How Serious Is A Bowed Tendon On A Horse?

Bowed tendons vary in severity, but complete healing takes a long time. Clinical signs may resolve within days if you rest the horse and give anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. Bute). Generally, the swelling returns with premature work or stress. It can take 8 to 11 months for the tendon to repair itself completely.

Would you buy a horse with bowed tendons?

If the horse has had six months to a year to recover but hasn’t been in regular work since the injury, you’ll need to follow a very careful legging-up process. Unless you have a great deal of experience in this area, I don’t recommend buying a horse with a bowed tendon unless the bow is more than a year old.

Are horses lame when they bow a tendon?

The horse may or may not exhibit lameness. In fact, many horses with serious tendon damage are never lame. Swelling also occurs around the tendon due to an accumulation of fluid (edema). In the short term, ice or cold hosing and bandaging the leg should decrease the local inflammation and swelling.

Can horses fully recover from tendon injury?

There are several treatments for tendon injuries but none is guaranteed to result in permanent soundness. Damaged tendon heals by producing irregularly arranged fibers. This repair is weaker than normal tendon and re-injury is common.

Can a horse jump after a bowed tendon?

Answer: These days, bowed tendons don’t mean the end of the world for sporthorses. I’ve seen a number of top event horses experience bows and return to compete successfully at the four-star level.

Does a horse limp with a bowed tendon?

The horse may or may not exhibit lameness. In fact, many horses with serious tendon damage are never lame. Swelling also occurs around the tendon due to an accumulation of fluid (edema).

What to do when a horse bowed a tendon?

While waiting for the vet to arrive, you can begin initial treatment by moving the horse into a stall or wash bay and hosing the affected leg with cold water, or applying cold compresses followed by bandaging. You may also be advised to give anti-inflammatory medication (such as “bute”).

What is the most commonly injured tendon in the horse?

The superficial digital flexor tendon in the foreleg is where most tendon injuries occur, ranging from a mild strain to a complete rupture of the tendon. The deep digital flexor tendon is also at risk of injury, while injuries to the extensor tendon are far less frequent and less severe when they do occur.

How long does it take for a horse’s tendon to heal?

Tendons heal by laying down scar tissue rather than replacing highly specialized tendon fibers. Scar tissue produced during the initial healing phase is soft and elastic but becomes increasingly firmer as it remodels in an attempt to replicate normal tissue. The healing process typically takes about nine months.

What helps tendons heal faster?

Stretching and flexibility exercises to help the tendon heal completely and avoid long-term pain. Strengthening exercises to help you rebuild tendon strength and avoid future injuries. Ultrasound heat therapy to improve blood circulation, which may aid the healing process.

How long should a horse be on box rest with tendon injury?

In certain cases, an initial period of total box rest is advised. Horses are often out of work for six to 12 months with tendon injuries, depending on the extent of the damage.

What causes tendon problems in horses?

Injury to these tendons commonly occurs during exercise. Strenuous exercise can result in tearing of fibres especially in unfit horses. Even fit horses which are over stretching tendons in fast work or on unlevel ground or during jumping at speed can damage these structures.

How do you tell if my horse has a bowed tendon?

If the fibers tear apart, the horse will show an arched swelling, commonly known as a bowed tendon, on the back of the cannon bone. Ultrasound images of a bowed tendon show dark areas made up of blood and inflammatory substances within the white tendon matrix.

Should you wrap a tendon injury on a horse?

There is no evidence within the literature to support that any type of bandaging enhances tendon healing during the resting period following a tendon injury. However, bandaging (cast bandage) has a significant effect limiting lesion propagation during the initial inflammatory phase in SDF tendinopathies.

How do you prevent bowed tendons?

Bowed and other tendon injuries are frequent with athletic horses. The farrier plays an important role in preventing as well as treating these injuries. This is best accomplished by keeping the horse trimmed and shod so as to avoid excessive strain on any one part of the leg, or to help take pressure off an injury.

How do I strengthen my horses tendons?

Ride them on grass. Ride them in an arena. Ride them carefully over uneven ground. All these things will strengthen your horse’s ligaments and make them less prone to tearing.

Will a tendon repair itself?

If left unattended, the tendon will not heal on its own and you will have lasting repercussions. In such situations, a surgeon will access the injured tendon, perform repairs, and close the incision. This will be followed by several weeks of rest and physical therapy so you can heal and strengthen your body.

What causes tendons to draw up?

Overuse or strain on a joint can inflame tendons and result in tendinitis. Tendinitis is inflammation of the thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone.

Can tendon damage permanent?

Over time, inflamed tendons become thickened, bumpy, and irregular. Without rest and time for the tissue to heal, tendons can become permanently weakened.

How do you stimulate tendon repair?

Full body immersion cryotherapy and localized cryotherapy can both be used to speed up tendon injury healing. The extreme cold stimulates blood flow, tissue regeneration, and boosts tendon healing. Many sport professionals have incorporated cryotherapy to regain their strength after exhausting competitions.

What food is good for tendon repair?

Foods like broccoli, peppers, citrus, berries and tomatoes contain vitamin C, which helps in the production of collagen—the main protein in tendon tissue. Tendons and ligaments also have a lot of calcium, so replenishing that mineral can help make tendons stronger.