Horse Supplements

Horses have a lot of weight-bearing down on their joints. When you add in the force from jumping or racing — now that’s a lot of pressure!

Osteoarthritis, also commonly referred to as arthritis, is one of the most common horse joint health problems that horses face. In fact, 60% of lameness in horses is related to arthritis. Arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints and is a degenerative disease. Another common horse health issue that affects this area is locked stifle joints, which makes it hard to move the rear legs.

You should understand how a horse's occupation can affect their joints so you can take the right measures to prevent injury and further damage to their joints. If you have a sport horse, they will have different needs and risks than a domestic horse.

There are three main points to understand when it comes to joint health:

1. Horses in sport are more likely to be injured and overexerted.
2. Horses in sport are more at risk for arthritis.
3. Leisure horses are more likely to be overweight and out of shape.

Once you know where your horse falls, you can more easily understand their specific joint health needs.

There’s no one system in your horse’s body that is more important than another, but muscles are pretty high on that list.

Muscles are tissues in your horse’s body that allow your horse to walk, gallop, jump, and canter. In essence, muscles are the foundation of all movement, so it’s vital that you learn how to maintain animal muscle health if you want your horse to live their best life.

There are three different types of muscles you should know about:

1. Cardiac muscles keep your horse’s heart beating.
2. Skeletal muscles attach to your horse’s bones and pull at tendons, allowing your horse to move.
3. Smooth muscles help facilitate involuntary processes in the body, such as blood moving throughout your horse’s circulatory system.

These muscles are all connected and work together to make things happen for your horse through a series of chain reactions. When one muscle contracts, another relaxes, which causes movement.

In addition to your horse’s muscles, tendons and ligaments are also crucial components of horse muscle structure:

• Tendons connect muscle to bone.
• Ligaments connect bone to bone.

Without tendons or ligaments, your horse wouldn’t be able to move because there wouldn’t be anything linking your horse’s muscles to their bones, or their bones to other bones (like in the knee, for instance) to facilitate movement.

The thing is, these critical muscles can sometimes face challenges in the form of muscle diseases, called myopathies.

Some myopathies include:

1. Muscle spasms in horses.
2. Nutritional deficiencies due to diet.
3. Muscle atrophy (loss or thinning of muscle tissue).

It can feel like there’s a lot you need to know about caring for and maintaining your equine friend’s health. Spending time learning more about horse muscle problems is just one place to start. You can always consult with your veterinarian if you’re not sure what’s affecting your horse’s health and how you give them the best care.

Everyone can benefit from a balanced diet, even your horse.

 

 

But what’s in a balanced diet for horses?

Horses need a fine balance of nutrients, forage, and concentrates, but things like fruits and vegetables as well as horse supplements can also contribute to a well-rounded diet.

In the table below, we broke down the main components for healthy quine nutrition, and how they impact your horse.

Component of Balanced Equine Nutrition	Examples	Why It’s Important
Nutrients	Water Fats Carbohydrates Protein Vitamins and minerals	Each basic nutrient plays a key role in rounding out overall nutrition. Not all of these can be sourced from forage, so close attention should be taken across the board.
Forage or Roughage	Grass Hay or Haylage	Main component of a horse’s diet and digestive system and is designed to get nutrition from grassy stalks.
Concentrates	Grains (Oats, Barley, Corn) Protein supplements (Soybean meal, Cottonseed meal) Fat supplements (Vegetable oil, Rice bran)	Make up shortfalls in horses’ diets by adding extra nutrition, depending on the horse’s needs.

When people refer to a lame horse, it can mean many things.

In short, the American Association of Equine Practitioners says that a lame horse is a horse that has a change in gait. More specifically, lameness means that your horse is reacting to pain somewhere in its limb and because of that, they change their stance. Eventually, movement is impacted.

Though you may automatically assume limping is the only sign of horse lameness, there are other symptoms to look for, too.

Symptoms alongside limping may include:

• Impaired ability to trot, run, or walk
• Not wanting to move or rise from resting position
• Head bobbing
• Balance is off when standing

Sometimes, signs of a lame horse can be hard to notice because they are subtle. Paying close attention to their behaviour is one surefire way to stay on top of their health.

For example, if your horse goes from sweet and docile to hostile and aggressive in a short period — you know there could be something bothering your horse.

