Understanding the Pain Cycle in Horses – Part 3: Movement Patterns & Management

Chronic pain in horses rarely follows a straight line. Over time, it becomes a self-reinforcing loop: peripheral sensitization lowers nerve thresholds at irritated tissues, while central sensitization amplifies signals within the spinal cord and brain. Small inputs begin to feel significant—and those amplified signals continue to alter how the horse moves, reacts, and copes.

The goal of rehabilitation is not just symptom relief. It is to interrupt the pain cycle and rebuild normal, efficient movement patterns.

Breaking the pain cycle means interrupting sensitization and rebuilding efficient movement—by reducing peripheral drivers, using rhythmic work to calm the nervous system, avoiding biomechanical traps, and tracking function and behavior over time.

What Helps, Paired with a Veterinary Exam

Reduce Peripheral Drivers

Ongoing tissue irritation keeps the pain cycle active. Addressing contributors such as saddle fit, hoof balance, dental discomfort, and local inflammation is essential. Chemical mediators released in irritated tissue are potent sensitizers; reducing them lowers the baseline pain input.

Use Movement to Calm the Nervous System

Graded, rhythmic movement helps activate natural descending pain-control pathways. Helpful patterns often include:

• Long and low work

• Symmetrical bending

• Slow, deliberate transitions

These approaches encourage endorphin release and help reduce guarding and over-reactivity.

Avoid Biomechanical Traps

Rigid frames or extreme flexion can reinforce protective tension. Instead, prioritize:

• Core lift and trunk stability

• Reach through the limbs

• Breath and overall ease of movement

Repeated small stress to sensitized nerve fibers can escalate guarding. Thoughtful biomechanics help prevent that escalation.

Track Function, Not Just Imaging

Pain is a sensory and emotional experience shaped by prior pain history. Progress should be evaluated through:

• Behavior and handling tolerance

• Stride length and quality

• Willingness and consistency under work

Diagnostic imaging is valuable, but function and behavior reveal how the horse truly feels.

When to Involve Your Veterinarian

If you notice increasing touch sensitivity, decreasing stride length, or escalating behavior around grooming or tacking, early veterinary evaluation is critical. Addressing pain sooner helps break the cycle before it becomes more entrenched.