to 10 horses at a time, could save hours of labour and provided trainers with unparalleled level of control over the conditions under which they prepare their gallopers.

The water walker can work horses in clockwise and anticlockwise exercise routines, can be set at various speeds and be used for resistance training.

Water is filtered twice daily.

Before installing the walker, Witten toured stables with similar facilities in Victoria.

“Most of the places I went to had 40 or 50 horses in work on them,” he said.

“I thought we needed to be updated in WA so I decided to put it in.

“Water therapy is the best thing.

“People have been taking their horses to the beach for years, but this is a labour-saving device.”

Among the most high-profile trainers to have used the facilities so far are Bruce Watkins, Michael Lane and Simon Miller.

Witten anticipated the facility would be a good resource for the nearly 200 South West horse trainers and hundreds more from the metro area.

“It (the water walker) just puts no pressure on their legs,” he said.

“You still get that fitness without that concussion of their legs.

“For a horse that has a bit of an issue with legs you can get them quite forward in this before you actually have to put the pressure of galloping on them.

“The prime example is Black Caviar. She lives in one and continues to win.”