Choosing an LED treatment system
Light therapy systems for horses look broadly alike and perform very differently. The photograph tells you almost nothing, the marketing tells you slightly less, and the specifications that actually matter are usually the ones not printed on the box. Four things decide whether a system does useful work: how much light it delivers, at which wavelengths, how well it stays where you put it, and how long it survives a stable.
This guide explains each of those, in the order we would ask about them ourselves — including the numbers for our own systems, so you can compare them against anything else you are considering.
Output power and number of LEDs
Total output power determines how much light energy reaches the tissue during a session. It is measured in milliwatts, and a higher total output allows the system to deliver an effective dose within a reasonable treatment time. If the output is low, the only way to compensate is to treat for far longer — which in practice means the treatment stops happening.
But output alone does not determine performance. The number of LEDs, and how the light is distributed across the treatment area, matter just as much. A system with many LEDs spreads energy evenly across the tissue rather than concentrating it in a few bright points, so a larger area is treated at a consistent dose. Two systems can share a headline output figure and deliver completely different treatments.
Ask for two numbers, not one: total output, and how many points that output is spread across.
Wavelengths
Most therapeutic light systems operate within the optical window, approximately 600 to 900 nanometres. Within this range light penetrates tissue effectively and interacts with the cellular processes involved in repair, circulation and energy production. This is the range used in the majority of photobiomodulation research, because biological tissue lets these wavelengths through while they still interact with light-absorbing molecules in the cell.
Wavelengths in the lower part of the window mainly influence more superficial tissue layers; those in the upper part reach deeper structures such as muscles, tendons and joints. A system built for equine use should cover both, because the horse's problems rarely sit at one depth.
Blue light lies outside this range and only affects the superficial surface of the skin. If a system leads with blue light, ask what it is for.
System design and durability
Design decides how easily a system can be positioned on different parts of the horse, and how well it holds that position once the horse moves. Some systems are built for one anatomical area; others allow flexible placement across several treatment zones. Either can be right — what is not right is a system that slides, gaps or has to be held in place for ten minutes.
Durability is the part most specifications ignore. Stable environments involve dust, moisture and mechanical impact, and a system used daily will eventually be dropped, stood on, or left somewhere damp. Materials, construction and ease of cleaning are not luxury considerations here — they decide whether you still own a working system in three years.
Warranty and purchasing options
Warranty coverage reflects how much confidence the manufacturer has in its own build. A system designed for equestrian use should carry clear warranty terms that protect the investment over time — and the length of that warranty is a more honest signal than any product description.
It is also worth comparing the whole cost rather than the headline price: shipping, payment options, delivery times and what happens if something fails. And whether the manufacturer will actually talk to you about which system suits your horse, before you buy rather than after.
How LED by CHEVAL systems compare
Our systems distribute a high, consistent output across many LEDs rather than concentrating energy in a few points, which lets larger areas be treated efficiently while keeping sessions short and treatment conditions controlled.
Every second row emits infrared to ensure deeper tissue penetration. No blue light. Adjustable Velcro straps allow precise placement, and the modular design lets multiple systems be connected to treat larger areas such as the topline with consistent coverage. Built to keep working after a drop in dirty stable water or a hoof on the wrong strap — and covered by a four-year warranty.
Which system for which horse
Once the technical questions are settled, the choice comes down to something simpler: which areas you will treat, and how often.
Wrap72
Legs and joints — fetlock, knee, hock. The everyday choice for one or two legs and targeted joint or tendon work. 4 990 kr to buy, or rent from 390 kr/mth.
Wrap108
Extended coverage for larger zones, the neck, or horses needing more than one area treated. 6 990 kr to buy, or rent from 590 kr/mth.
Stifle Wrap
Shaped for the stifle, and adapts to the chest, shoulders and back. 5 990 kr to buy, or rent from 390 kr/mth.
Pad
Large-area coverage across the back and hindquarters, for horses where the topline is the priority. 18 990 kr.
Sheet
Full-body coverage in one session — the choice for yards treating several horses or several zones daily. 39 990 kr. Purchase only.
Not sure which zones you will actually treat? The treatment points guide, poll to hoof → walks through each area and which system suits it. Still unsure? We're happy to help you decide — that conversation is free and usually short.
You don't have to buy to begin
The most reliable way to compare systems is to use one. Our rental programme lets you start with the system we'd recommend for your horse and change your mind, with no deposit, no minimum period and no binding commitment. If you decide to keep it, up to three months of rental is credited toward the purchase. Rental is available for the Wrap72, Wrap108 and Stifle Wrap.
A better system does not change what light can do. LED treatment supports the natural processes involved in recovery and tissue maintenance — it is not a cure and does not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment. What the specifications above decide is whether a system delivers a useful dose, in a workable time, for as many years as you need it to.
Common questions
How much output power does a horse LED system need?
There is no single figure, because output has to be read together with how many LEDs it is spread across and how large the treatment area is. What matters in practice is whether the system delivers an effective dose within a session length you will repeat daily — for our systems that is five to ten minutes per area.
Which LED system is best for a horse's legs?
The Wrap72 is the usual choice for the lower limb — fetlock, knee and hock — and suits one or two legs. If the affected area runs higher up the limb, or more than one area needs treating at once, the Wrap108 gives more coverage.
Is it better to rent or buy an LED system?
Renting first is the lower-risk route if you are unsure which system fits or whether the routine will hold in your yard: no deposit, no minimum period, no binding commitment, and up to three months of rental credited toward a purchase if you keep it. Buying makes sense once you know which system you need. Rental is available for the Wrap72, Wrap108 and Stifle Wrap.
How long do these systems last?
They are built for daily use in stable conditions — dust, moisture and mechanical impact included — and carry a four-year warranty. The warranty length is a deliberate signal: it reflects the materials and components used, and it is a fair question to ask of any system you compare ours against.