Who doesn’t feed a joint supplement

[Hormonal Filly]

And owns a horse with an (ongoing or previous) issue in a joint?

I’m not made from money sadly.. my mares feed bill is already substantial with regumate, vitamin E, pea protein. She was getting a joint supplement but ran out this week.

I’m really on the fence if to continue to spend (say) £60-90 a month on a joint supplement. My vets advise is to not bother and put the funds towards yearly arthramid in her hock but part of me feels she’s missing something if I don’t.

Any thoughts?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I don't and never have. I have a sound retired 28 year old. He retired due to a tendon injury. I also have an ex pointer doing well. I'm very on the fence about them so decided to save my money.

 

[meleeka]

And owns a horse with an (ongoing or previous) issue in a joint?

I’m not made from money sadly.. my mares feed bill is already substantial with regumate, vitamin E, pea protein. She was getting a joint supplement but ran out this week.

I’m really on the fence if to continue to spend (say) £60-90 a month on a joint supplement. My vets advise is to not bother and put the funds towards yearly arthramid in her hock but part of me feels she’s missing something if I don’t.

Any thoughts?

I don’t routinely feed it. I’d like to give one to my mini, but he won’t eat anything in a feed, so not possible. My old lady has one but she’s very creaky without. If your horse starts to look stiff or uncomfortable you’ll have your answer, so I’d see how she goes. I wouldn’t be happy paying £60+ per month on something purely as a possible preventative, without evidence it’s actually doing something.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

If your horse starts to look stiff or uncomfortable you’ll have your answer, so I’d see how she goes.

She does/can get stiff the day after cross country or jumping in the hock she had a chip removed, but this was while feeding the joint supplement. I can’t say I noticed a big difference since feeding it for the last 6 months. She’s recently had a Arthramid injection last month.

Might look into Boswellia.

 

[dorsetladette]

The only thing I noticed a difference when fed to my old lad with arthritis in both hocks was the spillers supple and senior balancer. My physio recommended it and he did improve.

 

[Fieldlife]

I focus on good foot balance, careful consideration of the ground, fitness, low inflammatory diet. Feed micronised linseed, and dont add specific joint supplement. I think are too unproven, too much anecedotal evidence etc.

If you do want to feed something, try it a few months, stop see if change, restart see if change.

Also look at purity and amounts being fed daily as very much not all equal.

I fed a high spec joint supplement for 3 months post chip removal surgery on vet recommendation, I didnt continue it further.

 

[Love]

I feed naf superflex senior and ran out just before christmas - I had ordered more but it was when Viovet had the issues with long delivery times so it was a good few weeks before it arrived. I really noticed a difference when he went back on it, as did my physio. He had his first arthramid last september in his hocks

 

[bonnysmum]

I'm really in two minds about this. I can't feed her the joint supplement every day as the yard is too far away (we go 4/5 times a week) and she has a pre-existing problem that's been treated with steroids but still causes some discomfort for her when ridden. I'm coming to the end of a big tub of supplement and I'm inclined to spend my money on refreshing her danilon supply instead. The vet is happy with her being ridden with painkillers when she needs them btw, it's one of those tricky balancing acts between keeping her active & stimulated and ensuring she's comfortable.

 

[Squeak]

Is there maybe a middle ground where you could feed a less expensive joint supplement? I tend to feed a joint supplement as prevention rather than cure so will never know if it's worked or not but with that lens on, my worry of stopping it would be that although you're treating hocks with arthramid, the supplement could still be preserving the other joints. Having said that, if funds were really tight, then I would drop the joint supplement and save for the arthramid.

If you're using a joint supplement more from a cure/ help/ comfort angle then you could always try without it for a couple of weeks and see if there is a difference?

 

[Leafcutter]

I don’t anymore as there’s just not enough evidence that they work for me. This is an interesting read from Mississippi state university

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/equine-joint-supplementation-does-it-really-work

It put me off spending my hard-earned on supplements, I’d rather spend it on proven pain relief when necessary.

 

[pistolpete]

I have a retired pony on celery seed. £9 for two months worth. He does better on it than any of the expensive one!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I dud speak to my vet about it a while back he said he would only bother with msm and boswelia and only if its mild arthritis, I already fed msm and have used boswelia in the past so I just feed those now.

Thing is Louis is an absolute pain with needles and vets he just hates them, any joint injection means he has to be literally out of it and even giving sedation intravenously is a mission.

His fine and doesn't need any treatment at the moment but it won't be easy doing it if he does.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I do feed yumove as I do think it helps. My mare certainly is a lot happier on it as she was a bit stiff sometimes before going on it - so it does something for sure. I am wondering whether I will continue when my boy has Danilon daily though which won’t be too far off now I
think.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I dont bother i use arthramid when needed, used steroid with success aswell before arthramid was around. As much turnout as possible and as much hacking as possible, minimal arena work if any.

 

[Melandmary]

I don’t and my mare has just had arthramid hock injections which have been very effective. I feed a low sugar/ starch diet, vit and min supplement, linseed, salt and my own mix of oily and helpful herbs for my ems /pssm ponies. Tbh I wonder how effective all these supplements actually are. Due to peri menopause I have started taking magnesium and ashwaganda supplements to help with fatigue and after 3 months feel no different which has had me considering whether many of the costly powders we chuck in our feed buckets actually work. I think if you are at a point where you are needing arthramid then supplements won’t make a vast amount of difference to warrant the cost. A years worth of supplement would pay for another Injection

 

[Melandmary]

I have a retired pony on celery seed. £9 for two months worth. He does better on it than any of the expensive one!

