Arthritis in horses - how do you care for it?

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Hi all,

My boy has been diagnosed with arthritis in his knees. He has to undergo surgery to remove a fragment of bone from one of his knees but he has changes in the other :(

The vet said I was to treat him as arthritic from now on. She has already suggested glucosimine and; once he has had and recovered from surgery, regular, gentle exercise.

I was just wondering what you do for your arthritic horses.

Supplements?
Exercise?
Routines?

Victoria sponge for all :)
 
Mac is arthritic. He lives out 24/7 April to Nov, then in winter, he is out morning until evening. He is still hacked pretty much every day, and does some schooling, but keeping circles large. If he needs bute, he has it. He was on one a day, but for the last 6 months or so, only been on one every other day. Turnout and keeping him mobile seems to be the key with Mac.

Edited to add. He is quite a good doer, and keeping his weight down has really made a big difference!
 
Mine has spavins in her hocks and arthritis in a fetlock where she had a bone chip removed surgically last October. She was on synequin until recently when I went away and YO and vet changed her to glucosamine - I forgot to ask the vet why when I saw her last week, will have to check next week. It might be because synequin is super expensive but I am still on insurance. I have heard good things on here about riaflex which I am going to try when insurance runs out.
I wouldn't bother with cortaflex as there aren't really any active ingredients in it - didn't make a difference to my horse.
She has magnetic boots that she wears overnight when she's stabled. I'm not sure if they make any difference but they were forty pounds and to be honest I have spent about seven grand on her in the last year so I thought it was worth a try and completely non invasive. She does come out stiffer in winter if they've not been on - it might be the magnets, it might be because they keep her legs warm but if they're doing something who cares? They certainly aren't hurting her.
She can get tight in her back from not using her hind legs properly so I have an equilibrium pad for her.
I try to make sure she gets turned out every day. In winter it's tough as she just wants to come in then she gets banned from the field because she stands at the gate bellowing and kicking everybody so I yard walk her twice a day instead. Also I never give her a day off even if it snows she has to do something. I will take her for a hack in hand so I can pick out her feet every two minutes. If I go on holiday I make arrangements for her to be ridden or do groundwork.
If your horse is shod shoeing with rolled toes can be more comfortable for arthritics.
Mine has had joint injections and tildren which both really helped.
I hope this helps. Touch wood so far she's been pretty straightforward - until she got lami this summer she'd still been doing everything and going xc, sponsored rides and competing dressage and everything like a normal horse and she's 21 so hopefully she'll be even better next year. Wishing yours well for a good recovery x
 
I have managed to keep my oldie going and still more or less sound to 35 years, I also have a 21 year old. I dont buy the expensive supplements like Cortaflex I buy straight Glucosomine which mine get all year. They go out every day, as keeping them moving is essential, there are some who think they should live out 24/7 but actually I dont agree.

My oldie comes in at night and is rugged and kept warm and dry. The only time he wouldn't have at least a lightweight on is really hot summer days and nights. Basically he is never allowed to get cold or wet. If its really really cold he has leg warmers at night. He's a cob so he might wear these more often if he didn't have quite think leg hair.

He still gets ridden even if its only a wander round the yard bareback in a headcollar and the occasional trip round the fields with tack. He loves to get out and is bored just going from field to stable. He also enjoys the odd trip out to a show and runs up the trailer ramp.

He gets 2 bute the night before the farrier but I would be happy to give him more if he needed it. IMO a shorter happier life is preferable to living in pain.

I have tried veteran supplements, oils, devils claw etc but cant honestly say the difference was noticable.

Good luck with managing your horse
 
Mine is arthritic - spavins in both hocks and ringbone on his left fore. The spavins were/are pretty easy to deal with; medicated with steroids a couple of times, plenty of the right sort of work (hacking, lots of straight lines, correct schooling), and as much turnout as possible. The ringbone is more difficult to manage unfortunately. He was living out 24/7 earlier this year which was great for his hocks but not for the ringbone as hard, dry ground (which in our case is rutted too because the fields weren't rolled at the right time) made him sore. So, I've compromised and he comes in during the day which he really benefits from as he lies down and rests properly (he won't lie down in the field).

