Freshly bowed horses need stall rest not turnout. Poultice isn’t going to help unless you confine the horse. Start with an ultrasound and go from there with your vet’s guidance.
This… I’m rehabbing a bowed tendon right now. Ultrasound so you know what’s going on in there and stall rest. 15 minute hand walks once a day, no turnout. Mine is 90+ days out from the bow so we’re up to 30 minutes hand walking once a day. His was pretty much a full rupture that also involved the tendon sheath so he’s still on stall rest for at least the next 7 weeks until he sees the vet again, then we will reevaluate.
In the first couple of days ice ice ice and wrapping to knock the inflammation down as much as possible. NSAIDS like bute and banamine can really help in this stage too.
Work with your vet on a rehab plan. What has worked well for me so far is poultice (uptite) 24 on 24 off until you’re sure the heat is absolutely gone, then sweats again 24 on 24 off to help with edema. It’s a long road and there is nothing you can do to speed the healing. You’re looking at the very least a year depending on the severity. With time and careful management the horse can in many cases return to their previous job.
Good luck.
Guys a bandage bow isn’t anywhere close to a bowed tendon. Two completely different things. A bandage bow is purely inflammation from an uneven/too much pressure/moved/twisted etc standing wrap. The swelling goes down in a few days. A bowed tendon is a torn/damaged ligament that can require a year of careful rehab.
Seems like a random clarification 12 years later. I don’t think anyone thought a bandage bow and a bowed tendon were the same thing but guess it can’t hurt to emphasize that. If you read the thread you will see it was bumped nine years later by someone whose horse has a bowed tendon which is why the conversation took a turn in that direction.
