How tendon injuries require careful rehabilitation management to restore welfare while preventing re-injury in sport horses.
Tendon injury management requires balancing the welfare needs of promoting healing through controlled activity against the welfare harm of exercise-induced pain and re-injury risk. Horses recovering from tendon injuries face a prolonged rehabilitation period during which appropriate mental welfare management must accompany physical rehabilitation - the welfare challenges of box rest apply fully to tendon rehabilitation cases. The economic pressure on sport horse owners to return horses to competition early is a significant welfare risk - reinjury causes prolonged additional suffering and often terminates careers permanently. Veterinary guidance based on ultrasound monitoring rather than assumed timelines is essential for both welfare and long-term outcome.