The best supplements for preventing arthritis

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Question in title really, I'd really appreciate any of your recommendations - what are the best supplements for helping to prevent / slow age related arthritis? Our Joe is 14 - 15 this year - he's not showing any signs of arthritis, but he sometimes can be a little stiff when he comes out of his box when schooling. I'm going to ask our vet also, but I'd be really interested to hear about any that you've used. Thanks.
 
i have a horse with arthrits ad one whos 15, i give my arthritic glucosamine, and did give the other 1 glucosamine but started her on cider vinegar, and she seems fine on both of them, you can hear her clicking when shes not on it, and my arthritic goes really stiff and trips alot when shes not on glucosamine.
 
Merrick was on a pure glucosamine supplement manufactured for and sold by our local vets, which helped a lot. He's now on Cortaflex HA which seems equally effective - he had his loading dose for 10 days and is now on normal dose. He's been less stiff and lifts his legs for hoof picking more easily than before the supplements. Couldn't say which was most effective - the results seem similar to me. Cortaflex had more ingredients for the same money though, which always impresses me (tightwad!) :D
 
My TB has always suffered from clicking in the hip and is sometimes a little stiff when starting work. I've had him on 5 star superflex and this seems to be working well, also I also sometimes give him a short canter at the early stages of working him in this seems to help stretch the muscles out and loosen him up wether its an ex-race horse thing or not I do'nt know, [having to be stretched long and forward]. Sometimes clicking can be due to air bubbles popping in the synoval fluid in the joints, [so i've heard].
 
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For both humans and horses there seems to be more evidence emerging for using glucosamine and chondroitin in combination. I think several supplements contain these eg Superflex I think.

This is obviously in addition to basics, eg good hoof alignment, good nutrition and gentle exercise etc.
 
Just a bit of advice if he is stiff before schoolong try walking him in hand for about 5 10 minutes first. I do this with all of my horses no matter if they are stiff or not. It lets them loosen up before work.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I've heard of cortaflex too. Clipclop - thats a good idea, I will try that - it can't do any harm!:)
 
I've used apple cider vinegar,magnotherapy boots and the latest supplement availiable only on prescription, Sinequin. Research shows it to be very effective, the initial loading dose is very expensive, but the maintence dose works out cheaper than cortaflex( which is pretty dear !). Cortaflex doesn't seem to be so popular now, though, whatever works for your horse and keeps him well is good.
try to warm him up by walking before shoeing or riding, especially if he's been stabled and turnout boots and stable wraps to keep his legs warm and dry are helpful too.
 
Yes, I guess doing a good warm up is essential - I've heard about the magnotherapy boots too - do you need to get them for every leg?? Somebody on our yard has a pair.
 
colettybetty said:
the latest supplement availiable only on prescription, Sinequin. Research shows it to be very effective, the initial loading dose is very expensive, but the maintence dose works out cheaper than cortaflex( which is pretty dear !).
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colettybetty, this sounds really interesting. Do you have any more info and/or links I could look at? Since posting on the 11th, Merrick's legs have got quite bad again, especially over the last 3-4 days. I was going to switch back to the vet supplement but maybe Sinequin would be worth considering. I'm not having any luck Googling for it... Thanks in advance :)
 
Regarding the magnotherpay boots. No you don't need to have them on every leg as they work on the general blood flow. But they only come in pairs but you can use them on either the fron or the hind.

If you need any more info on them just pm me.
 
I use the supplement equiflex which contains glucosamine and chonditrin, but is a lot cheaper than cortaflex! It's 17.95 a tub, you can find it here.

I think magnet therapy works for some horses and not others, I used to use a dog collar bioflow on my old pony above his fetlock on the worst affected leg, with the magnet to the inside, and I managed to take him off bute, but my friend hasn't had any sucess with her bioflow boots on her 21 year old pony. Worth a try!
 
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