Tendon injuries are among the most common serious equine injuries, with long recovery periods and significant welfare challenges during the rehabilitation phase.
Tendon injury recovery presents significant welfare challenges across all phases of rehabilitation. The acute injury phase involves severe pain requiring immediate and adequate analgesia. The subsequent long box rest phases place highly active horses in prolonged confinement with the welfare consequences that entails. The graduated rehabilitation phase requires strict adherence to protocols that prevent re-injury while the tendon develops sufficient strength - premature return to normal work is one of the most common causes of tendon re-injury. The horse cannot understand why it is confined or why exercise is restricted, making mental stimulation through appropriate enrichment and social contact during recovery critically important. Adequate pain management throughout is non-negotiable.