Tendon injuries are among the most common and serious welfare challenges in sport and working horses. Long rehabilitation periods carry significant welfare costs that require careful management.
Tendon injury rehabilitation poses a dual welfare challenge: managing the pain and physical discomfort of the injury itself, while also managing the significant psychological welfare costs of extended confinement. Horses are movement-oriented animals that suffer when confined to boxes for extended periods. The development of stereotypies, anxiety, and frustration during box rest is common and represents genuine welfare harm. Pain management during acute phases requires careful assessment and appropriate analgesia. The rehabilitation period requires balancing the need for controlled rest with the horse's need for movement and social contact. Turnout in small paddocks with companions as soon as medically feasible significantly reduces the welfare costs of rehabilitation.