Arthritis and cooling gels, ice boots and supplements

K

Kezza

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 April 2004
Messages
595
Visit site
Has anyone found cooling gel or similar useful for their arthritic horses? Can you slap it on and then put magnetic boots over the top?? Do you only use it after exercise? Excuse my lack of knowledge but in my 26 years of having horses I have never ever used it or seen anyone use it!

Also has anyone used cold therapy boots or similar, are they any good?

My old boy gets slight swelling with his arthritis so I cold hose him after riding and I’m just trying to see if there are alternatives which are also good. He has veredus magnetic boots on overnight and bioflow boots during exercise and is now living out to help. I have also been using cortaflex (which I am happy with), linseed oil and recently tried Devil’s Relief which I am not a fan of. Has anyone seen benefits with Apple Cider Vinegar or any other supplements or am I wasting my money??

Thanks!
 
I have always done the opposite and used warmth for arthritis! I know when my own arthritic shoulder plays up cold makes it agony so I use a hot wheat bag, I guess based on that I would not think of using cold therapy on my horse. I used the thermatex wraps in the stable and turnout socks in the winter and sports medicine boots for exercise. I tried all the usual supplements and had no results from cortaflex or devil's relief, I used cider vinegar for years but don't think it did anything. I found Arthri-Aid the most effective but you know yourself that different things work for different horses. The big improvement I found was using Global Herbs Bute-X on daya when we were going to school or have a lesson, you only need to give it on the day and it really loosened him up!
 
I can't really help with the boots etc but I have a 25yr old arthritic pony and I found that after being ridden Lincoln Menthol & Camphor colling gel works wonders
laugh.gif
( I also use it on her 'off' days when she looks a little stiffer than usual).
As far as supplements go, I used to use cod liver oil and apple cider vinegar but I found as she got older it didnt work as well as I hoped
crazy.gif
. I then tried the 5* Superfel (NAF) which worked well but not fantastic. I also tried Cortaflex which was wonderful but sooo expensive
frown.gif
so I put her on Feedmark's Extraflex HA which I think works just as well and is cheaper
laugh.gif
smirk.gif
.

Not sure if thats any help at all!
 
dont put ANYTHING cold on an arthritic horse - please - the condition is the same in humans and I am a chronic sufferer and cold and arthritis dont mix!! Warm wheat bags as above poster says - warm boots - no cooling gels -

xxxx lol
 
yes I go with the warmth approach in general and I thought it was then to use cool if there's any swelling after exercise?
 
[ QUOTE ]
doesn't it help with swelling after exercise though??

[/ QUOTE ]

I find that it really does and I understand what the other posters have said but that it why I use it after exercise... it really helpd with the swelling. My pony is so much more comfortable and relaxed when I have put it on...
 
Well give it a go but if its arthritis there should be no swelling after exercise at all - I wouldnt waste your money on cooling gels - its like spending cash on expensive face creams - they are not miracle cures and dont really do owt - get some of those gel ice packs and put on the leg for ten minutes after exercise - what does the vet say about it? (just chaep ones you chuck in the fridge)

at the end of the day its all well and good me saying dont put cold stuff on but who am I to assess you and your horse? You also wont need to wipe the cooling gel off after as they will only work for a few minutes and then just soak into the skin and be useless (in a good way)
smile.gif
 
He has windgalls which come and go and diagnosis from the vet is the onset of arthritis. Taken extract from Liphook Hosiptal below around arthritis as I think swelling is pretty usual.

Thanks for the advice re gels, might just try that.

“What are the signs of arthritis in horses?
Joint inflammation increases the amount of fluid in the joint and this usually causes visible and/or palpable bulging of the joint capsule (e.g. ‘bog’ spavin, ‘popped’ knee, ‘windgall’). “
 
Well my joints swell from Arthritis too - but the extra fluid is sent their by my body to help loosen the joints - so the fluid in my joints is beneficial - it may well be the same for horses - I wouldnt get too worried about the swelling that you see but what a pain - to cool or to heat up ?? As sad as it may seem im really clued up on arthirtis- I work closely with a consultant as I am seen as a bit of case study. ha ha

Windgalls are pretty harmless things in most cases - Ive never heard of them being linked to arthritis - but thats really good to know!!! One thing I wil tell you though is the condition although common in animals and humans - still baffles doctors - no one knows why people get it and what causes it - its something that is still a mystery.

I rekon as long as your horse is walking fine and not too stiff - you must be doing the right thing ! x
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well my joints swell from Arthritis too - but the extra fluid is sent their by my body to help loosen the joints - so the fluid in my joints is beneficial - it may well be the same for horses - I wouldnt get too worried about the swelling that you see but what a pain - to cool or to heat up ?? As sad as it may seem im really clued up on arthirtis- I work closely with a consultant as I am seen as a bit of case study. ha ha

Windgalls are pretty harmless things in most cases - Ive never heard of them being linked to arthritis - but thats really good to know!!! One thing I wil tell you though is the condition although common in animals and humans - still baffles doctors - no one knows why people get it and what causes it - its something that is still a mystery.

I rekon as long as your horse is walking fine and not too stiff - you must be doing the right thing ! x

[/ QUOTE ]

well he's always suffered windgalls on and off and then he was diagnosed with slight srthritis changes in one of his hocks and this led to a large windgall or tensynovitis thingy majigy on the opp fetlock which now varies in size but is always present. He's also been suffering instances of slight lameness on his fronts when the weather has been very wet and after strenuous exercise i.e. when he tanks off with me ... I say instances it's only happened twice in the year and a half since he was diagnosed ...

It's after he's been running about that he gets a little more fluid hence me asking about whether colling stuff might help after periods of exercise. The rest of the time I keep his legs warm and use magnetic therapy.

Thanks for your help, I know very little about arthritis so it's very useful to me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top