The trouble with tendons

When we think about body movement we tend to focus on muscles, but tendons also play a vital part in movement, especially in animals such as horses who have no muscles in their legs below the knee and the hock. While there are many tendons throughout the body, those in the lower leg are specifically designed for effective locomotion. Unfortunately, they’re also particularly vulnerable to damage.

In essence, tendons are connective tissues containing strong collagen fibres with a small amount of elasticity. They connect muscle to bone and assist in movement of the relevant area. Any tendons in the body can suffer injury but, in the horse, the most commonly injured tendons are the long tendons of the distal (lower) limb.

These are the flexor tendons and are comprised of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT). Both are found at the back of the leg and run from the knee on the front leg and the hock on the hindleg. The SDFT ends at the back of the pastern and the DDFT ends on the pedal bone in the foot. At the back of the knee/hock and behind the fetlock, the tendons are enclosed within a fluid-filled tendon sheath that protects the tendons from injury as the joints move.

TOP TIP

Check your horse’s legs on a daily basis so you become familiar with his usual lumps and bumps and can, therefore, quickly spot any changes. Be particularly alerted if you detect any warmth, as quick action could prevent a more serious injury.

Did you know?

Blood supply to tendons is poor compared with other soft tissues such as muscle, which means healing can take a long time (9–12 months in some cases).

Find out more about tendon injuries in your horse with vet Gemma Sherlock in August Horse&Rider­ – on sale now!