Superficial digital flexor tendon injuries are common and career-ending for many sport horses, and management strategies targeting prevention reduce the welfare burden of this significant condition.
Tendon injuries cause significant acute pain at the time of injury and prolonged welfare harm during the extended rehabilitation period. Horses with tendon injuries may spend months in box rest with limited movement and social contact, which itself causes psychological welfare harm. Re-injury from premature return to work causes repeated acute pain and extends the welfare impact over years. Prevention through appropriate conditioning, surface management, and workload monitoring reduces the welfare burden substantially. Welfare-conscious training practices that prioritise tendon health over short-term performance maximise long-term equine welfare outcomes.