Joint supplements - do they work?

Twigben

Twigben

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I've Got my horses on cortaflex, they have been on it for many years but I am thinking of taking them off it as they are both retired now and I'm not sure if it actually makes a difference? It's also v expensive. But as they've been on it for many years I'm worried they might suffer if they come off it - what do you think of joint supplements? Can 7g of cortaflex really work on a 500kg horse?????
 
Same dilemmas suffered here over the years - many many products dabbled with (including Cortaflex). I never really felt any of them really worked apart from being very effective at relieving me of my cash! Recently my Welsh A who is shown in hand was diagnosed with arthritis in one knee - -cue the hunt for a joint supplement & much searching. I believe I HAVE actually found a product that helps this particular pony at least. It's Global Herbs Alphabute and Movefree Plus. I use them both together at quite a high rate under guidance from a lady at the company who's been very helpful with me. Proof has been in the pudding with my pony. He has actually become much much better since having the 2 supp's, not quite there yet but is a lot better - I'm pleased!
 
To be honest, I am not sure if the Devils claw helped my lad, however he is better on the turmeric, he has shown signs of it working.

It was clearer with my dog, I put him on Devils claw, he went from hobbling around to jumping up onto the sofa, it was clear it helped.
 
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I put my boy on cortaflex about 5 months ago now. It has make an amazing difference to him. He was tripping whilst out hacking before but that has completely stopped since being on cortaflex so I have no intentions of stopping it any time soon.
 
A couple of years, ago it was scientifically proven that glucosamine based joint supplements do not work on 'humans', so would be equally sceptical about the efficacy of those produced for animals….
 
I would also be sceptical about whether they work or not.... however :rolleyes3: when I took mine off the feedmark joint supp I use, she got grumpy and generally a bit sour. So I stuck her back on it, as it was the only thing that had changed.

I feed the cheapest one I can find, which is their flexamine 10:10 and feed it at the full dose. I don't mind shelling out on it tbh, it's inexpensive esp as usually on offer. :rolleyes:
 
when the first double blind tests of chondrotine/glucosamine tests came out eh...more than 12 yrs ago and they proved to be around 65-70% effective , no one thought of giving it to horses at the time. I did, at first in the pure form from a pharmacy . My horse was diagnosed (though not lame in any way) for severe arthritis, she was 3, not backed yet (in fact they told me not to bother and to pts) only reason I took x rays was to humor my farrier who wondered about the uneven hoofs.
At 14 she went "slightly off in trot" she got break-over shoes which solved this and she's never been lame again unless for a hoof-abcess until I lost her to colic at 26 (still riding)

did it work or was it the great farrier....still don't know.
 
All I know is that glucosamine and MSM did nothing for me. I took it for months and it made no difference to any of my aches and pains. I wouldn't feed horses any supplement that was derived from animal protein either, as they are herbivores and it doesn't sit right with me. I would feed turmeric though as I think it is brilliant stuff. I take it myself and had immediate results. My tendonitis in my shoulders is 80% better. It is very fast acting. I can't take NSAIDs.
 
I have been sceptical about joint supplements in the past and found many high spec, top brands that don't work. I put my lad on to Global herbs Movefree liquid at the end of summer simply because we have a headshaker who pollenex has completely turned around, and I thought it was worth trying the joint supplement for the big man, who has had many complications in the past, and works with a high degree of collection now at his level.

Results were absolutely amazing, never had such a soft, supple horse, I had got to the conclusion his stiffness was just part of him but now it's more like... What stiffness?! So I guess some work for one horse, others work for different horses... but I highly recommend the Global herbs one!!
 
I was advised once that Cortaflex only works with horses in high level work due to it needing a something which builds up in the joints to trigger the active agent in it. I have no idea if this is true but I never tried it as my horse was only in medium work I suppose.

When my last horse was diagnosed with spavin I put him on synequin initially and when the spavin didnt bother him much I used Hack Up joint bespoke. I do think the synequin helped. I never took him off a supplement altogether to see if there was any difference but he was quite comfortable on the Hack Up supplement too.
 
Cortaflex worked very quickly on my elderly whippets, who previously could not get up in the morning without help. She could tootle around happily when she was on it. My husband had a really severe ankle fracture and the consultant told him to take glucosamine, but he described it as a pain killers.
 
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