What Is Good For Horses' Joints? 

Are you concerned about your horses’ joints? Is your horse already showing signs of joint degradation? Are you thinking of adding joint supplements to their diet program? There are several dietary supplements available in the market and many of these claim to help in preventing joint deterioration over time.

The problem is that the claims made by several manufacturers are very dubious. With that said, there are a few compounds that have been found to be highly effective in terms of improving joint comfort and the overall health of horses. Today’s blog post is focused on helping you discover some of the most effective compounds to improve a horse’s joint health.

Another important thing you need to know is that it is not possible to reverse the damage done to horse joints at a later date. This is why it is recommended to start these joint supplements as early as possible. In most cases, it is recommended to start a low dosage at two years of age.. and you can increase the dosage as your horse ages. Let’s take a look at what supplements you should consider.

Glucosamine

This is one of the most popular compounds for a horse's joint health. It is also known as a building block of the cartilage which is the tissue covering the joints. It works by slowing down cartilage deterioration as it is rich in sulphur which helps in building cartilage.

It also helps in improving the composition of synovial fluid in joints as a result of its sulphur content. It is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. It has low bioavailability in horses and this is why larger doses of this compound are needed to be effective.

Methyl Sulphonyl Methane - MSM

One of the most important parts of a horse’s diet should be sulphur as it is present in cartilage and connective tissue. MSM is a natural form of sulphur and is known to be well-tolerated by horses. Research has shown that it is effective at preventing cartilage degradation as well as inflammation in horses. It has good bioavailability in horses.

Chondroitin Sulphate

This is a compound that is present in cartilage. Its extraction from the bovine species is an expensive process. It can be created synthetically but the synthetic form is not easy to synthesise and this is the reason you will find it paired with glucosamine in most cases. 

It is effective at preventing the degradation of cartilage by stimulating the synthesis of cartilage by chondrocytes. It also helps in improving the concentration of hyaluronic acid which plays a role in maintaining synovial fluid in the joints. It has relatively low bioavailability in horses.

Hyaluronic Acid

This acid is found in joint cartilage, as well as connective tissue. It helps in increasing the hyaluronic acid content in the synovial fluid to make it thicker and provide better lubrication.

It also helps in improving the elasticity of connective tissue and cartilage integrity. It has been successfully used for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses for several decades.

Boswellia

Boswellia is a plant that contains anti-inflammatory properties, which help fight against the ongoing destruction of cartilage following microtrauma and its resulting inflammatory responses. The active compounds in Boswellia serrata gum resin extract are potent and act on the body without being broken down.

Final Thoughts

Overall, these are some of the compounds that are known to be effective for horses’ joints. An important thing you need to know is that many popular joint supplements do not contain these active ingredients in sufficient quantity and are full of fillers.

This is why you should carefully check the ingredients list to make sure the particular supplement you are feeding your horse has active ingredients in sufficient quantities. Also, these supplements should be started at a young age as these are effective at preventing joint degradation but once the degradation begins, it is almost impossible to reverse it.

Equine America NZ is known for high-quality supplements. All our products are manufactured in BETA NOPS licensed premises and conform to the EU and UK legislation that governs animal feeding products. In simple terms, we adhere to the guidelines meant to minimise the risk of prohibited substances in our supplements.