One of the most difficult parts of rehabbing a soft tissue injury isn’t stall rest or controlled exercise, it’s timing. Knowing when to move from walking to trotting, when to add canter work, or when to start introducing poles or more engagement can feel like a guessing game. Push too soon, and you risk undoing months of progress. Hold back too long, and conditioning lags behind healing. The goal is to recognize what readiness actually looks like, not just what improvement looks like.
Movement Should Stay Consistent
A horse who is ready to progress will move with the same rhythm, reach, and balance from the beginning of the ride to the end of it. If the first five minutes look one way, but the horse begins to shorten, tighten, lose swing in the back, or shift balance as the session goes on, the tissue likely isn’t ready for additional load yet. The tendon should tolerate both the start and finish of work the same way.
Watch for the Body Protecting Itself
Compensation happens long before visible lameness. It can be subtle, a slight stiffness in the way the horse reaches under with the hind leg, a little less willingness to stretch forward, or a tendency to lean on one side to avoid loading a specific limb. These changes are the body’s early warning system. If the horse is guarding, bracing, or shifting weight away from the injured structure, hold the phase you’re in. The right time to move forward is when the horse moves freely and evenly without needing to protect anything.
What Happens After the Ride Matters as Much as What Happens During It
The post-ride check is one of the most valuable parts of rehab. Take a moment to feel the legs after cooling down, not just for heat or swelling, but for how the tissues respond to the workload. A horse that is ready to progress will show no new filling, no change in sensitivity, and no lingering tightness in the surrounding soft tissue. If you notice small fluctuations (slight warmth, mild stocking up, or subtle soreness) that’s the horse showing you they are not fully prepared to handle more yet.
Imaging to Track Progress, Feel to Determine Timing
Ultrasound imaging is incredibly useful for understanding fiber repair and alignment. But imaging alone doesn’t indicate functional strength. A tendon can appear improved on ultrasound while still lacking the conditioning to withstand increased work. Use imaging as a checkpoint, a green light to continue progressing, but let movement quality and recovery determine when to take each step.
Progress Should Be Gradual and Uncomplicated
The horses who return to full work and stay there aren’t the ones who rush. They are the ones whose training advances in quiet, steady increments. No big jumps. No “let’s see what happens.” Just thoughtful progression and responsiveness to how the horse feels day to day. Rehab isn’t about hitting milestones quickly, it’s about building a foundation that holds up under real work.
As work increases, tendons adapt to new load, and that adaptation phase is where support matters most. Tendonall is designed to help maintain soft tissue integrity during rehab and conditioning, so progress stays steady and setbacks stay off the table.
How to Know If Your Horse Is Ready to Move to the Next Phase of Rehab
One of the most difficult parts of rehabbing a soft tissue injury isn’t stall rest or controlled exercise, it’s timing. Knowing when to move from walking to trotting, when to add canter work, or when to start introducing poles or more engagement can feel like a guessing game. Push too soon, and you risk undoing months of progress. Hold back too long, and conditioning lags behind healing. The goal is to recognize what readiness actually looks like, not just what improvement looks like.
Movement Should Stay Consistent
A horse who is ready to progress will move with the same rhythm, reach, and balance from the beginning of the ride to the end of it. If the first five minutes look one way, but the horse begins to shorten, tighten, lose swing in the back, or shift balance as the session goes on, the tissue likely isn’t ready for additional load yet. The tendon should tolerate both the start and finish of work the same way.
Watch for the Body Protecting Itself
Compensation happens long before visible lameness. It can be subtle, a slight stiffness in the way the horse reaches under with the hind leg, a little less willingness to stretch forward, or a tendency to lean on one side to avoid loading a specific limb. These changes are the body’s early warning system. If the horse is guarding, bracing, or shifting weight away from the injured structure, hold the phase you’re in. The right time to move forward is when the horse moves freely and evenly without needing to protect anything.
What Happens After the Ride Matters as Much as What Happens During It
The post-ride check is one of the most valuable parts of rehab. Take a moment to feel the legs after cooling down, not just for heat or swelling, but for how the tissues respond to the workload. A horse that is ready to progress will show no new filling, no change in sensitivity, and no lingering tightness in the surrounding soft tissue. If you notice small fluctuations (slight warmth, mild stocking up, or subtle soreness) that’s the horse showing you they are not fully prepared to handle more yet.
Imaging to Track Progress, Feel to Determine Timing
Ultrasound imaging is incredibly useful for understanding fiber repair and alignment. But imaging alone doesn’t indicate functional strength. A tendon can appear improved on ultrasound while still lacking the conditioning to withstand increased work. Use imaging as a checkpoint, a green light to continue progressing, but let movement quality and recovery determine when to take each step.
Progress Should Be Gradual and Uncomplicated
The horses who return to full work and stay there aren’t the ones who rush. They are the ones whose training advances in quiet, steady increments. No big jumps. No “let’s see what happens.” Just thoughtful progression and responsiveness to how the horse feels day to day. Rehab isn’t about hitting milestones quickly, it’s about building a foundation that holds up under real work.
As work increases, tendons adapt to new load, and that adaptation phase is where support matters most. Tendonall is designed to help maintain soft tissue integrity during rehab and conditioning, so progress stays steady and setbacks stay off the table.