While it may sound like no big deal, a lame horse can lead to more significant problems down the road if left unchecked. Adverse side effects may include:

1. Loss of limb use
2. Ongoing pain
3. Poor performance
4. Immobility

The best thing you can do to prevent horse lameness is to make it your responsibility to examine your horse regularly as a component of good horse health care and seek attention from a veterinarian if your horse is acting out of the ordinary.

Horse health care changes as your horse ages, so naturally, your old horse may need specialized care as they ride into their golden years. 70% of horses over 20 years old have some type of health issue that requires either management or vet attention.

So obviously, you can’t horse around when it comes to caring for your old horse.

But what’s best for an old horse’s health?

 

 

The answer is a careful balance between monitoring old horse health and providing preventative and curative care when needed.

When monitoring your old horse, common signs and symptoms to watch for include:

• Poor eyesight.
• Gray hair.
• Less muscular or loss of muscle mass.
• Stiffness, especially in the morning.
• Excessive weight loss or gain.
• Loss of molar teeth and elongated incisors.
• Increase in general infections or illness.

Ensuring your old horse has the care they need as issues arise is one thing, but potentially helping to avoid these painful, long-term issues can be addressed by taking preventative measures.

Preventive measures to keep your old horse spry include:

1. Modifying their diet to a senior horse diet.
2. Using equine supplements.
3. Providing adequate hoof care.
4. Maintaining hydration.
5. Visits with an equine dentist.

Overall, the key to a happy old horse well into their senior years is knowing what to watch for as they age — matching the appropriate treatment with the help of your vet.

However, there are still plenty of common horse health problems that affect many horses, and the more you know about these health problems, the better you can spot them and get treatment for your equine pal ASAP.

Allergies

Just like humans, there are different kinds of allergies in horses:

• Environmental allergies (pollen, mold & dust)
• Insect or pest bites
• Food allergies
• Sweet itch (resulting from culicoides bites)

When you notice hives, rashes, or respiratory problems, it’s time to call your equine veterinarian because equine allergic reactions can result in deadly reactions such as anaphylaxis.

Colic

Colic refers to severe gastrointestinal pain. It indicates a painful problem in your equine pal’s gastrointestinal tract and can be unpredictable. Usually, it is due to impaction of varying degrees in the colon.

You could say that horses have tummy troubles often, as they are prone to colic. Thankfully, that also means there are plenty of treatments for this common ailment.

No matter how your horse is affected by colic, you should consult your vet as they can choose the proper treatment depending on how severe your horse’s colic is.

Thrush

This common horse health problem is definitely unpleasant for your equine pal to experience.

Thrush is a bacterial or fungal infection in the horses’ hooves, specifically in the central and lateral sulcus of the frog (located on the bottom side of the horse’s hoof).

It typically occurs because of damp or moist stall conditions and is diagnosed with a simple visual examination. Treatment involves making sure their tetanus shots are updated, clearing the affected area of the infection, and then cleaning it daily. Keeping your horse in a dry, clean stall during recovery is also essential.

Horse Muscle Spasms

The name Charley horse has to come from somewhere, and just like we have painful muscle cramping, our equine pals do too.

Horse muscle spasms and cramps happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it is due to electrolyte imbalance, nervous system misfires, an infestation of ear ticks, or a condition called “shivers.”

No matter the cause, look for strange behaviour, twitching or spasming muscles, inability to walk correctly, or even sudden falling over. Keep your horse safe by eliminating obstacles that could hurt them while they are spasming, and call your vet as soon as you can so they can determine the best course of action.

Back Problems

Can you imagine carrying a human around for your whole life?

Well, that is their reality for horses, and as much as we love and care for them, sometimes even just the normal wear and tear can do a number on your horses’ back.

Muscle and ligament strain on their bodies while ridden can create severe back pain for your horse. There are also more severe degenerative back conditions in horses like arthritis and Kissing Spine syndrome that need attention from your vet and likely some physical therapy.

You know just how important horse joints are to their overall health if you're a horse owner.

So naturally, knowing what to look for when it comes to horse joint problems is essential. In this section, we're going to go over typical horse joint problems and conditions related to their joint health so you can keep your eyes peeled for issues as soon as they start.

Locking Stifle Horse

As humans, it's common to get sore knees, whether it's because of age or injury.

Now think about our equine friends, who, as we mentioned, are put under performance pressure and carry us around doing tasks like:

• Barrel weaving
• Jumps
• Working in circles
• Hacking uphill

The horse's stifle has the same job as our own knees. Whether sleeping or standing, the stifle joint is essential for balance.

