Preventing Horse injuries to their Tendons
What's better than the successful rehabilitation of a tendon or
ligament injury? One that doesn't happen at all. Here are some
precautions to minimize tendon injury in your horse.
What's better than the successful rehabilitation of a tendon or
ligament injury? One that doesn't happen at all. While it's
impossible to completely avoid injury in an athletic horse, the
following precautions might help to minimize your horse's chance
for injury.
Good footing. Uneven or deep footing is a perfect setup for a
soft-tissue injury. Maintain your own arena footing, and promise
yourself never to ride your horse in bad footing-even if it means
loading up from a show and going home.
Good shoeing. Proper, balanced shoeing is critical for minimizing
stress to soft-tissue structures. Keep your horse on a regular
(4- to 8-week) shoeing/trimming schedule.
Conditioning. Adequately condition your horse for the work you
ask him to do. Long, slow, distance work-such as a 30- to
45-minute walk-is ideal, as it helps to strengthen soft-tissue
structures without stressing them.
Warm-up. Always warm up your horse thoroughly before you ride.
Plan to walk him a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes before you start
to work.
Recognize signs. Learn to recognize the subtle signs of an injury
before it becomes severe. Identify any abnormal heat or swelling
in your horse's legs by carefully feeling his legs every day
before you ride and taking note of any changes. You should also
pay close attention to any lame steps or obvious changes in his
behavior. If you think something feels amiss when you ride, call
your vet. By doing so, you'll prevent a minor strain from
becoming a catastrophic injury.
