While A Long Goodbye–a famous quarter horse–impressed the world galloping at 55mph, horses in general are not only fast but also quite strong. Weighing on average between 900-2000 pounds, horses can pull up to 1.5 times their body weight over a long distance.
No wonder the phrase ‘strong as a horse!’ exists.
But if this is not your first rodeo, you probably know that all this hard work and heavy lifting comes at a price, including wear and tear of your horse’s limb joints, tendons, and muscles.
When joints, tendons, and muscles are overworked, they become inflamed and painful. If not attended to correctly, inflammation can quickly turn chronic and life-threatening to a horse.
Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or sickness. There are three simple ways to treat inflammation in a horse
The signs of inflammation in a horse include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Heat
- Loss of function of the joint
- Pain
- Lameness
Because of the impact of activities and work that horses engage in, their joints often take the brunt of the impact and without proper care they can progressively degenerate. That is why it is essential to care for and support your horse's health by preventing injury and helping them heal when they do get injured.
Giving your horse supplements is a great way to help mitigate potential joint problems and maintain good joint health.
What can you give a horse for inflammation?
This article will examine horse anti-inflammatory supplements, their benefits, and their side effects. In addition, we will also explore what you should be on the lookout for when shopping for an excellent anti-inflammatory horse supplement.
So, saddle up, and we’ll get right into it.
Anti-Inflammatory Horse Issues
Before we get into the supplements themselves, it’s important to understand the causes of inflammation.
Osteoarthritis
This is a joint disease that leads to degenerating joint cartilage, bone, and synovial fluid. Osteoarthritis in horses primarily affects athletic equines as well as senior horses. It results in painful and stiff joints limiting the mobility and flexibility of a horse.
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Symptoms
- Swollen joints
- Lameness
- Stiffness
- Reluctance to walk or engage in work
- Inactivity
- Difficulty in walking
Causes
- Effects of aging on the joints–Wear and tear
- Improper shoeing
- Lack of exercise and immobilization
- Trauma from heavy workloads or intense exercise
Treatment
- Use joint support and anti-inflammatory supplements
- Regular exercise–warm up before and after a session of exercise
- Avoid high-impact activities
- A balanced and complete diet
- Good hoof trimming and shoeing
- Medical treatment by a certified veterinarian
Laminitis
This is a painful condition that occurs when the soft tissue within the hoof is inflamed. Horse laminitis can cripple a horse, and it can be fatal in severe cases. A horse suffering from laminitis will require continuous lifelong management.
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Symptoms
- Horse leaning backward to reduce pressure on affected limbs
- Reluctance to walk on hard surfaces
- Shorter stride
- Swollen hoof that is warm to the touch
- Pain, especially around the frog area on the foot
- Throbbing pulses from the horse fetlock
- Bulge or dropped sole where the bone has rotated.
Causes
- Excess weight due to overfeeding
- Trauma
- Septicaemic conditions
Treatment
- Weight management
- Use of horse anti-inflammatory supplements
- Applying anti-inflammatory medications
- Proper hoof care
- Dietary management
- Keep the horse in the company of other horses as they recover to boost their mood
Tendinitis
Is the inflammation of a tendon. Most prevalent in horses' forelegs engaged in strenuous activities like racing, show jumping, and hunting. Chronic tendinitis can lead to lame horse symptoms.
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Symptoms
- Lameness
- Swelling and inflammation
- Pain in the affected limb
Causes
- Fast speed exercising that is improperly done
- Overexertion
- Lack of adequate rest in between injuries
- Fatigue
- Improper shoeing
- Substandard conditioning
Treatment
- Rest the horse in a stall
- Proper shoeing
- Ice baths to treat swelling and inflammation
- Limb immobilization and support
- Administer horse inflammation medicine
- Horse inflammation supplement
Benefits of Horse Anti-Inflammatory Supplements
Whether you want to use horse anti-inflammatory supplements as a preventative measure for your horse or use them as part of a healing regimen for a horse injury recovery, the health benefits associated with supplements are undeniable.
- Maintain horse joint health. Reducing the inflammation relieves your horse of pain, discomfort, and joint stiffness. It helps joints regain mobility naturally.
- Preventing or slowing down the progress of osteoarthritis. Natural anti-inflammatory components like MSM are wonderful at reducing joint degradation and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. This component occurring in turmeric anti-inflammatory supplements enhances mobility and improves your horse's mood.
- Reduce joint stiffness and pain. Horse anti-inflammatory supplements have antioxidant properties. These help to reduce inflammation and promote the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint to reduce pain.
- Improve welfare and performance. A horse free from pain and discomfort will have a good appetite, promoting a better mood, performance, and overall wellness.
- Provide anti-inflammatory effects. Horse anti-inflammatory supplements support a normal response to inflammation and reduce pain and discomfort resulting from injury or normal wear and tear of joint tissue.
