Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease with progressive deterioration and thinning of the joint cartilage of the horse.
It isn’t limited to elderly or competition horses. It can also affect a horse at a young age, when it’s still a foal, and regardless of specific breed.
Osteoarthritis can affect all the joints, but the joints of the phalanges, hocks, fetlocks and also the back are particularly affected.
The most serious symptom is undoubtedly lameness, but there may also be swelling of the joints, stiffness and stiff movement especially in the hind limbs and the hocks.
Normally, a Veterinarian then carries out a clinical examination. X-rays also show bone and cartilage disorders that are usually called osteophytes or parrot-beaks and which, in any event, always lead back to the same disease osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis of the horse: is there a cure?
No, osteoarthritis cannot be cured, it can only be managed.
What measures can we take before the appearance of the typical symptom of osteoarthritis, the lameness? Here below some “recommendations” that can improve the well-being of the horse:
- a diet made up of quality foods that can ensure the nutrients the animal needs;
- body weight control so excessive weight does not hurt the joints;
- pay attention to both the balancing of the hoof and the first shoeings when a horse is still a foal for a better stance;
- stretching to improve mobility and joint lubrication;
- an appropriate training, that should not be too intense, for muscle development;
- the ground should not be too hard;
- the joints always need to be kept moving and the walk is a gait that is never harmful to a horse indeed it’s unquestionably also useful for maintaining good lubrication in the joints.
A high quality diet is undoubtedly important and that’s why adding a complementary feed such as Equibar Mobility is recommended to alleviate inflammation in the joints.
Equibar Mobility is an all-natural nutrition bar formulated with medicinal herbs that contain effective anti-inflammatory properties.
Regular use, following the feeding suggestion, it is a daily act made even easier by the handy bar shape: it can be administered like a biscuit or crumbled in the trough together with feed or wafers.
On horses susceptible to osteoarthritis, the product can reduce joint inflammation and pain and improve joint mobility.
Equibar Mobility is a doping-free feed, therefore it can also be recommended for competition horses.
Therefore, it’s worth starting to get to know the animal and start thinking that it’s better to look after when it is still a foal and even in the absence of symptoms, since looking after a horse’s joints, which will be subjected to stress over the years, is both useful and of real help.
Article made for information purposes, based on our experience. Not to be used as a substitute for the opinion of a Veterinarian.
