Soft tissue injuries are common, and frustrating, issues in performance horses. However, these injuries rarely happen from a single incident. Instead, micro-tears and damage occur gradually, until it reaches a tipping point.
These key strategies are smart ways to help prevent soft tissue injuries, and keep your horse strong, sound, and feeling their best.
Understand how tendons function, and why they fail
Tendons and ligaments are highly specialized, dynamic structures that are designed to store and release energy.
Tendons connect muscle to bone and act as elastic springs. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in particular are under immense strain during high-impact work. These tendons can stretch to extreme levels, but when they are repeatedly extended beyond that limit, mechanical fatigue and micro-tears can begin to occur.
Ligaments connect bone to bone and provide joint stability. They don't stretch as much as tendons, but are susceptible to injury, particularly when under repetitive stress or in horses with poor conformation or unbalanced conformation. The suspensory injury, for example, behaves as a sling that supports the fetlock joint. When overloaded repeatedly, it can degrade and lose its ability to stabilize. Once damaged, ligament fibers heal more slowly and with more scar tissue than tendon fibers, making reinjury more likely.
Both tendons and ligaments are also prone to heat-related fatigue. During intense exercise, particularly when the horse is wearing polo wraps or tendon boots, the heat that is generated can damage the cells that make up these structures.
Soft tissues do not regenerate easily, and once injured, it is very difficult to return them to their original strength or elasticity. Most tendon and ligament injuries happen due to cumulative overload and inadequate recovery, making it possible to address minor issues before they become career limiting.
Prior soft tissue injuries
A horse with a history of soft tissue injury is at a very high risk of reinjury. Due to the poor healing nature of tendons and ligaments, injuries tend to heal with scar tissue. Even well-healed injuries may have scar tissue, and that tissue lacks the strength and elasticity of healthy collagen fibers.
If you have had a horse with a previous soft tissue injury, your program (both on the ground and under saddle) will need to be adjusted to strengthen that weakness, but also to not overwork the weakened area.
A weak horse is a horse at risk
The overall fitness and condition of a horse plays a major role in the risk of soft tissue injury. Overworking a horse—whether by entering too many classes, jumping to a level they're not ready for, or simply pushing past their current fitness—can significantly increase their risk of injury.
Make bodywork, general fitness, and regular veterinary evaluations part of your routine. When you condition a horse, you're conditioning their entire body.
Use leg protection with caution
As previously discussed, boots and polos may be doing more harm than good. Although they protect against brushing, overreach, and impact injuries, they also trap heat. Soft tissues already reach an extreme temperature during regular exercise, and increased heat will also increase the likeliness of reaching that maximum temperature threshold for cellular health.
If using boots, choose breathable options, put them on right before exercise, and remove immediately after. Ice boots and cold hosing can help bring down temperatures and limit cellular damage.
Build an appropriate program for your horse
Soft tissues take longer to adapt and strengthen than muscle. Pushing your horse too hard, too fast can overload their soft tissues and lead to breakdowns.
Work with the horse you have, gradually increase intensity, avoid repeatedly drilling the same movement, and allow adequate recovery between intense exercise. Listen to your horse when they are telling you that it's too much, and adjust accordingly. An easy way to strengthen soft tissues gently is to introduce your horse to different footings at the walk. Simply walking your horse in deep sand, grass, concrete, tech footing, can make it easier for your horse's body to adapt to changes in footing and exercise intensity, without straining their soft tissues.
Soundness starts from the hoof up
Hoof shape and angles play a huge role in tendon and ligament strain. Long toes, under-run heels, and delayed breakover can overload the flexor tendons and suspensory ligament.
Work closely with your farrier to maintain correct angles, and be aware of how different shoes or pads affect tension along the limb. Discuss prior injuries and weaknesses to better understand how to best support your horse through farriery.
Recovery after work
Just like humans, horses get sore after hard exercise, too. Allowing a couple of days to rest or work likely after strenuous exercise is ideal for aiding in soft tissue recovery. Not allowing this rest and recovery period will eventually lead to breakdowns.
Schedule your riding plan for the week. Vary intensity, set aside recovery days, and allow your horse time to rest.
For horses returning from injury, they will need to be monitored closely and carefully guided through rehabilitation programs to avoid setbacks.
Support from the inside out
Tendon and ligament health isn't only physical, it's also nutritional. Soft tissues rely on strong collagen structures, healthy circulation, and reduced inflammation to stay healthy and strong.
Tendonall is a targeted supplement designed to protect your horse's soft tissue system from the inside out.
Tendonall supports healthy collagen formation, elasticity and flexibility of soft tissues, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, and faster tissue recovery after exercise.
Taking the adequate steps before an injury is going to make your horse sounder and happier in the long-run. Keep your horse in the game longer, and prevent career ending injuries.
