Tendon injuries are among the most serious and welfare-challenging conditions in sport and working horses, requiring months of careful rehabilitation.
Tendon injury rehabilitation requires balancing physical recovery needs against the psychological welfare costs of prolonged restriction. Horses immobilised during healing develop secondary problems including gastric ulcers, stereotypies, and muscle deconditioning. Welfare-centred rehabilitation programmes minimise unnecessary restriction — introducing controlled in-hand walking as early as evidence supports — while using imaging to prevent premature loading that risks re-injury. Pain management should be maintained appropriately throughout recovery rather than withdrawn prematurely. Owner education about the biological timeline of tendon healing prevents unrealistic expectations that lead to rushed return to work and welfare-damaging re-injury.