Tendon Injuries in Horses
It was not so long ago that tendon injuries in horses resulted in the end of an equine’s career, and often the end of their life. Options in the recent past typically included turning the horse out for great lengths of time, even indefinitely; or “mercifully” putting the animal down. However, thanks to modern veterinary medicine and the proliferation of information made accessible by the internet, such injuries can now be successfully treated with various forms of therapy. Today, even grave tendon injuries no longer represent the danger and dread that they once used to. Nonetheless, as with most injuries and illnesses in horses, the best course of action is always prevention.
The overwhelming majority of tendon injuries in horses are caused by the surface on which the horse treads. From a prevention standpoint, this means that soft turf, woodland surfaces, and loose soil should be avoided or carefully navigated where possible. This is because the softer the surface is, the more likely it becomes that a horse will lose their footing; even slightly, and overstrain their tendons. This is especially true of the forelegs, which often bear more than half of the animal’s weight. Therefore, solid, unobstructed turf is certain to be injury preventive in nature. In addition, proper shoeing will go far in ensuring that your horse lands its legs correctly and without slipping or throwing a shoe. It is a wise idea to have candid conversations with your farrier about how your particular horse should be ridden and under what circumstances.
The second major element of prevention is conditioning. A well-nourished and exercised horse will be much less apt to sustain tendon injuries than one who is not. This means that a regular, consistent regimen of training and conditioning should be adhered to. Often, many tendon injuries in horses occur as a result of the animal not being properly “warmed-up” prior to strenuous activity such as riding, jumping, racing, or performing heavy work. During the warm-up, it is vital to carefully observe your horse for any signs of lameness, pain, limping, or irregular movement. To supplement this, a “cool-down” period will afford you the same ability to assess your horse after riding or other forms of exercise. Recognition of even slight differences in the way your animal moves or performs is crucial to prevention of injuries and detection of problems should they occur.
Despite even the best preventive measures and observation skills, some horses will inevitably sustain tendon injuries. While injuries also occur to ligaments, for this article we will primarily focus on tendon injuries related to the forelegs, as they are more common and typically have additional viable treatment options as opposed to ligaments. In order to more easily comprehend exactly how such injuries occur, it is important to understand precisely what a tendon is, and how it differs from a ligament.
A tendon is a fibrous, flexible collagen band comprised almost entirely of proteins that connects muscles to bones. A ligament is similar in structure, but connects bone with bone. Tendons are encased in a type of sheath that contains lubricating fluids that eliminate friction and allow the tendon to flex and bend without breaking- in ideal circumstances. Tendons allow the horse to move its legs and act as shock absorbers when impact occurs. This is why so many jumpers suffer foreleg tendon injuries. The weight of the equine as it lands becomes much more substantial than just the weight of the horse.
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