My horse was slow and lazy and would not do much for me when I was on the high school equestrian team. I thought she was ring sour. She would limp away from home, but her gait would be perfectly fine on the return trip home. I realized something was wrong when her limp became more consistent. “What could it be?” I asked many people at various horse shows and rides. Most of them suggested that equine arthritis was the culprit. After all, it is a common condition among senior horses – those 15 years and older. Fortunately, many of my fellow riders had experience with equine arthritis and were able to offer suggestions for horse arthritis treatment.

Joint Supplements for Horses

The most popular solution for treating equine arthritis was the use of joint supplements for horses. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) had the reputation of a “wonder drug” of sorts; however, it is only recognized as a food supplement since there is no proof or reason as to why it does what it has been claimed to do. I combined this with the use of Flex Free®, another joint supplement that an acquaintance successfully used to treat horse osteoarthritis. I was very surprised to learn that her horse had equine arthritis because it moved very well in the show ring with a normal gate.



Administering Equine Bute

Horse osteoarthritis can be a very painful condition for a horse, so I called the vet. He confirmed that she had equine arthritis. She was very stiff with slow reflexes and had no desire to move. To control the pain, he prescribed phenylbutazone (equine bute) for use before riding and when cold or wet weather seemed to have an effect. She did not need it much during the summer and during periods of inactivity.

I carefully observed her movements to determine when she needed a dose of equine bute. Of course, this method requires knowing your horse and having the ability to communicate with him or her, mostly understanding what the horse is trying to say.

Horse Osteoarthritis

Horse osteoarthritis is a breakdown in the tissue of one or several joints. A joint is covered with an outside protective layer and is lined with an inner slippery layer, called the synovial membrane, which provides some shock absorption and provides a slippery lubrication that prevents friction within the joint.

In a normal, healthy joint, a thin layer of cartilage covers the bone. The cartilage changes shape to absorb shock and to evenly distribute pressure. The cartilage may break down from wear and tear and generally does not have the capability of repairing itself.

The body responds to cartilage breakdown by cleaning up any debris in the joint. During this process, the chemical composition of the synovial fluid changes, losing its lubricative properties. This causes more friction that promotes further cartilage breakdown. More debris is removed and the synovial fluid becomes less slippery. The cycle continues. Eventually, the cartilage breaks down so much that bone rubs on bone. The body builds more bone to strengthen the surface, possibly leading to the development of bone spurs. In her The Horse article, “Osteoarthritis: When Bones Collide,” Karen Briggs warns, “In its final stages, if left unchecked, arthritis causes the fusing of equine joints.”

Aside from normal wear and tear, arthritis can promote problems such as bone chips and joint injuries. Equine arthritis signs may include heat and swelling around the joint. The horse experiences stiffness and cannot move its joints in a very wide range of motion. Limping and stiffness indicate pain.

Horse Joint Supplements and Horse Arthritis Treatment

Horse joint supplements may be quite useful for horse arthritis treatment. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is very commonly used by equine owners for many conditions. Equine bute is popular pain reliever for arthritic horses. The traditional cold water and ice treatment is still very effective for reducing swelling.

A long warm-up prior to a workout may be beneficial for the arthritic horse. Twenty minutes of walking and easy jogging will help warm up the muscles, increase blood flow, and increase fluid production within the joint. This eases the friction within the joint when venturing onto harder workouts.

Source:

“Degenerative Joint Disease in the Horse including The Hock and Spavin, The Foot and Ringbone,” The Horseman’s Advisor.

This article was originally published between 1997 and 2002.

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