Incorporating quality equine supplements into your horses’ daily regimen is an effective way of helping your horse or equine partner fight off inflammation and promote general joint health.
TRI-ACTA and TRI-ACTA H.A. are made with 100% active pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. These supplements are enhanced with the triple threat combination of glucosamine–glucosamine sulphate and glucosamine hydrochloride–chondroitin sulphate, and MSM.
TRI-ACTA H.A. is uniquely designed to support equines that are aging, suffering from arthritis and stiffness, and horses involved in strenuous activities or sporting. The product contains equine-specific hyaluronic acid to help lubricate joints and enhance shock resistance.
In addition, the supplements are highly concentrated–meaning a little goes a long way–pure and tremendously therapeutic. TRI-ACTA and TRI-ACTA H.A equine supplements are veterinary-approved and scientifically proven to be distinctly helpful in maintaining joint health and mobility.
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So help your horse always feel their best by exercising them well, providing a balanced and complete diet, and having regular health checkups.
Potential Side Effects of Horse Inflammation Medicine
If you’re not careful, there may be some adverse effects of horse inflammation medicine.
- Colic - This is a painful condition resulting from the buildup of gas in the stomach and is one of the leading causes of death in horses. Horse Inflammation medicine has been linked to increased cases of colic, which can be painful and uncomfortable for your equine pal.
- Kidney damage - Severe colic cases can lead to dehydration in a horse, exposing their kidney to damage. In hydrated horses, this may not occur. Dehydration leaves the kidneys vulnerable to injury because of reduced water intake.
- Ulcerations - When administered orally, horse inflammation medication can cause ulceration of the mouth, tongue, throat, and gastric ulceration of the stomach lining. Ulcerations are a common side effect of anti-inflammatory horse supplements
- Reduced appetite - A horse with ulcerations often turns away from eating or tolerates much lower amounts of food than usual. Due to the pain associated with gastrointestinal ulcerations, many horses experience loss of appetite.
What to Look for in a Horse Anti-Inflammatory Supplement
Addressing your horses’ inflammation challenges is key to keeping them active and maintaining tissue and joint health.
As a horse owner, you probably know the value of preserving proper horse health. By investing in quality care for your neighing buddy, you avoid costly medical interventions down the road and keep your equine happy and trotting.
The equine supplements market is expected to hit an eye-watering USD 99 million mark by 2028. That means numerous players want a piece of the horse supplements’ market share cake.
So, how do you pick a supplement from the sea of products available? And what should you look for in a horse anti-inflammatory supplement?
First, before you put your horse on any kind of supplement, consult with your veterinarian. They will give their recommendation based on different indicators for your horse, including age, occupation, medical history, and current health status.
That being said, several critical components should be on your radar as you shop for a horse anti-inflammatory supplement.
Ingredients and benefits
|
Name of component
|
Definition
|
Benefits
|
|
Glucosamine
|
- Naturally occurring cartilage component.
- Cushions joints to facilitate movement
|
- Inhibits inflammation
- Slows down cartilage breakdown
- Aids in cartilage production
- Supports collagen production
- Improves the health of synovial fluid
|
|
Chondroitin Sulphate
|
- Naturally occurring component of bone cartilage.
- Binds to connective tissue to support and strengthen cartilage, ligaments, and tendons
|
- Supports production of cartilage
- Slows down cartilage damage
- Reduces inflammation
- Enhances joint comfort
- Enhances tendon elasticity
- Stabilizes collagen
- Increases the amount of hyaluronic acid, and improves quantity of synovial fluid
|
|
ASU (avocado/soybean unsaponifiables)
|
- It is a pure vegetable extract made up of ⅓ soybean oil and ⅔ avocado oil
|
- Supports connective tissue regeneration
- Supports healthy synovial cells
- SUpports production of cartilage
- Reduces inflammation
|
|
HA (hyaluronic acid)
|
- Natural component of body tissues like tendons, connective tissues, joints and cartilage
- Can be taken through a supplement or directly injected into the joint
|
- Promotes quality and quantity of synovial fluid which lubricates joints
- Enhances elasticity of connective tissue
- Reduces joint pain
- Promotes healthy cartilage and prevents its deterioration
|
|
Omega 3 fatty acids
|
- Are naturally occurring in marine and plant oils like flaxseed
|
- Powerful anti-inflammatory properties
- Are antioxidants
- Slows down the loss of cartilage
- Have pain relief effects
|
|
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)
|
- Natural occurring form of sulfur–found in grains and alfalfa
- Sulphfur is an important component of glucosamine and collagen that form connective tissue and cartilage
|
- Reduces inflammation
- Is an antioxidant that reduces cell damage
- Reduces the occurrence of muscle spasms
- Reduces joint pain
- Supports healthy coat and skin
|
Additional considerations
Though your veterinarian will guide you appropriately on what supplements are best for inflammation, there are several additional factors to keep in mind.
