Rehabilitation of horses after musculoskeletal injury is a significant welfare challenge, requiring appropriate rest, controlled exercise, and management of chronic pain and boredom.
A horse on box rest is being asked to endure conditions profoundly contrary to its nature as a wide-ranging, socially complex animal. The welfare of rehabilitation is not just about physical healing but psychological maintenance during a period when natural behavior is impossible. Gastric ulcers, which affect over 80% of horses on box rest, cause chronic pain on top of the boredom and frustration of confinement. Rehabilitation planning must prioritize mental welfare alongside physical recovery.