Horses seem to seek out ways to hurt themselves and injuries to tendons and ligaments in the limbs are common., says Dr. David Ramey, owner of Ramey Equine and an internationally recognized researcher, author and lecturer. Though tendon and ligament injuries tend to heal well, it can take multiple months, as well as a lot effort and money, to get the horse to his performance level pre-injury.
There are multiple ways to help prevent tendon and ligament injuries, though some are often overlooked. These include:
- Adequate nutrition. Proper nutrition to maintain horse health is essential. Thus far, there have been no supplements that have proven to prevent tendon and ligament injuries.
- Correct body condition. Tendons and ligaments are more likely to be damaged when a horse is overweight as it placed additional strain on supporting structures.
- Proper shoeing and trimming. Trimming or shoeing a horse in the most-simple manner is generally associated with more soundness.
- Leg wraps and bandages. Boots and bandages, even when applied properly, cannot stop a tendon or ligament injury.
- Walk. Warming up a horse at the walk makes it harder for tendons and ligaments to become damaged at faster speeds.
- Systemic training. Tendons and ligaments are more-often damaged in horses that are asked to perform athletic endeavors like running, jumping or sliding. Keys to help keep a horse's legs injury-free include: don't do too much too quickly; work him regularly; cross train when possible; and don't overtrain—strong tissues come from stressing them and then allowing them time to rest and repair.
- Proper footing. Horses should not be worked for extended amounts of time in deep, soft ground.
- Address issues. If a horse is sore, address the issue to prevent compensation complications in tendons and ligaments.
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