Tendon injuries are among the most challenging welfare problems in performance horses. Understanding the long recovery process, welfare implications of management decisions, and realistic outcome expectations is essential.
Tendon injury recovery creates a welfare paradox - the rest necessary for healing is itself welfare-compromising for horses that need movement, social interaction, and mental stimulation. Months of box rest causes frustration, stereotypy development, and musculoskeletal deconditioning in animals evolved for continuous movement. Balancing the welfare costs of confinement against the healing requirements of the injured tendon requires careful, individual management. Providing as much turnout as safe for the injury, social contact, environmental enrichment, and hand-walking even in early stages reduces the welfare cost of confinement. Premature return to work causes re-injury with compounded welfare consequences - patience with the recovery timeline is a welfare obligation.