Supplement-wise he is on linseed (whole, ground, microionised) which is supposed to be great for arthritis. I can't say whether it has helped that but he does have a lovely coat now! Also feed rosehips and a joint supplement (Joint FX which contains glucosamine [sulphate and HCl I think], chrondroitin and MSM). I can't say whether the joint supplement helps or not - all I can say is that his arthritis has progressed since I put him onto it but I don't know how much *more* it would have progressed without the supplement so can't judge. While the ground is as hard as it is he is having 1 sachet of Danilon per day. Sometimes he only has half a sachet, sometimes he has 1.5 - he's a 17hh IDx and my vet tells me that 1 sachet/day is like a normal sized person taking half an Ibuprofen so it isn't a lot. I'm using a remedial farrier now and he is shod with Natural Balance shoes which have really helped - his movement in front is totally different now and he looks so much more comfortable.

I've retired him from jumping as not fair on him. He is in full work - plenty of hacking, schooling, a bit of dressage when I can muster up the enthusiasm to go and do it. He has good days and not-so-good days but he is better kept in work. On the not-so-good days, we just hack quietly and on the good days, he can do a respectable DR test or go galloping across the fields. My new farrier tells me to keep him in regular work as arthritic horses need constant movement to keep them going and TBH he is far happier in work.
 
My last old girl was arthritic (she had show-jumped to junior international standard with a previous owner and her knees showed it).

For 2 years (from when she was 15 to 17 years old), I kept her ticking on Rhus Tox, with the blessing of my vet, occasionally boosted by a Danilon if for some reason she worsened. From 17 to 19 she was on one Danilon a day, and at 19 I retired her and she stayed on one Danilon a day until she was PTS (colic) at 21.

She was a TB, and was always kept out but with access to a barn and deep bedding, and dry standing outside. She did infinitely better out than when stabled. We have hilly pasture so she was always gently moving around on 4 acres +. I got her a copper bracelet (having tried the human version out on myself with excellent results), but unfortunately she died very shortly after - however I do think it helped. I gave up glucosamine as it really didn't seem to make much difference long term. What I swore by was linseed, home-cooked, and in every feed throught the year. I think it is one of the best non-medical/veterinary products about, and sadly under-rated.

I do hope you find the way forwrd with your horse. The key thing, just as in humans, is gentle, regular exercise - keep those joints moving! Good luck.
 
My old boy was on Danilon permanently and only hacked out gently and turned out every day. What are peoples feelings about horses that dont respond to Danilon but are about 1/10 or 2.10 lame with arthritis, should you still do gentle work with them ?
 
My oldster used to get Equiflex by Feedmark (much cheaper than Cortiflex) and Devils Claw. When that stopped being so effective he was on Danilon alternative days and I continued with the Equiflex. He became a bit arthritic when he was 18 and I rode him until he was 24.
He lived out 24/7 which is what he preferred anyway.
 
Mine is 32

Excercise little and often build up slowly
Danilon 1 a day
Superflex (NAF)
I watch what ground I ride on
No fast work on hard ground
 
Both mine have arthritis - although with the mare you would never know it. She is a 9 year old TB and has spavin in one hock and arthritis in the fetlock on the same leg where a bone chip was removed last December ( Same really as Unbalanced has written).
My 21 year old TB gelding has arthritis in his knees and probably in all the joints on his back legs now!

The mare has Aviform Suppleaze Gold, comfrey, linseed and Devil's Claw

The gelding has Aviform Suppleaze Gold and cod liver oil - with a bute every other day, or as required.

The mare was only diagnosed a couple of months ago and has come sound, if that helps - she is extremely athletic...although she did have one cortisone injection.

The gelding will always be stiff mainly due to his age and his very hard racing career, but it's managed as well as possible.

The mare is exercised most days as she is a raving lunatic - very very fit and very very fizzy. The gelding is currently having six weeks off due to hoof problems, but normally gets one session of light schooling a week (no small circles) and a couple of gentle hacks, mainly in walk.
Good luck with yours.
 
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My share horse had a course of Cartrophen which made a big difference to his stiffness.

