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Tendinitis in horses: causes, symptoms and treatment
Tendinitis in horses: causes, symptoms and treatment
Tendinitis in horses is an inflammation of a tendon, the tough connective tissue that links the muscles to the bones. This inflammation is often caused by excessive, repeated use of the tendon, lack of care after exercise, leading to pain, lameness and reduced performance. It can be more or less serious and always requires a visit from a vet in the first few days to make a precise diagnosis, initially by ultrasound.
Tendonitis tends to recur more often than you might think! This is because scar tissue no longer has the same properties as the original tissue: it is stronger but less elastic.
That’s why it’s so important to provide external care in addition to veterinary advice.
What are the causes of tendinitis?
- Repeated stress: Repetitive movements, such as jumping or dressage, can weaken tendons.
- Faults in conformation: Some conformations can predispose a horse to tendinitis.
- Uneven ground: Hard or uneven ground can increase the risk of tendon damage.
- Inappropriate shoeing: Poorly fitted shoes or inadequate trimming can lead to tendinitis.
- Inadequate warm-up: Insufficient warm-up before exercise can increase tendon vulnerability.
What are the symptoms?
Lameness: The horse limps to a greater or lesser extent depending on the severity of the injury. At rest, he will try to relieve his position by moving his front leg forward.
Heat and swelling: The affected area is often hot and swollen. This is known as a ‘banana’.
Pain on palpation: The horse feels pain when the tendon is pressed.
Muscular atrophy: In chronic cases, muscular atrophy may occur.
What are the treatments?
The treatment of tendinitis depends on the severity of the injury and its location. It may involve :
Rest: Rest is essential to allow the tendon to repair itself. This is the first thing to do in the event of tendinitis. Rest can last from 3 to 15 weeks, depending on your vet’s recommendations. Most of the time, daily walking on hard ground is recommended to keep the horse physically active.
Medication: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation.
Physical therapy: Physical therapy with a certified massage professional can help strengthen the muscles around the tendon and improve blood circulation.
Therapeutic bandages: Compression bandages or cold spats can help reduce swelling, relieve pain and support the tendon.
Local care: Dead Sea mud or clay-based products can be applied locally for their anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. Dead Sea mud will also help to mineralised the tendon so that it regains elasticity.
Surgery: In the most serious cases, surgery may be necessary.
How can tendinitis be prevented?
Progressive training: Gradually increase the intensity and duration of training sessions. The return to competitions or activity is often too quick.
Varied surfaces: Offer the horse a variety of surfaces to strengthen its tendons. Varied ground offers many advantages for the rehabilitation of tendinitis in horses. It allows the muscles and tendons to be used in different ways, promoting faster, stronger healing. Each type of surface stimulates the muscles differently. For example, a soft surface such as deep sand will strengthen the extensor muscles, while a hard surface such as tar will put more strain on the flexor muscles. This will improve proprioception: Proprioception is the horse’s ability to perceive the position of its body in space. A varied ground surface stimulates this ability, which is essential for good coordination and optimum balance. By varying the surfaces, we avoid overloading the injured tendon. This relieves pressure and helps the tendon to heal. A horse that has evolved on a variety of surfaces will be better prepared to deal with the different types of terrain it encounters during its activities.
Adapted shoeing: Make sure that the shoeing is adapted to the conformation of the horse and its use. Horseshoes have evolved and there are now all types in steel, aluminium or even rubber, such as Safehp shoes. To help you make the right choice, it’s important to talk to your farrier, who will work with your vet.
Balanced diet: A diet rich in minerals and vitamins helps to keep tendons healthy. Targeted food supplements, such as those from Milamoka, will be a great help.
Regular monitoring: This also involves observation in the horse’s living environment and grooming, which provides an initial opportunity for general observation. Regular monitoring by a vet can detect the first signs of tendinitis.
Important: If you suspect your horse has tendinitis, seek veterinary advice as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential to promote complete recovery and prevent recurrence.
How does Thermequin Dead Sea mud help strengthen tendons?
Dead Sea mud and tendon strengthening in horses: an in-depth analysis.
Dead Sea mud is often presented as a natural remedy to help horses’ tendons recover. But how does it actually work?
Dead Sea mud is reputed to be rich in minerals, particularly magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium. These elements have specific properties that make it an interesting product for equine care:
Anti-inflammatory action: The minerals contained in mud help to reduce inflammation, an essential process in the healing of damaged tissue such as tendons.
Analgesic effect: Mud can help relieve the pain associated with tendinitis, making the horse more comfortable.
Improved blood circulation: By stimulating micro-circulation, mud promotes the supply of oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissue, speeding up repair.
Remineralising effect: Mud provides the minerals needed to rebuild tissues.
How does Dead Sea mud work on tendons?
When Dead Sea mud is applied to an inflamed tendon area, it works as follows:
Reduced inflammation: The minerals in mud have an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing swelling and heat around the tendon. Unlike clay, the minerals contained in mud are absorbed by the cells.
Pain relief: Mud’s analgesic properties make the horse more comfortable and enable it to cope better with rehabilitation.
Improved circulation: Mud stimulates blood micro-circulation, providing the nutrients needed to repair damaged collagen fibres.
Faster healing: By creating a favourable environment for tissue regeneration, mud encourages the formation of new connective tissue.
Using mud from the Dead Sea:
Dead Sea mud is generally applied as a poultice to the affected area. It can be used in conjunction with other veterinary treatments, such as rest, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.
It is important to note that Dead Sea mud should not be used as the sole treatment for tendinitis. It can be applied under bandages using moist kraft paper (not cellophane) between the mud and the flannel.
The little extra of Dead Sea mud for a cold effect. Put the mud in the fridge for at least 1 hour. It will absorb the cold and give it back when applied.
In conclusion:
Dead Sea mud can be an interesting addition to the treatment of tendinitis in horses. Its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and remineralising properties make it a natural product that can help speed up healing. However, it’s important to remember that tendinitis takes time to heal, and needs to be treated as a whole by a vet.
For more information, don’t hesitate to consult a vet specialising in equines.
https://thermequin.fr/en/soin-cheval/thermequin-terre/: Tendinitis in horses: causes, symptoms and treatment