When horses are working on tasks like we mentioned above, its stifle should lock in place and keep them stable. This happens when the ligament in their knee hooks over the edge of the femur.

When your horse wants to go into motion again, it should be effortless to unlock the stifle and engage in movement.

But, some horses develop stiffness and discomfort in their stifle joints which delays this ‘unlocking movement’. This is called locking stifle in horses, and it can lead to mild and severe problems if left untreated.

Symptoms

It’s important to know what to watch for in cases of locking stifle.

Symptoms of locking stifle include:

• Minor lameness
• Hesitancy or delayed movement (especially if they’ve stood still for a long time)
• Stumbling on downhill slopes
• Problems cantering or changing leading legs
• Discomfort or unwillingness to do circle work

Incorporating a joint supplement into your horse’s diet is a great way to prevent these issues, and support your horse’s joint health as they age.

Please consult an equine veterinarian if you notice your horse kicking out and having problems walking. They can adequately evaluate the severity of the situation, and offer the best treatment options for you.

Causes

Lots of experts correlate rapid growth spurts with the development of locking stifle. However, preventable conditions like obesity, poor nutrition, and lack of fitness are also potential causes of locked stifle joints.

Prevention

Not all cases of locking stifle joints are caused by something preventable. Sometimes, it is related to specific breeds, or conditions.

Locked stifle joints are common for:

1. Ponies
2. Foals
3. Unfit horses

Since some instances of locking stifle in horse joints can be caused by preventable conditions, it's good practice to incorporate a high-quality horse joint supplement into your horse's diet.

TRI-ACTA for Equine contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM all of which are proven to support joint health in horses. This supplement is great for younger horses or horses who haven’t experienced a joint issue before. This can help prevent and reduce symptoms of locking stifle in your horse.

Treatment

Treatment typically involves a combination of rest, medicine, and physical therapy.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can help ease symptomatic pain, while physical therapies can help recovery in the long term. Exercises typically start off slow and gradually increase in intensity, which helps the horse regain proper gait and mobility of the knee joint.

These exercises start with no rider and then graduate to involve a rider who takes the horse downhill and uphill. Fortunately, 71% of horses can usually return to their normal activities with proper treatment.

You might think that because your horse already has joint health issues, supplements might not do much to address them. But joint supplements will help your horse feel better!

TRI-ACTA H.A. is a specially formulated option to support the joint health of horses who are ageing, currently experiencing joint issues, or regularly engage in activities that can put a strain on their joints. The hyaluronic acid added in this formula can improve the supply and viscosity of the synovial fluid and help with a locking stifle.

 

 

Arthritis in Horses

Arthritis, sometimes referred to as osteoarthritis, is a condition mostly affecting older horses, averaging 15 years old or older. Though that's not to say younger horses can't be affected by arthritis.

Arthritis is inflammation in the joint that can make anyone, horse or human, feel pain and stiffness when they move. Injury or other wear can damage the bone surface and over time, the friction between damaged bone surfaces causes inflammation and discomfort for your horse.

This degenerative condition can be chronic, and keeping your horse comfortable is key. A supplement can help slow down the inflammation and improve your horse’s mobility and comfort.

Symptoms

If your horse is affected by arthritis, symptoms can look like:

• Stiffness in the morning that dissipates after some light movement
• Swelling, pain, or stiffness in and around the joints
• Pain and stiffness that worsens after long periods of inactivity
• Smaller range of motion

 

A vet should examine your horse to see how severe the arthritis is and determine the next steps in managing and treating the condition.

Causes

Chronic arthritis happens when the bone surfaces don't heal properly and aren't cushioned with soft tissue adequately. It's mostly related to the age-related progression of the disease; however, some horses are more prone to arthritis due to other health factors like obesity, early in life injuries and strain, or even poor farriery care.

Acute arthritis is slightly different, and it's usually caused by infection or injury. If the acute condition isn't healed correctly or responds unfavourably to treatment, it can lead to chronic arthritis.

Prevention

There's not much we can do to totally prevent arthritis in your ageing horse, there are things that help reduce the risk and delay the onset of this painful condition while also helping make them the most comfortable they can be in old age.

Tips for delaying the onset and reducing risk include:

• Give your horse a balanced diet, including a joint supplement.
• Avoid working young horses too hard to the point of overexertion.
• Have a good routine with your farrier.
• Monitor their behaviour closely as they age.
• Feed equine arthritis supplements that promote healthy joints.

