Tendon injuries are among the most common and welfare-significant musculoskeletal problems in sport horses. Long rehabilitation periods require careful management to maintain welfare and maximize recovery outcomes.
Horse tendon injury welfare requires sustained attention over many months - a welfare challenge distinct from acute conditions. The box rest phase creates its own welfare problems: horses confined to small spaces without adequate exercise develop stereotypies, anxiety, and musculoskeletal problems secondary to inactivity. Balancing the healing requirement for reduced loading with the welfare need for movement is the central challenge of tendon rehabilitation. Structured rehabilitation programs that gradually increase exercise within physiological limits, combined with in-hand walking from early in recovery, minimize secondary welfare costs while protecting the healing tendon. The psychological welfare of horses confined for months deserves the same attention as their physical recovery.