Tendon injuries are a major cause of pain, prolonged recovery, and premature retirement in horses, with prevention through proper training and management offering significant welfare benefits.
Tendon injury causes acute and chronic pain. The immediate injury is extremely painful - horses often refuse to bear weight and show visible distress. The prolonged recovery involves months of restricted movement for highly active animals, causing both physical and psychological frustration. Re-injury is common, leading to repeat cycles of pain and recovery. Racing and performance industries that push horses beyond safe training loads contribute significantly to the welfare burden of tendon injuries. Prevention through careful training load management and footing quality is the most welfare-positive approach.