Why Feed a Joint Supplement
March 2007
Joint
If you’re a horse person, there’s no doubt you’ve heard about joint supplements.
It’s likely that you’ve been overwhelmed with information and choices, and you may
not really understand what these products are all about! We hope to clear up some
of the confusion.
Why feed a joint supplement?
In his natural state, a horse spends most of his day grazing. Most of the time he
moves slowly with his herd, and occasionally exerts himself a bit more - when running
away from a predator, for example. He was not designed to be an upper level dressage
horse, a barrel racer or a jumper. This is not to say that these activities are
bad for the horse, but just keep in mind that performance horses are often asked
to work harder than nature intended them to.
Horses, like most mammals, have big, moveable joints where two bones come together
– for example the knee joint. The ends of the bones are covered in a special tissue
called articular cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber, among other things.
Between the two layers of articular cartilage is a remarkable fluid called synovial
fluid. This acts as a powerful lubricant and cushioning agent. Synovial fluid also
nourishes and maintains the important tissues within the joint, such as the articular
cartilage.
When stress occurs within the joint, it causes inflammation. Inflammation to a certain
extent means the immune system is doing its job. However, if inflammation is not
kept in check, it can lead to the breakdown of key tissues - namely the articular
cartilage. This degeneration of articular cartilage is called Osteoarthritis or
Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), and is what causes the horse discomfort and a
loss of flexibility.
The horse’s body is constantly taking in and producing numerous nutrients that make
up the essential tissues within the joint. These nutrients work together to maintain
the integrity of the joint and also to fight off the damaging effects of inflammation.
However, the body can only produce a certain amount of these nutrients at a time.
When a horse is put into work as a performance animal, his body often can’t keep
up with the demand for nutrients required to rebuild damaged tissue and fight off
inflammation; over time this can lead to Osteoarthritis.
Luckily there are ways to replenish the body’s supply of those imperative nutrients,
and thus help maintain healthy joints. Oral and injectable products add back to
the horse’s joints those ingredients they need to stay healthy. Instead of waiting
for the horse to have a joint problem and giving him medication to manage the pain,
you can potentially prevent the damage from occurring in the first place. In some
cases you might be able to support already-damaged tissues to improve the animal’s
comfort and performance. Think of using joint supplements like a regular oil change
for your horse’s joints!
What exactly is a joint supplement?
There are tons of ingredients in infinite combinations out there, but here are the
three main components to be familiar with: Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and
Hyaluronic Acid (HA). These three are what we like to call “Mother Nature’s Big
Players” – they are oral forms of the nutrients the horse’s body already produces
to maintain the joints.
Other ingredients commonly included in joint products include MSM, Yucca, Boswellia,
Bromelain and Devil’s Claw (natural anti-inflammatories), Vitamin C (an antioxidant
and co-factor to Glucosamine), amino acids and minerals such as Manganese, Zinc
and Copper (also thought to be important co-factors to glucosamine).
Not sure where to start?
We always recommend seeking your veterinarian’s advice when choosing the most appropriate
supplement for your horse. However, here are some basic guidelines that might help
you in your selection:
- If you have a young, healthy horse and you’re looking to maintain sound
joints, consider a product that includes 3,000+ mg of Glucosamine and 200+ mg of
Chondroitin Sulfate.
- If your horse is in heavy training but showing little to moderate signs
of joint stress, consider a product that has 5,000+ mg of Glucosamine and 500+ mg
of Chondroitin. In addition to these ingredients, you might also look for formulations
that include 20+ mg of HA, and/or MSM, Yucca or one of the other anti-inflammatory
ingredients mentioned above.
- With an older horse or one that has definite joint damage, you can
take the level of support one step further. The most aggressive joint supplements
include 8,000-10,000 mg of Glucosamine, 1,000+ mg of Chondroitin Sulfate, 100-200
mg of HA, 8,000+ mg of MSM, and often other natural anti-inflammatories.
- With any horse, it’s never a bad idea if the formulation also includes
Vitamin C, Manganese, Zinc, Copper and amino acids to help ensure that the body
can utilize the Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and HA properly. To narrow down
your choices even more, consider whether or not your horse is a picky eater – flavored
powders or pelleted supplements might be a good choice if he is.
In Summary:
A working horse is likely to have wear and tear on his joints. Over time, damage
to the essential structures within his joints can cause lameness. Joint supplements
can replenish essential ingredients that occur naturally within his joints to keep
the tissues healthy. Horses with joint damage often show marked improvement in their
comfort level and performance when consistently supplement to a horse before damage
has occurred may even lengthen his career and keep him happy and comfortable well
into old age.
Why Feed a Joint Supplement?
March 2007
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