If you look at our horses available for adoption, you will see a good number of them are taking time to heal from bowed tendons.

That is an unfortunate side effect that mainly affects race horses and can be a career ending injury for many race horses who wind up in rescues when they can't have the potential of racing and pulling in a profit any longer.

A bowed tendon is a painful condition that will cause lameness in a horse. When the tendon is over exerted, it will stretch and when pushed beyond its limits, will tear causing great pain, irritation and swelling. Some horses recover from bowed tendons enough to resume racing but usually at a lower capacity.

Horses that have had bowed tendons usually make great riding horses once their tendons are fully healed. As long as the horse isn't pushed past its capacity, the bowed tendons will most likely not be an issue that is revisited.

It can take some horses 6 months to fully heal from badly bowed tendons, a light walking exercise beginning with 15 minutes per day for the first 30 days is the usual treatment then very gradually adding to the time walking. Most horses come out of having bowed tendons just fine and go on to make find companions.

If you're looking to add a new member to your family, don't overlook a horse that was a racehorse in his previous life, they usually make great friends and loving companions when treated with kindness and love.