Make sure to exercise your horse properly by giving them enough time to warm up and down before and after a ride.

Treatment Options

Equine arthritis can be a painful, long-term struggle for both a horse and its owner. Seeing your horse experience stiffness, pain, and discomfort when moving is heartbreaking. Of course, you want to be able to make the pain go away as quickly as possible.

The key to arthritis management is, well, managing the problem from the start. As soon as you see your horse exhibiting unusual behaviour or stiffness, it’s time to call the vet.

Early intervention is key to managing inflammation, and there are several common pathways for treatment, outlined in the chart below:

Equine Arthritis Treatment	How it’s Administered	Benefits
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)	Oral paste, tablets, liquid or powders	Reduces pain Alleviates inflammation Stimulates production of new cartilage Easy to administer Good for flare-ups, not ideal for long-term treatment due to side effects.
Topical Creams	Cream applied directly to the affected area	Shown to have protective effects on the joints Simple to apply to affected areas Formulation is designed to help improve absorption of the active ingredients in the local area.
Corticosteroid Injections	Steroid injection into the synovial fluid of the affected joint(s).	Alleviates pain Reduces inflammation Quick results Relatively inexpensive Success is well-documented
Glucosamine Supplements for Horses	Orally through powders, pellets or liquids	Easy to administer yourself Relatively inexpensive Cocktails of good joint health ingredients like hyaluronic acid for horses (good for lubricating the joints & preventing friction), chondroitin, and glucosamine for horses. Enhance protective response of joint tissue for preventive and palliative purposes

 

Ringbone in Horses

Ringbone is a kind of osteoarthritis in horses. More specifically, it’s a term for osteoarthritis that occurs in the pastern and (or) coffin joints in a horses’ lower limbs.

There are two kinds of ringbone in horses that are related to each of these joints:

1. Low ringbone in horses (ringbone in the coffin joint)
2. High ringbone in horses (ringbone in the pastern joint)

Each of these joints plays a key role in your horse’s movement.

The coffin joint is a large, high-motion joint within the hoof, whereas the pastern joint is a much smaller joint that has a limited range of movement. The pastern joint is located between the top of the hoof and the fetlock and carries a lot more weight than the horse's coffin bone.

Symptoms

Symptoms of ringbone in horses you can look for include:

• Lameness (on and off).
• Mild changes in gait, including short and choppy movement.
• Inflammation around the pastern and coronary band.
• The affected area may be hot to the touch (in acute cases).
• Resistance from the horse to feet being picked out or to raise legs.
• Lack of desire in the horse to move or exercise.
• Sudden changes in the horse's willingness to jump or participate in sport horse activities.
• Trouble or lameness when going downhill.
• The area appears rigid and thickened (with severe ringbone in horses).

These are all not the only signs of ringbone in horses, but indicators that it’s time to call the vet.

Causes

Generally, ringbone in horses is caused by various factors, and no one thing will 100% determine if your horse will get ringbone.

There are various factors that will determine the likelihood of ringbone in horses including:

• Genetics
• Horse’s conformation
• Nutrition in their young life
• Workload
• How often they work or walk on hard surfaces
• How often they jump
• Previous injuries
• Lifestyle factors

These factors all contribute to a horse’s likelihood of getting osteoarthritis. And therefore ringbone, too. But none more so than the history of injuries to the joint.

Prevention

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to prevent ringbone in horses, but you can take steps to minimize the risk of it developing, or manage mild symptoms to prevent further quality of life issues.

Prevention plans should include:

1. Proper shoeing and farriery care.
2. Incorporation of joint supplements in your horse’s diet.
3. Maintaining a healthy weight for your horse.
4. Exercising your horse well and avoiding repetitive strain (like walking or trotting on pavement for long periods of time).

Treatment Options

When it comes to ringbone, prevention is really important, but if they do get diagnosed, ultimately treatment is what will help your horse have a better quality of life.

There are several different options when it comes to treatment for ringbone in horses.

Three of the most common solutions are outlined in the table below.

