arthritis in senior horses

Question
Hi
I have a 19yo arab x. I know hes had arthritis for a while but since it has gotten colder i was wondering what the best remedy or treatment you would advise?
Thanks

Answer
Georgie,

There are several things that can be done to help arthritic horses.  First off, if it's getting colder make sure that he has shelter and put a weatherproof blanket on him when it gets really cold.  Keep him from getting chilled.

Feed through supplements can help a great deal.  I like ones that have chondroitin sulfate/glucosamine/MSM and hyaluronic acid in them.  I don't know what's available in your area but there are lots of different brands of supplements out there, both liquid and dry, that just get mixed into the feed.  If it contains yucca and/or devils claw that's fine.  These are both herbal analgesics and as long as the horse is not competing you can use them.  I ride endurance and competitive trail and cannot use either one under the drug rules for the sport but this doesn't apply to you.  This is one item that you can't skimp dollars on, get the best one you can find and afford.  You may have to experiment with a couple of different formulations to find the one that works best for your horse.  It's something that has to be given everyday, for the life of the horse, to work but it can help. You will have to feed it for at least a couple of weeks to determine if it is helping or not.  


If the arthritis gets bad enough to where the feed through isn't enough then you can investigate the injectables - Adequan (given IM) and Legend (given intravenously).  Both have to be done by a vet but are very effective. I keep a horse on the feed-through supplements even if I have had to move on to one of the injectables.  They help extend the effectiveness of the shots so that you don't have to repeat the series as often.

You also want to keep his weight reasonable, don't let him get too fat.  Recent research has found that something in alfalfa hay seems to help too.  My guys all get 1 lb. of alfalfa cubes as part of their daily ration. He will also benefit from as much turn-out as possible where he can move around.  Arthritic horses get stiff standing in stalls.  Much better for them to be outside.  My horses are out 24/7.  They have a run-in shed and wear waterproof blankets as a top layer in the cold/wet weather.  

Properly taken care of arthritic horses can enjoy long, useful lives and be comfortable in retirement.  I don't know how severe your horse's arthritis is and whether he has it in just some joints or multiple places but the advice is good in either case.  

Good luck with him and if I can be of further help let me know.

Lyn