>>>Her owner took her on a fifty mile endurance ride just out of > the blue, and she actually placed. Then her tendons were swollen > afterward. then the vet said she couldnt be ridden until they went > down. now every time shes ridden they swell back up. THATS what I > wonder if wet tendons are.
Once the tendon sheath gets swollen it tends to do it again -- the tissues are overstretched. The owner did an uncredibly stupid and abusive thing, IMO -- tendons and ligaments need at least six months of gradually increasing long slow distance work (with adequate cooling out after the work) in order to condition to the work of distance riding. The muscles and cardiovascular system conditions much faster than the connective tissue -- the horse doesn't know this and it will feel good and will go like gangbusters, but the supposedly intelligent being on its back should rate it and keep it from harm. Lynn Kinsky, Santa Ynez, CA ranch: http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky/
