Tendon injuries are among the most common and welfare-significant conditions in performance horses, requiring prolonged and carefully managed rehabilitation.
Tendon injury rehabilitation is a prolonged welfare challenge for horses, requiring sustained management over many months. The temptation to return horses to work prematurely — driven by economic pressure in racing and performance contexts — frequently leads to reinjury and potentially career-ending or fatal outcomes. Welfare-centered rehabilitation protocols prioritize objective monitoring via ultrasonography over subjective assessment of soundness. Pain management should facilitate necessary movement without masking protective pain signals. Horses undergoing long-term rehabilitation require social contact, environmental enrichment, and appropriate turnout to prevent psychological deterioration from confinement.