AK Equine Swiss Spa BV

Director and Founder of AK Equine Int. GmbH and AK Equine Swiss Spa BV. 

Owner of Equilibrium Stables. 

My longstanding passion for Horses and their Well-being lead me to pursue an Education and Career in the challenging Field of Equine Rehabilitation. 

From the earliest age Horses have captivated me, so it was a logical conclusion that when I finished my International Baccalaureate in Science in Zurich, Switzerland, I would go on to study Equine Science. 

I was very fortunate to have been able to Study in Gloucestershire, England and to have had two of my Horses with me on Campus. I was able to Compete on Weekends as Hartpury hosts Dressage Competitions of all Levels. It was a very fun but intensive time! 

Hartpury College is also home to the Hartpury College Equine Therapy Center which was founded in 1999 by Dr. Kathryn Nankervis PhD. The Center is fully  equipped with an Aqua Trainer and a High Speed Treadmill. Alongside Osteopathic Treatments, Ground Work, Lunging etc., they use these Facilities to Rehabilitate and  Condition Horses of all Disciplines and Levels. While this interested me, I was even more excited by the Weekly Visits of countless of Top Level Competition Horses of Various Disciplines, including the Super Star Valegro, who all came to the Center to use the Aqua Trainer as part of their Training and Conditioning System. These Sessions are a vital part in the overall Management of these Horses, keeping them fit and healthy for longer. In Valegro's case, I don't need to illustrate what a successful Career he has had with one of the best Riders the World has possibly known, Charlotte Dujardin!

This is a Key Part in what I wished to take from Hartpury and apply here at Equilibrium. Not only Rehabilitating Horses when they were already injured but also using these practices to prolong their Healthy and Successful (Competition) life. 

A Winning Concept! 

Both present and essential for my Studies and for the Equine Therapy Center is the Importance of Research in Validating Results and Practices but also to Advance the Field and Improve the Efficacy of the Rehabilitation Process. 

Experiments, Research and Results have always fascinated me greatly and using this to improve Management Practices and in turn Equine Welfare is something I am very interested in. Seeing the progress of my Horses since using the Pool and the Aqua Trainer,  I am keen in progressing Hydrotherapy Research at Equilibrium Stables.    

During my time at Hartpury, University of West of England Bristol, I was a Member of the Equine Academy and had the chance to train and compete in England up to Prix St. Georges in Dressage. At this time, at the Academy there was the Opportunity to train with Carl Hester, as he was overseeing the Elite Level Academy Riders.  Unfortunately, when a space became available to have a Lesson with him, my Competition Horse, Aida, went unsound. Needless to say I was so disappointed to have missed this incredible Opportunity. He is one of my all time favorite Riders!

At this stage, Aida would need about 4-5 Months of Hand-walking and Rest, in which I struggled to find someone who could give her that Level of Care and Attention she would need to recover. It was not possible to keep her in unsound state on Campus, and I did not have the time during my Studies to give her this care while she was stabled elsewhere.  It was then that I realized the need for a Holistic Rehabilitation Center that could aid the rehabilitation of Horses according to their Individual needs. I saw an Opportunity and a "Niche" in the Equine Industry. 

With Aida's Journey and the impressions from the Hartpury Equine Therapy Center in mind, as well as the Comment,  Remarks and input from Dr. Kathryn Nankervis PhD and Hartpury Professor and Fellow of the BHS Jeremy Michaels (FBHS) we set out to build a Rehabilitation Center which was both Resourceful and Innovative.  Professor Nankervis PhD was my Lecturer in one of my Courses and Professor Michaels was my Lecturer in Equitation as well as my Trainer. I am very thankful to both. 

From this Resulted our Final Set-Up of  a Straight Swimming Pool, Aqua Trainer  as well as the additional Treatments of K-Laser, Platelet Rich Plasma and Cryo- Therapy. All presented in a beautiful, effectively run Stable with Swiss Standards of Cleanliness, Hygiene and Precision! 

• My Passions 
  • Equine Nutrition
  • Dressage Riding                         
  • Research & Innovation   
    • My Dissertation which I wrote about "Whorls & Equine Behavior" in March 2016 was my first. I was invited to present my Research Article  In May 2016 at  the 6th Alltech-Hartpury Student Conference.                                                                                     

• My Hopes & Goals
  • Advance Hydrotherapy Research 
    • Especially comparative Studies & Rehabilitation Efficacy for Specific Injuries 
  • I would like to further my Education in the Future and do a Masters in Sport Horse Nutrition in the Netherlands
  • Further my Dressage Riding 

• My Objectives 
  • To do my Alma Mater proud and all the People who have contributed and helped me come this far. 
  • To run a Successful and Honest Operation. 
  • I intend to be the best possible Boss and Colleague at the same time.

• Why Holland?
  • I love the Country and the People, but above all, the best Sporthorses and many National and International Competitions are here. To mention a few; Indoor Brabant, LGCT in Valkenswaard, CHIO Rotterdam. CHIO Aachen is nearby in Germany as we are centrally located. 
  • Ideal for my Research Purposes and Objectives. 
  • Good Universities in my proximity

• My Pledge
  • To always do my best and to give every Animal and Client, who give me their confidence, the best possible Treatment with an Honest Approach. 
  • To treat every Client and their prized Animal with the individual attention  and personalized Care they deserve!

I am fulfilling my Childhood dream that I had together with my Sister, Dr. Fabiola Kaiser, a Veterinary Surgeon, University of Nottingham, who is currently working in England. We are together at the beginning of an exciting and hopefully successful Venture!