Competition weekends can be hard on your horse. Despite seeming perfectly fine, your horse's tendons may be holding onto more stress than you think after a long weekend of showing.
Even without obvious lameness or injury, your horse can accumulate mico-damage in their soft tissues. Ignoring this invisible strain can eventually lead to breakdowns, long-term inflammation, or even a career-ending injury. That's why post-competition recovery isn't optional, it's essential.
Why Tendons Need Support, Even Without Injury
Tendons and ligaments are made of tightly organized collagen fibers. They act as shock absorbers and stabilizers during every stride, jump, or turn. Unlike muscles, tendons have minimal blood flow, meaning they heal slower, recover less efficiently, and fatigue easier.
After a high-demand weekend, those tissues need time and support to bounce back.
Red Flags to Watch For
Not every issue shows up immediately after a show. Subtle signs can appear a few days later. Watch out for:
- Slight puffiness or heat in the lower legs
- A "tight" feeling when palpating tendons
- Stiffness during warm-up
- A shorter stride
- Reluctance to stretch, bend, or engage
These signs don’t always mean your horse is injured, but they do mean your horse needs recovery time and additional support.
Smart Recovery Protocols
After a strenuous weekend, recovery should start the moment your horse steps out of the ring.
Best practices include:
-
Cold hosing or icing legs immediately after work and again the next day
-
Light hand-walking or turnout to keep tissues moving without stress
-
Limiting hard work for 48-72 hours post show
-
Monitoring limbs daily for any changes in temperature, swelling, or sensitivity
-
Keep footing soft and exercise low-impact while the body resets.
When in doubt, less is more. Recovery isn't about doing nothing, it's about doing the right things at the right time.
How Tendonall Supports Recovery from the Inside Out
While cold therapy and smart management address the external needs of recovery, Tendonall works internally to help your horse bounce back stronger.
Tendonall's targeted formula helps promote collagen repair in overworked tissues, combat inflammation with antioxidant support, fuel cellular healing, and reinforce tendon strength and elasticity over time.
By supporting tissue recovery at a cellular level, Tendonall helps reduce the risk of chronic strain or re-injury, especially in horses that compete regularly.
Your horse did the work. Now give them the recovery they deserve. Support soft tissue recovery with Tendonall.
Post Competition Recovery: How to Protect Tendons After a Big Weekend
Competition weekends can be hard on your horse. Despite seeming perfectly fine, your horse's tendons may be holding onto more stress than you think after a long weekend of showing.
Even without obvious lameness or injury, your horse can accumulate mico-damage in their soft tissues. Ignoring this invisible strain can eventually lead to breakdowns, long-term inflammation, or even a career-ending injury. That's why post-competition recovery isn't optional, it's essential.
Why Tendons Need Support, Even Without Injury
Tendons and ligaments are made of tightly organized collagen fibers. They act as shock absorbers and stabilizers during every stride, jump, or turn. Unlike muscles, tendons have minimal blood flow, meaning they heal slower, recover less efficiently, and fatigue easier.
After a high-demand weekend, those tissues need time and support to bounce back.
Red Flags to Watch For
Not every issue shows up immediately after a show. Subtle signs can appear a few days later. Watch out for:
These signs don’t always mean your horse is injured, but they do mean your horse needs recovery time and additional support.
Smart Recovery Protocols
After a strenuous weekend, recovery should start the moment your horse steps out of the ring.
Best practices include:
When in doubt, less is more. Recovery isn't about doing nothing, it's about doing the right things at the right time.
How Tendonall Supports Recovery from the Inside Out
While cold therapy and smart management address the external needs of recovery, Tendonall works internally to help your horse bounce back stronger.
Tendonall's targeted formula helps promote collagen repair in overworked tissues, combat inflammation with antioxidant support, fuel cellular healing, and reinforce tendon strength and elasticity over time.
By supporting tissue recovery at a cellular level, Tendonall helps reduce the risk of chronic strain or re-injury, especially in horses that compete regularly.
Your horse did the work. Now give them the recovery they deserve. Support soft tissue recovery with Tendonall.