Tendon injuries are among the most prolonged and welfare-challenging conditions in sport horses, requiring patience and appropriate management through a lengthy recovery.
Tendon injuries cause significant welfare harm through initial acute pain and through the prolonged loss of ability to exercise that can cause secondary behavioral and physical welfare problems. Horses confined to box rest for 6-12 months suffer from boredom, loss of social contact, and the physical deterioration associated with confinement. Managing the welfare of horses on box rest - through careful environmental enrichment, social interaction, and gradually increasing controlled exercise - is as important as managing the tendon itself. The risk of re-injury from premature return to work means that exercise restriction, while welfare-costly in the short term, prevents the greater welfare harm of chronic re-injury cycles.