Rehabilitation for horses refers to the process of restoring physical function and performance following injury, illness, or surgery. This process often involves a combination of veterinary care, physical therapy, and specialized training techniques. Rehabilitation aims to promote healing, improve mobility, and prevent further injury. Common methods used in equine rehabilitation include controlled exercise programs, hydrotherapy, and the use of therapeutic modalities such as laser therapy and ultrasound. The effectiveness of these methods is evaluated through clinical assessments and performance metrics. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, outcomes, and advancements in the field of equine rehabilitation.
Marr CM, Love S, Boyd JS, McKellar Q.Ultrasonographic examination was used to define the severity of injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon in 73 National Hunt or point-to-point racehorses and the factors influencing the outcome of the cases were examined. Thirty-four of the horses (46 per cent) returned to work with an average time out of training of 13.5 months. The rate of recurrence of the injury was 35 per cent. The severity of the lesions was related to the outcome; all the mildly affected horses returned to work, with 63 per cent of them racing and an average time out of training of 10.2 months; 50 per cent of t...
Smyth GB.A 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly examined because of poor performance after a fall was found to be ataxic. Radiography revealed a linear defect in the right dorsal cranial articular facet of the fifth cervical vertebra. The defect was thought to be a fracture or a developmental defect. Arthrodesis and stabilization were achieved by ventral implantation of a Bagby basket in the articulation between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae. The ataxia resolved within 4 months, and the filly was able to resume full race training.
Lumsden JM, Caron JP, Stickle RL.Bilateral radiographically persistent proximal third metatarsal physes and concurrent cuboidal bone immaturity were identified in a foal. Repair of a Salter type-II fracture of the left proximal third metatarsal physis was accomplished by use of lag screw fixation. A 6-day-old Arabian foal, intended for use as a show horse, was referred because of severe unilateral hind limb lameness and valgus deformity. A Salter type-II fracture of the proximal portion of the third metacarpal bone was identified radiographically and repaired by use of cancellous lag screws. The fractured limb was further sup...
Kemper T, Spier S, Barratt-Boyes SM, Hoffman R.Five horses were admitted for treatment of smoke-inhalation injuries sustained in a barn fire. Three of the horses were mildly affected, with high respiratory rates (24 to 36 breaths/min) and normal to low arterial oxygen tensions (77.0 to 94.1 mm of Hg), and responded well to administration of diuretics, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and antibiotics. The 2 remaining horses were severely affected. Both were in respiratory distress, with markedly low arterial oxygen tensions (50.4 and 57.1 mm of Hg) and cyanosis. These 2 horses required fluid resuscitation in addition to the treatments give...
Wright IM.Clinical and radiological features of 16 horses with fractures of the lateral malleolus of the tibia are reported. The paper describes surgical techniques used, results obtained and discusses justification for removal. Fourteen fractures were unilateral and two bilateral. There was no left:right disparity. The history included a known traumatic incident in 14 cases. All animals had a tarsocrural joint effusion and 10 had palpable thickening of the lateral collateral ligaments. Crepitus was also palpable in 10 horses. The fracture was identified in all dorsoplantar and 14 of 18 dorsomedial-plan...
Squire KR, Adams SB, Widmer WR, Coatney RW, Habig C.A 5-year-old Arabian stallion with moderate effusion in the right carpal canal and intermittent lameness in this limb was diagnosed to have an osteochondroma projecting from the distal portion of the radius into the carpal canal. oral phenylbutazone treatment over the next 3 years allowed the stallion to continue its show career. Right forelimb lameness returned at that time, and ultrasonography revealed the osteochondroma impinging on the dorsal surface of the deep digital flexor tendon. The owner elected to have the osteochondroma surgically removed. The horse was anesthetized, and the carpa...
Modransky P, Welker B, Ryan J.A fourth tarsal bone fracture was treated conservatively in an adult draft horse. Seven months after the injury, the horse had no evidence of lameness and was able to compete in athletic events. It has been suggested that conservative management of these fractures be considered for brood animals or animals used for less strenuous activities. The outcome of this case suggests that fourth tarsal bone fractures can be successfully treated in athletic animals with conservative management.
Smyth GB, Taylor EG.A Salter-Harris type-II fracture of the proximal portion of the right femur in a 2-month-old filly was reduced and stabilized with three 6.5-mm-diameter, 100-mm-long cancellous bone screws through a dorsal approach to the right coxofemoral joint. The screws were removed after 11 months because the filly became lame in the affected limb. The surgical wounds dehisced despite preventive measures, most likely because of tightness of skin in the coxal region. Seven years after the original injury, the horse could perform vigorous paddock exercise without any disability. Early internal fixation of p...
Rapp HJ, Becker M, Heisse K, Stechele M.This paper reviews the literature and describes our experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of tendinitis in horses. Ultrasonography provides a sensitive tool to diagnose tendinitis and quantitate the degree of damage to the tendon; as well as provide differential diagnoses such as peritendinitis. The principles in therapy of acute tendinitis are: Immediate reduced exercise or rest, physical therapy to reduce inflammation and administration of local and systemic antiinflammatory drugs. The goal is restoration of the tensile strength of the tendon without peritendinous granulation tissue and...