The Truth About Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are common, and frustrating, issues in performance horses. However, these injuries rarely happen from a single incident. Instead, micro-tears and damage occur gradually, until it reaches a tipping point.
These key strategies are smart ways to help prevent soft tissue injuries, and keep your horse strong, sound, and feeling their best.
Understand how tendons function, and why they fail
Tendons and ligaments are highly specialized, dynamic structures that are designed to store and release energy.
Tendons connect muscle to bone and act as elastic springs. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in particular are under immense strain during high-impact work. These tendons can stretch to extreme levels, but when they are repeatedly extended beyond that limit, mechanical fatigue and micro-tears can begin to occur.
Ligaments connect bone to bone and provide joint stability. They don't stretch as much as tendons, but are susceptible to injury, particularly when under repetitive stress or in horses with poor conformation or unbalanced conformation. The suspensory injury, for example, behaves as a sling that supports the fetlock joint. When overloaded repeatedly, it can degrade and lose its ability to stabilize. Once damaged, ligament fibers heal more slowly and with more scar tissue than tendon fibers, making reinjury more likely.
Both tendons and ligaments are also prone to heat-related fatigue. During intense exercise, particularly when the horse is wearing polo wraps or tendon boots, the heat that is generated can damage the cells that make up these structures.
Soft tissues do not regenerate easily, and once injured, it is very difficult to return them to their original strength or elasticity. Most tendon and ligament injuries happen due to cumulative overload and inadequate recovery, making it possible to address minor issues before they become career limiting.
Prior soft tissue injuries
A horse with a history of soft tissue injury is at a very high risk of reinjury. Due to the poor healing nature of tendons and ligaments, injuries tend to heal with scar tissue. Even well-healed injuries may have scar tissue, and that tissue lacks the strength and elasticity of healthy collagen fibers.
If you have had a horse with a previous soft tissue injury, your program (both on the ground and under saddle) will need to be adjusted to strengthen that weakness, but also to not overwork the weakened area.
A weak horse is a horse at risk
The overall fitness and condition of a horse plays a major role in the risk of soft tissue injury. Overworking a horse—whether by entering too many classes, jumping to a level they're not ready for, or simply pushing past their current fitness—can significantly increase their risk of injury.
Make bodywork, general fitness, and regular veterinary evaluations part of your routine. When you condition a horse, you're conditioning their entire body.
Use leg protection with caution
As previously discussed, boots and polos may be doing more harm than good. Although they protect against brushing, overreach, and impact injuries, they also trap heat. Soft tissues already reach an extreme temperature during regular exercise, and increased heat will also increase the likeliness of reaching that maximum temperature threshold for cellular health.
If using boots, choose breathable options, put them on right before exercise, and remove immediately after. Ice boots and cold hosing can help bring down temperatures and limit cellular damage.
Build an appropriate program for your horse
Soft tissues take longer to adapt and strengthen than muscle. Pushing your horse too hard, too fast can overload their soft tissues and lead to breakdowns.
Work with the horse you have, gradually increase intensity, avoid repeatedly drilling the same movement, and allow adequate recovery between intense exercise. Listen to your horse when they are telling you that it's too much, and adjust accordingly. An easy way to strengthen soft tissues gently is to introduce your horse to different footings at the walk. Simply walking your horse in deep sand, grass, concrete, tech footing, can make it easier for your horse's body to adapt to changes in footing and exercise intensity, without straining their soft tissues.
Soundness starts from the hoof up
Hoof shape and angles play a huge role in tendon and ligament strain. Long toes, under-run heels, and delayed breakover can overload the flexor tendons and suspensory ligament.
Work closely with your farrier to maintain correct angles, and be aware of how different shoes or pads affect tension along the limb. Discuss prior injuries and weaknesses to better understand how to best support your horse through farriery.
Recovery after work
Just like humans, horses get sore after hard exercise, too. Allowing a couple of days to rest or work likely after strenuous exercise is ideal for aiding in soft tissue recovery. Not allowing this rest and recovery period will eventually lead to breakdowns.
Schedule your riding plan for the week. Vary intensity, set aside recovery days, and allow your horse time to rest.
For horses returning from injury, they will need to be monitored closely and carefully guided through rehabilitation programs to avoid setbacks.
Support from the inside out
Tendon and ligament health isn't only physical, it's also nutritional. Soft tissues rely on strong collagen structures, healthy circulation, and reduced inflammation to stay healthy and strong.
Tendonall is a targeted supplement designed to protect your horse's soft tissue system from the inside out.
Tendonall supports healthy collagen formation, elasticity and flexibility of soft tissues, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, and faster tissue recovery after exercise.
Taking the adequate steps before an injury is going to make your horse sounder and happier in the long-run. Keep your horse in the game longer, and prevent career ending injuries.