NECESSITY is the mother of invention so the saying goes, and it could easily be Liz Newman's motto.

When one of Liz's show jumpers injured a tendon she found it impossible to secure a suitable place to take the horse for hydrotherapy.

Rather than sitting back in frustration, Liz to decide to build her own hydrotherapy unit at home, Middle Hill Farm, Inglesham, near Lechlade.

The Equine Service Centre (ESC) opened a year and a half ago and has been incredibly busy ever since.

Liz's list of clients reads like an equine Who's Who.

Horses from the top racing trainers in Europe - Henrietta Knight, Nicky Henderson, Michael Stoute, John Hammond and Tom George among them - have all received treatment at ESC.

In the state-of-the-art centre, situated on the A361 between Highworth and Lechlade, there are 25 modern, airy stables, an equine swimming pool, water treadmill and leg spa, solariums, a horse walker, a 60m by 30m gel track arena and a one-furlong gel track canter track.

Livery is available for horses on a programme of hydrotherapy treatments.

The programmes are designed to improve the fitness and performance of healthy horses and ponies as well as speeding up recovery time after injuries and/or surgery.

Liz and eight full-time members of staff live at Middle Hill Farm, which boasts high-tech security measures, including CCTV.

Henrietta Knight's chaser How Are We Now was arriving as I left this week, while Walk In The Park, the runner up in the 2005 Derby at Epsom no less, had just gone home.

Eventer Chris King from nearby Southrop, who has enjoyed such a successful season this year, is another satisfied customer, and patients come from as far away as France and Ireland.

The great advantage in swimming horses is that it improves stamina, circulation, flexibility and muscle tone without the risk of impact injuries which can happen to legs or joints when training on land.

And because the pool is straight, it encourages a balanced posture because the horses are not always on the turn.

Horses are natural swimmers and mostly love going for a dip once they have got used to the technique.

Horses recovering from leg injuries which use the equine water treadmill need far less time spent at exercise than if they were on dry land and the buoyancy of the water reduces the weight on the legs until they are ready to take it.

Clear viewing panels in the side of the treadmill show the handlers whether the horse is using all four legs in equal measure.

It is also very useful for improving topline and gait as it encourages horses to move long and low, building muscle strength and flexibility in the shoulders, back and hindquarters.

Therapy in the equine spa helps to treat injured tendons, ligaments, shins, and hooves as well as wounds, cuts and bruises. Regular use can greatly reduce everyday stresses and strains that often develop into more serious injuries.

In addition, it is a much quicker and more efficient way of treating tired legs than hours of cold hosing and is particularly beneficial for injuries that are slow to heal and may re-occur.

ESC also has access to a top class local vet, farrier, equine dentist and equine massage therapist. It is not, however, only a centre for high-quality competition horses, but for any equine which needs treatment.

"We treat everything from Grand National entrants to children's ponies. Hydrotherapy is really beginning to take off," said Liz, who is about to set up a second centre in Newmarket.

To find out more about the ESC, telephone 01367 253929 or fax 01367 253923 Email: info@equineservicecentre.com or go to www.equineservicecentre.com.