Equine nutrition is just as important as human nutrition. Joint supplements for horses help your horse reduce the impacts of wear and tear, and arthritis. They also help your horse age better and move easier. Regardless of your horse’s age or the type of work your horse does, joint supplements are critical in keeping your horse moving soundly and feeling healthy.
Prevention Is the best cure here. Often, by the time you see physical signs of lameness, arthritis, or other joint problems, your horse has been experiencing it for quite a while. Being knowledgeable about the best joint supplements for horses keeps you ahead of the game. If you suspect something more serious talk to your veterinarian and your farrier for help.
Joint Sounds Or Clicking
Older horses may have joints that make sounds such as clicking or crunching. This can happen for multiple reasons. Years of hard training and work, as well as performance, can take their toll on joints. Joints can wear down, a horse can get arthritis, or there can even be wear and tear on the cartilage. If the sounds are new, very loud, or appear to cause lameness consult your vet or farrier. Learning what are the best joint supplements for horses with clicky joints will give you a strategic advantage over your horses joint health.
Equine Joints Are Not Infinite
Equine joints do not last forever. The activity level of the horse, environment, and nutrition all play a roll in how well a horse’s joints last and age. A joint is made up of two or more bones that work together to support movement and to transfer weight load during movement. Consider them support structures that allow your horse to move, as well as carry you when you ride.
It is important during normal horse aging that you choose the right joint supplements for aging horses.
Degeneration in joints is normal – this also happens with human joints. Your horse’s joints need support to keep them healthy and pain-free. Horse joint supplements are made to make this easier and convenient for you as a horse owner.
Pair These Tools With Joint Supplements To Keep Your Horse Moving Smoothly:
- Weight management: extra weight puts more stress on your horse’s joints this can cause joint deterioration.
- Regular exercise: Exercise your horse several days per week. If you work your horse hard make sure to plan for rest days for your horse, just like a human athlete.
- Balanced nutrition: it’s critical that your horse has a healthy diet that includes both quality hay, grain or pasture and nutritional support for his activity level and developmental stage.
- Hoof care: your horse’s hooves tell you a lot about how he is moving and feeling. Regular shoeing or trimming can help keep your horse healthy and sound.
- Pay attention to your horse: the way your horse moves greets you, and carriers himself. These show you how your horse is feeling. Watch for any changes in behavior such as a reluctance to go for a ride or a change to movement or gait.
Understanding Horse Joint Supplement Ingredients
The ingredients in horse joint supplements vary based on the type of horse the supplement is for. For example, best joint supplement for older horses will have different ingredients than supplements for younger still developing horses.
Best Joint Supplements For Horses
Whether you shop at a local feed store or sites like Amazon you will find a large number of options out there when it comes to joint supplementation. You can buy individual ingredients like those listed below or all-around supplements that claim to offer many benefits. Read reviews and talk to experienced horse owners to find out what the best tried and true supplements are. Also, consider asking the opinion of trusted farriers or veterinarians.
The brand name is not so important as much as the ingredients. Most will have at least some of the below ingredients as well as proteins, flavors, and other ingredients to make the supplement appealing to your horse.
When you’re done looking through the best supplements for horse joints below, feel free to browse Amazon’s selection of joint supplements to find the right one for you and your horse.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine has been being used in the equine industry for decades. This is the most widely researched of joint support ingredients. Glucosamine is a building block for healthy cartilage. This is supplement is a go-to when asked: “What is best to give a horse with clicky joints?”
Glucosamine also helps prevent cartilage break down and supports the growth of new cartilage.
Shop for glucosamine supplements for horses on Amazon.
Adequan
This is a therapeutic aid that is given by a vet. Adequan is an injectable solution containing PSGAGs (a component of joint cartilage). The treatment is given in 5-7 intra-muscular injections, 5 days apart, followed by once-a-month injections for maintenance.
Benefits of Adequan:
- Reduce inflammation
- Restore synovial joint lubrication
- Repair joint cartilage
- Reverse the disease cycle
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin Sulfate works with glucosamine to support healthy joints to promote the growth of new cartilage and to limit cartilage break down. Chondroitin Sulfate is another tried and true supplement that has been in use for decades.
Shop for chondroitin sulfate supplements for horses on Amazon.
MSM
MSM is a source of organic sulfur that supports healthy joint function and acts as an anti-inflammatory. MSM reportedly provides significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects for horses in hard training. MSM has good palatability and no known side effects. It is a useful supplement for horses with chronic joint issues.
Shop for MSM for horses on Amazon.
Collagen Type II
Collagen is the primary structural protein in connective tissue found in tendons, ligaments, bone cartilage, and skin.This supplement is given to horses to support joints. Type II collagen provides strength, lubrication, resiliency, and studies say that it stimulates the growth of articular cartilage. This is when it comes to joint repair for your horse.
Take a look at this horse supplement for horse joints we found that contains collagen type II as well as MSM.
Other Common Ingredients in Joint Supplements For Horses
You may also see the following ingredients listed: Vitamin C, Zinc, Manganese, Lysine, Methionine, Vitamin B-3, Niacin, Copper, Proline, Bioflavonoids, Devil’s Claw, or Omega 3 & 6.
Check that the supplements you purchase are made in an FDA-approved facility. Aso, it’r recommended to verify that the manufacturer is a member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC). The mission of the NASC is to police the supplement industry, ensuring that the animal health supplements produced by member companies are safe and effective.
Staying informed on the best joint supplements for horses is one way to take great care of your horse. Being a responsible horse owner is a full-time job. Taking great care of your horse will ensure years of riding for you and years of health for your equine partner.