Tendon injuries are among the most serious welfare challenges for performance horses, with long rehabilitation periods and high reinjury rates demanding careful management.
Tendon injuries cause significant acute pain and require prolonged stall rest, which itself poses welfare challenges through confinement and reduced social contact. Horses on stall rest frequently develop stable vices and behavioral abnormalities from boredom and frustration. A staged rehabilitation approach that provides mental stimulation — hand grazing, gentle walking, appropriate social contact — significantly improves welfare outcomes during recovery. Return-to-work decisions driven by financial or competitive pressure rather than clinical assessment lead to reinjury and prolonged suffering. Preventive strategies including conditioning, appropriate footing, and avoiding training on fatigued horses reduce injury incidence.