How To Find the Best Joint Supplement for Horses

Many countless hours are dedicated to watching horse races and competitions that showcase certain activities that horses have the ability to perform. Some of the activities have the tendency to place more stress and strain on the joints of a horse than what mother nature had intended. The normal life cycle of a horse normally does not include strenuous activities that put the joints in jeopardy. Just like people, horses experience the breakdown of joint cartilage and most will suffer from some form of arthritis or inflammation that will affect their joints.

To protect the joints, it has been suggested that horses may benefit from some type of joint supplements or joint vitamins. Some horse owners will use joint products that are known to provide joint nutrition along with additional supplements that are deemed beneficial for the maintenance of the joints.

Choosing the best products is always a challenging task because there are so many products on the market along with ongoing research, so this process can be very confusing.  So, here are just a few pointers that may help you make the correct decision.

1.  You may want to research products that contain the following ingredients:

• Glucosamine Hydrochloride - This ingredient helps the horse to produce more joint cartilage. A mature horse cannot replace joint cartilage like a younger horse can, so this product aids in the replacement process.  In addition that that, this product may be used when treating osteoarthritis in horses and certain other animals.
• Chondroitin Sulfate - This is normally combined with Glucosamine Hyrochloride. It can aid in the repair of injuries that have resulted from overworked joints.
• Polysulfated Glycos - This will possibly also help with the slowing down of cartilage damage and it also may aid with the repair and growth of new cartilage.

  Please only look for products that are designed to be used for horses and not humans. All of these products can be used to help strengthen horse joints.

2. There are many supplement powder products that can be used to improve joint function also.  Normally the  powders are a combination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. These products can be added directly to the daily food that your horse consumes.

3. In order to provide your horse with the best type of joint protection, seek the advice of your veterinarian. They will be able to examine and prescribe the best joint supplement regiment based on the age, activities and general health of your horse.

As your horse goes through the natural aging process, they are more prone to injuries due to weak joints. If you see any significant changes in the behavior of your horse, contact the vet as soon as possible. Try to gather as much information that you can from your vet regarding joint supplements so that you will be well informed whenever a problem with your horse arises.