September 2005

Healing Muscle Injuries Takes Some Time

Muscle injuries require time, planning and determination to return the horse to normal.

Muscle lacerations are generally deep and can understandably worry a horseowner that his horse will never return to work. However, unless a muscle is cut all the way through or has obvious nerve damage, the prognosis for the horse returning to full use is better than with tendon/ligament damage or joint disease.

Even gaping, unsutured wounds with extensive muscle damage heal well with time and proper care. However, returning the horse to his previous work level involves more than healing the cosmetic, outside injury. It may also involve some ingenuity. …