Glucosamine to a 4yr old.

[**Vanner**]

My boy is 15hh heavyweight cob - 10.5" of bone on the front 11" behind. He is rising 5. I have been told that heavies are prone to joint problems (which I could understand as the weight etc must put alot of strain on their joints).

I have been recommended to put him on glucosamine. Would this be the best thing? is anything better?

Edited to say this would be as a preventative not because he shows any symptoms now!

 

[Louby]

Ive done the same.
My boy is 13 next year and has been on Cortavet at maintenance level since he was 4 yrs old. I may be throwing my money down the drain but after having a horse with Navic and one with Ringbone, I decided it was worth it.
Touching wood, he hasnt had any problems as yet. Im not saying the cortavet has prevented anything but I dont think its been detrimental to him.

 

[PonyFeet10]

I have heard glucosamine being VERY highly recommended before to help with joints, so if any of mine were to go on to anything to help it would be this

 

[Paint it Lucky]

If you can afford it there's no harm in doing so, and it probably will prolong his working life in the long run. I used to own a heavy, he never needed any supplements in his life and is still going strong now with his new owner out jumping, hunting etc. He is 17 now and is just starting to show signs of age (he has worked fairly hard all his life), who knows if he'd been on a preventative supp it may have made a difference?

 

[**Vanner**]

Thanks everyone. He is the first baby I've had and I'm determined to give him as long and healthy life as possible. Now which supplement to choose

 

[CinnamonChristmasCookie]

I've also heard amazing things about tumeric as a cure and/or preventative (see this link http://www.trotonline.co.uk/forum/s...ence-or-truly-amazing......&highlight=tumeric)

I have no experience myself but would be tempted as my lad is a mw/hw cob and my last horse had issues with his hinds . The OP on the link is a friend of mine.

 

[LaurenM]

I got mine from the holland and barratt (sp) sale

 

[**Vanner**]

I got mine from the holland and barratt (sp) sale

Was that as a powder or tablets and how much did you give?

 

[LaurenM]

Tablets. I think this is the one I've got; http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=657&prodid=541

I'm not very consistent with it to be honest but he tends to get two tablets a day (based on human dosage being 3 throughout the day). He also has cod liver oil and biotin.

 

[Louby]

They say to be effective it has to have 10g of glucosamine per 100. Vet told me this. Some have much less

 

[**Vanner**]

They say to be effective it has to have 10g of glucosamine per 100. Vet told me this. Some have much less

Does anyone know the ideal dosage per 100KG of horse?

 

[ForeverBroke_]

I feed glucosamine, its by Equine America and 15.99 for quite a large tub, its fantastic stuff

 

[paulineh]

I use Glucosamine & Chondroitin from Healthspan works out a lot cheaper about £16 for 240 tabs.

I use all their things for human and animal

http://www.healthspan.co.uk/joint-c...-chondroitin/productdetail-p1545870-c124.aspx

 

[CBFan]

I feed glucosamine, its by Equine America and 15.99 for quite a large tub, its fantastic stuff

Me too! ... to my 3 year old! I have used the Gold Label glucosamine plus beore too but it's slightly dearer...

 

[soulfull]

Vet and GP told me it is a waste of money feedling it without
Chondroitin as it doesn't work alone!!

I feed feedmarks http://www.feedmark.com/Product.asp?Product=ExtraFlex+HA

For the same reason

 

[Nocturnal]

Does anyone know the ideal dosage per 100KG of horse?

From what I understand, it's 10g of glucosamine, 10g of MSM and 4g of chondroitin per day which has the best benefit for the horse. That was for every horse, though. I suppose a lighter horse would need less, but I'm not sure of the exact ratio.

 

[Leg_end]

As others have recommended I use equine america glucosamine with MSM. Its 15.99 a tub that lasts approx6-8 weeks (after the initial loading dose). You are far better off making sure that you have MSM as well as the gluc works far better with it than without.

 

[Fairynuff]

I feed glucosamine, its by Equine America and 15.99 for quite a large tub, its fantastic stuff

Me too! I bought 4 tubs (2 for a friend) online and saved a small fortune. I did the 7 Adequan injections on my filly then started the Glucosamine 10,000 Plus MSM a month later.Each tub is enough for 60 days so in the end, it works out cheap enough.

 

[Louby]

Does anyone know the ideal dosage per 100KG of horse?

Sorry wasnt clear then, I mean 10g per 100g of the product not the horses weight. The tubs will tell you the correct doesage for your weight of horse.

 

[Theresa_F]

Farra has been on ExtraFlex from Feedmark since we got her at 4. She is a fairly big girl, 17 hands and a Clydesdale and she has been bred for the show ring so is very close behind/cow hocked with a big flashy movement.

My vet took one look at her, made very rude comments about Clydesdale breeders and told me to put her on a good joint supplement and make sure she is well insured in ten years time as I would probably need it.

We are also careful with schooling, try to avoid stress on her hocks, only jump on a good surface and only slow work on hard ground. I hope by doing this, careful leg exercises and the joint supplement, she will make her mid 20s.

Stinky is 15.1 and fairly chunky, but vet was not concerned about him as he said the way he is put together, good gypsy cob, unless he has an accident, he should not suffer from joint problems until well into his old age. I will probably put him on a joint supplement when he gets to 15.