Hunt RJ, Baxter GM, Zamos DT.A transverse, comminuted fracture of the patella was treated surgically by combining tension-band wiring and lag-screw fixation in a horse. Partial patellectomy or smaller detached fragments of the patella was performed. Satisfactory healing of the fracture was evident 10 weeks after surgery, and there were no complications. Implants were not removed. The horse was sound at a trot 4 months after surgery and was used for pleasure riding 8 months later.
Wilkie DA.A silicone subdermal implant was used in the surgical repair of a superior palpebral defect in a horse. The right superior palpebra was missing from the lateral canthus superiorly to the 1 o'clock position, and a corneal ulcer, anterior uveitis, and right micropalpebral fissure also were observed. Lateral canthotomy and canthoplasty were performed to enlarge the palpebral fissure, and a silicone implant was inserted in the superior palpebra to replace the missing tarsal plate. These procedures resulted in a successful reconstruction, with improvement of palpebral function.
Hanie EA, Sullins KE, White NA.The results of 31 intracortical dorsal metacarpal stress fractures in 28 horses following unicortical osteostixis were reviewed. The incidence was predominately in the middle third of the lateral aspect of the left metacarpus, and males were affected more commonly. Approximately half of the surgical procedures were performed with the horse in the standing position. The mean times to return to training and racing were 4.25 and 6.9 months respectively. There was no correlation between time taken to return to racing and position of surgery. Complications experienced included lack of suture remova...
Jensen H, Mikkelsen R, Paulsen ET.Therapeutic riding for somatic disabled has been established as one of the treatment modalities at Beitostølen Health Sports Centre ever since it opened in 1970. The accumulated experience indicates positive effects of the treatment, on empirical grounds, but there is a need of further evaluation and controlled studies. The authors briefly review the principle of the treatment and present the results of a study on the level of pain in patients with Bechterew's disease before and after treatment.
Dyson SJ.Desmitis of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ALDDFT) was diagnosed in 27 horses between September 1986 and December 1990. The first observed clinical sign in four horses was localised swelling in the proximal metacarpus. Twenty horses became lame suddenly during a work period and most developed swelling within 24 h of exercise. The injury was confirmed by ultrasonographic examination. Ten of 13 horses with uncomplicated desmitis of the ALDDFT resumed full work, within three to nine months of the onset of clinical signs, without recurrence of clinical signs in the perio...
Foland JW, Trotter GW, Stashak TS, McIlwraith CW, Turner AS, Aanes WA.Fifty-five horses were presented to Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 1st of January 1980 and 31st of December 1989 for treatment of distal limb lacerations involving flexor tendons (n = 35) or extensor tendons (n = 20). Of the 35 flexor tendon lacerations, 11 horses were killed without treatment and 24 horses were treated. Twenty-two horses were included in determining outcome. Four (18 per cent) returned to their original level of use, nine (41 per cent) returned to limited riding, seven (32 per cent) returned to breeding or pasture soundness and two (9 per cent)...
Heinrich B.This research article corrects a common misconception about the energy metabolism in horses during short sprinting and long-distance running events, emphasizing that short sprints are primarily powered by anaerobic activity, […]
Burba DJ, Collier MA.A 5-hole T-plate was used to repair an unstable compound depression fracture of the nasal bones in a horse. Substantial bone loss was evident as a result of severe trauma. Satisfactory bone healing, facial contour, and airway function were achieved. The use of a T-plate can be an alternative means of repair of a nasal bone fracture in a situation in which instability and/or bone loss exists.
Kannegieter NJ, Ryan N.The case record, and subsequent racing performance, of 110 horses that had undergone arthroscopic surgery of the carpus, were reviewed. Of these, 87% resumed racing, with 43% able to win at least one race, after surgery. Horses with chip fractures from the distal radius had the best prognosis, while horses with sagittal fractures of the third carpal bone had the poorest. The performance of horses with bilateral lesions was similar to those with unilateral lesions. It was concluded that arthroscopic surgery was a suitable technique for the diagnosis and treatment of carpal lesions in the horse....
Clayton HM.Time magnification in motion photography allows the observation of events in the stride cycle that normally are beyond the resolution of the human eye. Quantitative analysis goes a stage further by measuring the stride in terms of timing, distance, and angular variables. Motion analysis is a good technique for detecting left-right asymmetries of gait, and the nature of the asymmetries has some value in locating the site of a lameness. Repeated analyses of the same horse allow an objective assessment of the effects of local anesthesia, surgical treatment, or medication. It is anticipated that t...
Seeherman HJ.The use of motorized treadmills has made it possible to evaluate equine poor performance with sophisticated diagnostic techniques during peak exercise. Treadmill exercise tests currently being used for clinical evaluations include treadmill gait analysis, dynamic hoof balancing, endoscopic evaluation of upper airway function, and exercise performance profiling. Large motorized treadmills (1 to 1.5 m in width and 4 to 5 m in length) are best suited for clinical evaluations. Ideally, the treadmill should be installed in-ground using a pit. This type of installation results in the tread surface b...
