joint supplements

Question
QUESTION: Two years ago, when I bought my 12 y/o tb cross, we got a vet check done and the vet found some mild arthritis in her hocks. Since then she has been used as an all-round pleasure horse (basic dressage and jumping, usually less than three feet, trail rides) and is worked about six day a week. She hasn't shown any sign of being sore or stiff, even on frozen ground during the winter, but I've been giving her joint supplements basically as a preventive because I want to be able to ride this horse ten years from now! The supplement I've been using is HylaRx complete which was recommended to me and seem to have all the right stuff in it, but I'm considering switching over to Cosequin (of course, now there are a bunch of types of Cosequin too).

I should also mention that about a year ago, she started dragging her back feet and wearing down her toes. We started putting back shoes on her which controlled the damage, but she still seems to be dragging. We've tried several therapeutic pads in case the problem was with the saddle with no difference, and although it is true that I started jumping her more around that time I'm wondering if it has something to do with her arthritis...

I've done a bit of research but I've had a terrible time finding any real studies on joint supplements, and since they're not regulated I feel like I'm choosing blindly. Do you have any suggestions?

ANSWER: Ariel,

As far as joint supplements, I look for ones that have both chondroiton sulfate and glucosamine in them and MSM.  MSM is needed to help the horse's system properly utilize the supplements.  Me, when I supplement, I look for one that has all these in it and don't cost a fortune.  If I can catch one one sale so much the better.  Your mare would probably benefit from some Adequan, a series of 3 IM injections done over a period of time that really help arthritic joints.  If you haven't had her hocks x-rayed recently you should do them again and compare them to the ones taken when you had the vet check done and see if and what changes in the hocks have occurred.  I do the feed supplements to support the Adequan injections and prolong their effectiveness.  I get away with once a year with my 19 yr. old endurance horse for the Adequan series and I think the oral supplementation is why I do.  

As far as the dragging her toes, find an equine massage therapist and get her worked on then get her adjusted by an equine chiropractor.  Probably not the saddle, unless it just plain doesn't fit.  Sounds like her back is out, probably in the sacral area and this is affecting the way she uses her hind end hence the toe dragging.  The massage work will loosen the muscles and make any adjustments easier and last longer. Just like a car requires maintenance, so do our equine friends but it keeps them sound and happy to work which is what we want.   

The reason you will have problems finding info on joint supplements is because there are so many of them and they are neutraceuticals and not really regulated.  Seems like there's a new one out every few months or so by some company or another.  If what you have seems to be working then stick with it.  

Hope this helps.

Lyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer. I appreciate the recommendations (and of course I'll be talking to my vet about all of this)! I wonder, though, if you think Adequan would be necessary/really important, especially for a horse that isn't be competed and doesn't shown any signs of stiffness, or if it's more of a "it'd be nice" kind of thing--since all of this costs quite a bit of money.

The truth is, since I'm using the supplements mostly as a preventive, I can't really see the difference the stuff I'm using now is making. I actually took her off the supplement for a month a while back to see if it made a difference in the way she moved, and as far as I can tell, it did not. And while I'd like to think the hylarx I'm using now is working, I really have no way of knowing.

Thanks

Answer
Ariel,

I mentioned the Adequan simply because it is so helpful with arthritic issues.  That's why I suggested the f/u x-rays to see what's going on in the joint.  Even with no lameness apparent, the joint can still be stiff and require more effort for the horse to use which lead to muscle problems in the hindquarters producing the gait abnormalities you described in her back feet.  Adeqaun does help a great deal with joint stiffness.  You may not see it it it's slight at this point.  If she doesn't need it now, super, I know it's expensive but there are generic products out there that are more reasonable (you still have to get them through your vet) and if you can do IM shots yourself then you need to just buy the product which saves a lot of money.  I realize you are not don't compete her but jumping and dressage are difficult disciplines and put a lot of wear and tear on the hocks.  So you need to monitor them.  

As far as the supplement, a week isn't a sufficiently long period of time to observe a difference.  A month,yes, as week, not.  I'm with you on using the supplements as a preventative measure.  I do that myself.  My endurance horse creaks, not lame, not sore but creaky, which is why I use the Adequan.  She's a retired Stb. who raced so has a lot of wear and tear on her although her owner/trainer took really good care of her which is why she's still sound at 19 with thousands of distance miles on her.  

But given the toe dragging she definately has something going on in the hind end and that does need to be addressed.  The issues you described can be complex and may or may not have anything to do with her hoxks but need to be taken care of.  

Lyn