He's on Cortaflex and is worked 6 days out of 7, mostly hacking/fun rides with some schooling, lunging and polework. He has regular physio checks/treatment as he does get a bit sore in his back. This routine is working well for him, he's sound, bright, alert and enjoying life :) If, as happened last winter, his exercise is allowed to slip then he goes downhill quite quickly and becomes noticeably stiff. The secret with him is to keep him moving!
 
Sorry to read your horse has been diagnosed with arthritis but I'm going to suggest my old favourite - turmeric. Most horses will arthritic joint problems can be helped by the addition of turmeric in their feed. You can buy 400g bags from the ethnic sections of larger Tesco stores for a couple of quid and this should last you around 3-4 weeks so it's worth giving it a go. Start with a small dose and build up as to some horses it can be a bit of an acquired taste. You will want to be dosing around the equivalent of a heaped tablespoon when up at full whack and you should notice a difference in less than a week. You don't need to do a "loading dose".

Here's a link to some clinical trials that have been done....

http://www.allnaturalpetcare.com/Holistic_Pet_Remedies/Natural_Therapy_Equine_Osteoarthritis.pdf
 
Sorry to hear your horse has arthritis.Horrible condition.Im having the same problem as you.My girl is on 1 and a half bute a day split for morn and eve but is still sometimes achy,esp if shes been in.Iv been doing some research and trying to find any products that will help her arthritis,but there is so much out there its hard to know what to get.Its such a gamble,and then you have to wait to see if it works.Iv seen TONS of supplements,copper bands,herbs,injecting gel into the legs (which i dont want to do to her as its ongoing and she is VERY old,and i dont like the idea of her having constant injections at her age) and there are the magnetic therapy boots and who knows what else.I had a look at the riaflex and it sounds quite good.I'm also considering getting magnetic boots,but i might do a bit more research first as i dont know if they really work.Good luck with finding a product that works and managing your horse! :)
 
Having a mare that was diagnosed 15 months ago, (but also had damage to a collateral ligament, so not exclusively arthritic) I can definately advise you to keep them moving, out as much as possible, gentle hacking unless up to more. And since my mare has been on vetvits Equiflex, (glucossamine and chondroitin) she's shown so much improvement she's now back in full work!! (started to see improvements after 12 weeks on the loading dose, (twice what the manufacturers say, but vet agreed with doseage)) I've also tried the glucossamine and msn combinations and the equine answers premierflex ha, none gave the same dramatic improvement. Though supplements really are horses for courses! some will work on some horses, and not on others and vice versa, am afraid you may just have to try various ones until you find one that works for yours.

just to add i've had my arthritic dog on a combination of glucossamine and chondroitin too and she's also shown a hell of an improvement, especially when I was having to consider pts earlier this year as she was waking up screaming in pain, she no longer does this and is back to her old normal self!!

I will also add both of the above animals are no longer on regular pain relief (which they had been on daily) just a dose here and there when/if they over exert themselves.
 
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domane said:
Sorry to read your horse has been diagnosed with arthritis but I'm going to suggest my old favourite - turmeric. Most horses will arthritic joint problems can be helped by the addition of turmeric in their feed. You can buy 400g bags from the ethnic sections of larger Tesco stores for a couple of quid and this should last you around 3-4 weeks so it's worth giving it a go. Start with a small dose and build up as to some horses it can be a bit of an acquired taste. You will want to be dosing around the equivalent of a heaped tablespoon when up at full whack and you should notice a difference in less than a week. You don't need to do a "loading dose".

Here's a link to some clinical trials that have been done....

http://www.allnaturalpetcare.com/Holistic_Pet_Remedies/Natural_Therapy_Equine_Osteoarthritis.pdf
Click to expand...

echo the tumeric - even cheaper if you can find a proper asian cash & carry - i pay 15 quid for 4 kg bag - seems to have made a real difference to Ruby, she is now 21 - diagonosed at 18 - has had 2 cortison injections & has responded very well each time - she is ridden VERY regulalry - usually 5 times a week, has remedial shoeing & is buted as & when - i also try to keep her weight down to ensure that she is not putting too much weight on her joints
 
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