Devil's Claw

C

chestnut cob

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Pony is on Devil's Claw as started to get just a little bit stiff. I bought it from local tack shop, bought the Equimins tincture and cost £17 something. He is now about to run out (it has lasted three weeks - he feels a million dollars now but suspect it's more to do with adding competition mix to his feeds!)...

Where is the best place to buy it from that isn't going to break the bank, and what is the best brand/make to buy? At £17 every three weeks or so, I can't afford to keep him on the Equimins one really. I've heard people on here talk about buying it as a supplement from Holland & Barratt before but I'm not sure how much I would feed?

I also have a feeling I'm not really supposed to keep him on DC for long periods so wondered what else people recommend? I don't want to go down the route of using anything like JointFX or Superflex yet. He isn't arthiritic, he is just a tiny bit stiff and finding it hard sometimes to really step through when doing things like leg yield. That said...when schooling this week, he did the most perfect leg yield he's ever done so I suspect he might be having me on sometimes
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The liquid one is absorbed faster. I only feed it at a very low dose for my horse who has a sacroiliac injury (1 tub lasts 12 weeks). It made a difference to my boy, even on the low dose.

The good thing about it is that it doesnt have any added sugars which most of the liquid versions have. I use the dodson & horrell one, although have used the other one and the equimmins liquid version as well.
 
The NAF Devils relief which i think is Devils Claw plus MSM is £15.95 for 50 days supply. i use it on a youngster with weak stifles and it really helps him, I didnt want to go dow n the bute route with such a young horse if i could prevent it!
 
We now give Gold Labels Bute Free, it also contains Yucca and MSM, both of which help in their own right. We have found this one the most effective of those we have tried. It costs £12.99 for 1L and lasts four/five weeks for our HW cob.
 
There is no scientific evidence to say liquid herbs are better than dried. Dried devils claw root is pure whereas liquids are water based so less of the active ingredient. If you are convinced liquids are absorbed quicker you can always soak the dried in a small amount of water first and feed the whole lot. Liquids are easier to completely mix in with feed than dried for fussy eaters though.
Devils claw can irritate the stomach if fed long term.

If he is showing signs of stiffness then it would be prudent to use a joint supplement to help minimise further deterioration. You say he isnt arthritic but something must be causing the stiffness. Even 5 year olds can get arthritis! If you wait until he is really stiff then the damage is already there and no supplement can reverse it.
 
I use the New Zealand herbals Devils Claw Flex (it's sold through Equus Health). It's 2:1 tincture, so stronger than many. A one litre bottle is £37.50 (there is a 500ml for £20.00) I feed about 10ml a day to my cob so it lasts me about three months.
 
I use EquineAnswers Premier Flex plus (MSM, HA etc with devils claw). It seems pretty reasonable price, very fast and free delivery.
 
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