Rehabilitating horses after musculoskeletal injury requires balancing the welfare of appropriate rest with the welfare costs of prolonged confinement.
Horse rehabilitation after injury creates a welfare dilemma: the physical recovery requires rest that itself causes psychological welfare harm. Horses confined to boxes cannot walk, socialize, or graze - activities that fill most of their natural time budget. The frustration of this confinement creates psychological stress measurable in cortisol and behavioral indicators including weaving, crib-biting, and wood-chewing. Progressive tendon and bone injuries typically require the most prolonged confinement, creating the most severe welfare compromise. Veterinary advances including controlled exercise protocols, hydrotherapy, and targeted rehabilitation allow earlier reintroduction of movement while protecting healing tissues - reducing the welfare cost of recovery without compromising outcomes. Welfare-focused rehabilitation maximizes recovery while minimizing the suffering of confinement.