Vet’s 2025 Guide to Muscle Strains in Horses – by Dr Duncan Houston

💪 Vet’s 2025 Guide to Muscle Strains in Horses

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

1. What Are Muscle Strains?

Muscle strains—or pulled muscles—occur when a muscle or its tendon is overstretched or partially torn. In horses, the longissimus dorsi along the back, hamstrings, adductors (groin region), and other large muscles are commonly affected :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. These injuries range from mild soreness to severe tears disrupting performance and well-being.

2. Causes & Risk Factors

• Sudden acceleration, jumping, tight turns, or overexertion :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
• Poor warm-up or muscle tightness.
• Inadequate conditioning, unbalanced footing, or conformation issues :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Cold weather and fatigue :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.

3. Recognising Signs of Muscle Strain

Signs may be subtle, especially in back or groin strains :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}:

• Stiffness, reduced range, or asymmetric gait.
• Localized swelling, heat, or pain on palpation :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
• Difficulty in turns, hill work, or transitions.
• Muscle tremors, guarded posture, reluctance to move :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
• Signs of tying-up or ER overlap :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.

4. Diagnostic Evaluation

• History & exam: note onset, work type, palpate muscle groups :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Thermography: identifies heat differences in injured tissue :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Ultrasound: visualises fiber damage, hematomas :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
• Vetting out: rule out lameness, neurologic conditions :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.

5. Treatment Phases

5.1 Acute Phase (First 3–7 Days)

• Protection & rest: limit movement to prevent further damage :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.
• Cold therapy: ice packs, hydrotherapy reduce swelling :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.
• NSAIDs: flunixin or phenylbutazone to control pain and inflammation :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.
• Compression: gel wraps or light bandaging to reduce edema :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}.

5.2 Repair Phase (Weeks 2–6)

• Controlled walking: increase gradually to rebuild muscle while preventing adhesions :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}.
• Physiotherapy: passive stretches, light massage and carrot stretches support flexibility :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}.
• Hydrotherapy: water treadmill or cold‑water spas for low-impact loading :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}.

5.3 Remodeling Phase (Weeks 6–20+) 🎯

• Dynamic exercises: hill walking, pole work, progressive trot sets :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}.
• Strength training: implementing variable footing and resistance work under guidance :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}.
• Monitoring: recheck ultrasound to assess healing and guide progression.

6. Rehabilitation Goals

• Reduce fibrosis, improve flexibility, restore strength.
• Recondition cardiovascular fitness safely.
• Return to pre-injury performance while reducing reinjury risk.

7. Prevention Strategies

• Consistent warm-up/cool-down routines with dynamic stretches :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}.
• Gradual training increases with built-in rest days.
• Safe, varied footing surfaces.
• Regular physiotherapy and muscle balance checks.

8. Integrating Ask A Vet Support 🩺

Through Ask A Vet, you can:

• Share videos or thermographic scans to confirm injury and track healing.
• Receive stepwise rehab protocols aligned with injury phase.
• Get NSAID guidance tailored to duration and liver/gut safety.
• Monitor recovery milestones and adapt workouts in real-time.

Download the Ask A Vet app today to support your horse’s muscle‑strain recovery journey in 2025 with expert oversight and confidence! ❤️

9. Long‑Term Care & Return to Performance

• Slowly reintroduce ridden work—focus on form, rhythm, back engagement.
• Monitor gait and performance—pause and reassess any setback.
• Use targeted physiotherapy days as part of maintenance training.

10. Final Thoughts

Muscle strains are among the most underdiagnosed yet performance‑diminishing injuries in the equine athlete :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}. With prompt diagnosis, phased rehab, and veterinary-guided care, many horses recover fully. Combining modern physiotherapy, conditioning, and telehealth via Ask A Vet ensures healing not just of muscle—but of confidence, athleticism, and trust in your partnership.