Muscle damage
Introduction
Muscle atrophy is muscle wastage and can occur if either the muscle is not being used or if there is damage to the nerve supply of the muscle. Muscle atrophy can be seen generalized when horses are placed on box rest so are not doing as much work or on one side when there is a lameness in one limb, atrophy will usually occur on the lame limb but not usually at the site of lameness. The most common site for muscle atrophy is the large muscle over the rump. Once the lameness or period of box rest has resolved the muscles should start to recover unless there is irreversible damage to the nerve supplying it.