I had not heard of the benefits of feeding celery seeds- might be another ingredient to add to my next order of herbs and seeds

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

And owns a horse with an (ongoing or previous) issue in a joint?

I’m not made from money sadly.. my mares feed bill is already substantial with regumate, vitamin E, pea protein. She was getting a joint supplement but ran out this week.

I’m really on the fence if to continue to spend (say) £60-90 a month on a joint supplement. My vets advise is to not bother and put the funds towards yearly arthramid in her hock but part of me feels she’s missing something if I don’t.

Any thoughts?

I would only recommend Flexi Joint by Equimins as I have found first hand the difference to my horses, dogs and donkey, and many many liveries the difference is really obvious,

max 25grm in each feed per day compared to cortiflex 30 grm

Reviews speak for themselves https://www.equimins-online.com/en/all-products/46-equimins-flexijoint-cartilage-supplement.html. my mare went from being on bute for life to coming off,




.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I would only recommend Flexi Joint by Equimins as I have found first hand the difference to my horses, dogs and donkey, and many many liveries the difference is really obvious,

max 25grm in each feed per day compared to cortiflex 30 grm

Reviews speak for themselves https://www.equimins-online.com/en/all-products/46-equimins-flexijoint-cartilage-supplement.html. my mare went from being on bute for life to coming off,




.

Thank you for sharing, that surprises me because it only has 5g of MSM and 5g of Glucosamine per 25g fed. Studies suggest they need over double that to see a difference, but do like Equimins.

 

[still standing]

My retired horse is now 28 and fractured his hock at age 20. Amazingly he shows no signs of arthritis so far, and the only supplement he has had over the years has been linseed oil in his feed.
It's not a scientific measure but he gets about 2 squirts from the pump on the top of the container, once a day.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I find it's sometimes better to buy things separately you can then rule out what things work and what don't because not everything will work on all horses.

So in the long run your not spending on unnecessary things that don't work.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

I have arthritis in my feet and was told to stop running by Dr. Went to specialist who said it wasn’t bad enough to stop running and felt the running I do was going to keep the pain down through improved mobility. He put me on a human supplement called epitalis which has kept me running and pain free.

The horse version of the same thing is known as 4cyte. Put our old arthritic mare on it - what a difference. It has meant she is pain free, therefore more mobile in the field which has created a cycle of improvement.

It comes down to whether you feel your chosen supplement makes a difference.

 

[Patterdale]

Our creaky one has arthramid and 24/7 turnout. When she’s doing lots I give glucosamine which is cheap. But I wouldn’t feel guilty if I didn’t and I doubt she’d notice.

I definitely wouldn’t spend ££££ on a fancy supplement.

 

[Alibear]

I don't use a supplement I'd rather save my money and spend on the proven prescribed drugs from the vet.
I tried a few and never noticed a difference.

 

[Arzada]

I have arthritis in my feet and was told to stop running by Dr. Went to specialist who said it wasn’t bad enough to stop running and felt the running I do was going to keep the pain down through improved mobility. He put me on a human supplement called epitalis which has kept me running and pain free.

I'd like to try Epitalis. I've Googled and I can't find it for sale. Do you buy it or ss it on the NHS via your GP? Thanks

 

[Hormonal Filly]

The horse version of the same thing is known as 4cyte.

I’ve just bought some 4cyte.. I’ve only read good things and just read a study about humans taking it and it did help with joint pain. Worth a try for a couple of months.

 

[AandK]

My horse is on 4ctye after reading about it on here. Has just finished the 2 weeks loading dose. Also had his hock topped up with arthramid 2 weeks ago today. He really does feel great at the moment, having some proper canters in the school which is a treat! Feels amazing... Probably a combination of the two, who knows? But I hope it continues!

 

[clairebearfur1]

And owns a horse with an (ongoing or previous) issue in a joint?

I’m not made from money sadly.. my mares feed bill is already substantial with regumate, vitamin E, pea protein. She was getting a joint supplement but ran out this week.

I’m really on the fence if to continue to spend (say) £60-90 a month on a joint supplement. My vets advise is to not bother and put the funds towards yearly arthramid in her hock but part of me feels she’s missing something if I don’t.

Any thoughts?

You might not need it i would try without it a while and see

 

[Tarragon]

Me!
Only because I wouldn't take one myself. I take pain relief, and I would take iron tablets (if they agreed with me!) but I am not really a believer is general supplements for humans, so won't go down that route for my ponies. It is just too difficult to establish that they are effective! Who knows whether any perceived improvements are (a) down to the supplement, or (b) down to something else or (c) wishful thinking!

 

[Bonnie Allie]

I'd like to try Epitalis. I've Googled and I can't find it for sale. Do you buy it or ss it on the NHS via your GP? Thanks

Email this crowd and find out how to source in the UK. The human version is called Interpath Osteo restore in Australia, might be marketed under a different name in UK as there is another product called this in UK.

https://au.4cyte.global/tag/osteo-restore/

I buy it online but only did so at the recommendation of my specialist. Magic stuff.

I used to dread trying to get into my ski boots as the pain for those few seconds whilst I pointed my toes to get my foot in my ski boot was excruciating. Not anymore - mobility of those joints in my feet is now pain free.