- Current joint status of your horse. If your horse is already on some medication related to joint health, it might benefit from additional supplement support to help heal the joint and reduce inflammation.
- Age of the horse. Senior and competing horses will need to use anti-inflammatory supplements more due to their joint injury and degradation exposure.
- The supplement bioavailability. This refers to how much of the supplement can be successfully absorbed and used by the tissue cells. Bioavailability determines the therapeutic effect of the supplement.
- Well-known company. Go for a company name you recognize. Preferably one that offers learning material to both horse owners and veterinarians and is backed by top professionals and vets.
- Clinical experience. A company that has documented and published clinical trial research indicating the efficacy and safety of its products is a great option. Your veterinarian can confirm the findings and help translate any complex analysis.
- The content of supplements should be clearly indicated and easy to read.
- Label claims should be supported by scientific data and customer testimonials. Avoid anything that sounds too good to be true, without the evidence to support the claims.
- Administration recommendations should be clear and easy to understand. The instructions should be easy to understand. You should be able to read and know how to administer the supplement and how much of each active ingredient you give your horse per dosage of horse anti-inflammatory supplement.
- Identification of expiration dates and lot numbers. Lot numbers are essential for tracking the product for quality purposes. The expiration date indicates the lifespan of the supplement.
- Manufacturer information. Should have clearly indicated contact information required to help you communicate with the manufacturer in case of a query or follow-up.
Remember also to avoid any horse inflammation medicine or any horse anti-inflammatory supplement that might be prohibited by USEF if you are competing with your horse. For example, the use of devil’s claw has many anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties but is a prohibited supplement ingredient for racing horses.
Best Anti-Inflammatory Horse Supplement
1. TRI-ACTA for Equine H.A.
- Promotes flexibility and joint mobility
- Protects joint connective tissue
- Maintains collagen health and production
- Contains 100% active ingredients
- Contains no additives or artificial fillers
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* Price starts at $129.99 CAD as of November 2022
2. MSM Joint Support
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- Highest concentration of bioavailable sulfur–99.9%
- Supports healthy inflammatory response
- Enhances blood circulation
- Tasteless and odorless–the horse is less likely to reject taking it
- Offers over 10,000mg of pure MSM to support joint health
- NASC approved
*Price starts at $21.27 CAD as of November 2022
3. SmartFlex Senior Pellets
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- Designed for senior horses to support joint health
- Sugar-free
- Tasty flavor, loved by picky eaters
- Alleviates stiffness and joint discomfort
- Fortified with devil’s claw, boswellia, and phenylalanine to address discomforts associated with old age
*Price starts at $51.93 CAD as of November 2022
4. Total Equine Relief
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- Supports natural response to exercise related inflammation
- Eases joint discomfort and stiffness in senior horses as well
- Suitable for all horses regardless of their workload
- Enhanced with equinol–approx 5,150mg–to help alleviate the pains and discomfort caused by competition and hard training
*Price starts at $66.56 CAD as of November 2022
5. MadBarn W-3 Oil
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- Fortified with Omega 3 fatty acids to promote joint health and reduce inflammation
- Supports healthy heart function
- Promotes healthy coat and skin
- Helps horse to maintain a healthy weight
*Price starts at $54.99 CAD as of November 2022
6. Arthoxigen
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- Provides building blocks for healthy soft and connective tissue
- Promotes joint structural integrity and mobility
- Suitable for all horses regardless of workload
- Enhanced with herbal extracts to facilitate normal response to inflammation
- Includes powerful antioxidant active agents
- Available in powder and pellet form
*Price starts at $81.27 CAD as of November 2022
7. Absorbine Flex + Max
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- Palatable pellets without artificial fillers
- Enhanced with omega 3 fatty acids to support normal inflammation response
- Supports joint and connective tissue health
- Helps maintain joint mobility
*Price starts at $83.93 CAD as of November 2022
8. 4-in-1 HA
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- Fortified with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids–promotes healthy skin and coat
- Enhanced with biotin to support hoof growth
- Supports healthy joint function and mobility
- Enhanced with probiotics to promote digestion and a healthy gut
*Price starts at $94.60 CAD as of November 2022
Summary
Work hand in hand with your veterinarian when evaluating whether you should give your horse any kind of supplement. While supplements are generally a healthy boost of goodness for equines, caution must be practiced in their use as some overuse or improper administration can have far-fetching and painful effects on horses.
Horses are excellent at hiding discomfort and pain, and it may not be evident that they are experiencing discomfort associated with Inflammation. So regular checkups and keen observation are your best bet for catching inflammation early and nipping it in the bud before it becomes a more significant issue.
To learn more about horse supplements and TRI-ACTA, check out our resources for equine health.
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