Evidence-based rehabilitation protocols for equine tendon injuries improve return-to-function rates and reduce re-injury risk through structured exercise progression and monitoring.
Tendon rehabilitation in horses is a welfare challenge requiring patience that conflicts with competitive pressures. Horses returned to work before adequate healing is complete face high re-injury rates and often more severe damage than the original injury — creating cycles of injury, pain, and welfare compromise. The development of ultrasound monitoring protocols has transformed rehabilitation by providing objective data rather than time-based rules for return to work. Welfare-centered tendon rehabilitation accepts that some horses require 12-18 months of structured convalescence, and that this investment in gradual recovery is both kinder and ultimately more effective than accelerated return to exercise.