Tanaka K, Hiraga A, Takahashi T, Kuwano A, Morrison SE.We applied aluminum hinged shoes (AHSs) to the club foot-associated contracted feet of 11 Thoroughbred yearlings to examine the effects of the shoes on the shape of the hoof and third phalanx (P III). After 3 months of AHS use, the size of the affected hooves increased significantly, reaching the approximate size of the healthy contralateral hooves with respect to the maximum lateral width of the foot, the mean ratio of the bearing border width to the coronary band width, and the mean ratio of the solar surface width to the articular surface width. These results suggest that the AHSs corrected...
White NA, Blackwell RB, Hoffman PE.Salter-Harris type II proximal tibial fractures were repaired in two 1-month-old foals, using a dynamic compression plate. The plate was placed on the medial aspect of the tibia, and a single cancellous bone screw was used to reduce the proximal fragment displacement. The plate provided fixation during healing and functioned as a transphyseal bridge, which induced a disparity in growth and corrected a slight lateral angulation of the limb. Limb growth after plate removal was normal.
Modransky P, Welker B, Ryan J.A fourth tarsal bone fracture was treated conservatively in an adult draft horse. Seven months after the injury, the horse had no evidence of lameness and was able to compete in athletic events. It has been suggested that conservative management of these fractures be considered for brood animals or animals used for less strenuous activities. The outcome of this case suggests that fourth tarsal bone fractures can be successfully treated in athletic animals with conservative management.
Spurlock GH, Gabel AA.One-hundred and nine apical fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones were diagnosed in Standardbred racehorses at the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital during a 5-year period ending December 1978. Lateral sesamoids of the hindlimbs accounted for 61 of the 109 fractures, which was a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater proportion than that for fractures in all other sesamoid bones. Two- and three-year-old horses accounted for 73 of the 109 apical sesamoid fractures. The remaining 36 apical sesamoid fractures were in horses 4 to 9 years old. The apical fragment was removed in 80 of t...
McKibbin LS, Paraschak DM.Chronic bowed tendons of horses have been lasered with an infrared 904-nm laser at Wheatley Hall Farm Limited since 1980. A sample of 42 single injury/single treatment standardbreds which were racing within 120 days of laser treatment and met certain criteria, were evaluated for final race times, last quarter race times, and class changes. Results indicate that a significant percent of the standardbreds raced with similar or improved times and classes. Lasering bowed tendons presents a safe and less expensive alternative to traditional treatment methods which often requires a year layoff for t...
Keller J, Hassenstein MJ, Jung K, Geburek F.Ground reaction forces are accepted as gold standard for objective assessment of weightbearing lameness but measurements at the hoof are limited to experimental devices. This study aimed to evaluate whether innovative instrumented hoof boots (IHBs) could detect and monitor lameness in horses during diagnostic anaesthesia. Twenty-six horses referred for lameness examination (15 front limbs, 17 hindlimbs) were equipped with IHBs and body mounted inertial sensors. Data were collected simultaneously before and after diagnostic anaesthesia until objectively considered positive. Recorded IHB data i...
Yeomans A, Martinkovich D, O'Brien T, O'Neill H, Carpenter R, Georgetti M, Cramp P.Standing fracture repair has become established as an acceptable technique with a good long-term prognosis. However, no study has compared racing outcomes with case-matched controls. Objective: To compare racing outcomes between a large dataset of horses undergoing standing fracture repair against case-matched controls. Methods: Retrospective case-matched controlled comparative study. Methods: Thoroughbred racehorses undergoing standing repair of distal limb fracture(s) over 10 years (2012-2022) at five hospital centres across North America and Europe were included. Data retrieved included...
Yeomans A, Cramp P, Carpenter R, Bladon B.Proximal sesamoid bone fractures (PSBFs) are a leading cause of economic losses. Post-operative racing prognosis is multi-factorial; however, recent studies are lacking. Objective: To provide an update on racing outcomes for horses undergoing surgical management of PSBFs, analyse variables affecting performance and compare post-operative racing performance with pre-operative data and case-matched controls. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Thoroughbred racehorses that underwent PSBF repair (2008-2022) were included. Data retrieved included fracture type, limb, axiality, treatment, a...
Stäubli T, Theiss F, Bischofberger A.A total of 48 horses with unilateral (n = 44) or bilateral (n = 4) overstrain-induced complete rupture of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in the forelimbs were retrospectively analysed. A telephone questionnaire, carried out an average of 5,9 years post-injury, served as a long-term follow-up in 25 horses. The mortality rate associated with SDF tendonitis was 12,0 % (3/25). Superficial digital flexor tendonitis did not recur in 76,0 % (19/25) of the horses, but at least one subsequent episode occurred in 24,0 % (6/25). The results of this study indicate that it is reasonable...