Treatment	Benefits
Prescription Joint Injections (corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid)	Increased potency and effectiveness (injected at the site) Effective at managing pain
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)	Manages pain Quick solution Easily accessed with the help of a vet
TRI-ACTA H.A. For Equine	Maintain and support the healing of joint tissue Easily added to your horse’s diet Improves mobility

Source

Horse Suspensory Ligament Injury

Before we get into what a horse suspensory ligament injury can be, it’s important to remind ourselves what ligaments are. Ligaments are connective tissues that attach bone to bone. They help your horse move.

The suspensory ligament is what supports your horse’s fetlock. If you don’t know where that is, just look for the small tuft of hair on your horse’s ankle, above his hoof.

The suspensory ligament begins below your horse’s knee at the cannon bone. It then runs down through the fetlock, where it branches and attaches to the sesamoid bones.

Symptoms

The biggest clue your horse has a suspensory ligament injury is sudden lameness.

Some of the symptoms of a suspensory ligament horse injury include:

• Heat
• Swelling ( and as a result, pain)
• Lameness (can range from mild to severe)
• Reluctance to move forward

The symptoms of this injury vary depending on where a tear in the ligament is located.

Causes

Suspensory ligament injuries are very common in horses. In fact, they account for around 46% of limb injuries in horses.

Injuries to this ligament occur in one of two ways:

1. Your horse places too much weight or applies too much force on the suspensory ligament, which leads to sudden injury.
2. Your horse’s body is overworked, which can lead to an injury to the suspensory ligament that gradually gets worse.

Prevention

Recovery from a suspensory ligament injury can take months, so it's no wonder you're looking for some preventative measures.

Much of a horse's suspensory ligament injury prevention stems from their overall fitness. Exercise is a great way to promote muscle, tendon, and ligament health. The more regular exercise your horse receives at a young age, the stronger his tendons and ligaments will be. Ensuring your horse has the right shoe before exercise and proper balance during exercise is critical.

Additionally, you should be aware of the amount of exercise you're giving your horse. For example, if you have a particularly intense workout session, make sure to go easy the next day. Just like a human, your horse's body needs time to recover!

You can also prevent injuries to your horse that may occur during exercise by supporting their joint health. Equine supplements are a great way to give your horse’s joints a little support when your horse is busy having fun with galloping and jumping.

Treatment Options

There are plenty of treatments available out there for your horse's suspensory ligament injury.

Some of the most common options for horse suspensory ligament treatments include:

1. Surgery to correct the damage
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
3. Using a horse joint supplement like TRI-ACTA H.A to aid the healing process
4. Icing the affected area (cold therapy)
5. Downtime
6. Physical therapy

The good news is that surgery is rarely the first choice for most, and vets can use a combination of other therapies to help ease pain and get your horse feeling great again. Working with your vet to create a treatment plan is always the best bet since they know what's best for your equine pal.

Sacroiliac Horse Pain (SI Joint Problems in Horses)

The joint where the pelvis and spine meet in a horses’ hindquarters is known as the sacroiliac joint or simply the SI joint in horses. This is the powerhouse of your horse’s body — transferring the action from their hind legs into a forward motion through their back, propelling them forward.

Preventing injury to the sacroiliac joint is key to keeping your horse happy and healthy.

 

Symptoms

Horse sacroiliac pain won’t be obvious to the naked eye. In fact, it can be hard to spot without a vet and diagnostic imaging.

However, some common changes in behaviour and movement can be indicators of horse sacroiliac pain, including:

• Reluctance to move forward.
• Constantly rigid or tensed back.
• Throws you or other rides up and forward.
• Reluctance to take the bit.
• Having trouble with lateral work.
• Canter is off or crooked.
• Bucking or kicking out.
• Refusal to jump or canter as usual.

Causes

Most of the SI joint problems in horses are caused by wear and tear. What your horse’s daily activity is like, and if they are a domestic or performance horse, will affect their likelihood of horse sacroiliac pain. Primary trauma to the sacroiliac joint region, like from a fall or secondary trauma, such as from compensating for other lameness, also causes SI joint problems in horses.

Certain activities, like show jumping and dressage, are more likely to cause your horse sacroiliac pain over time. But overall, problems in the SI joint in horses are very common. In fact, in one survey alone, half of the horses experiencing back pain in the study had SI joint problems as the underlying cause!

Prevention

Injury to the joint, especially repetitive strain injuries, is at the heart of SI joint problems.

Preventing injury is the ticket to preventing horse sacroiliac pain — but how do you do that?

In this case, “slow and steady wins the race” couldn’t be more true!

 

 

First, a healthy and complete diet goes a long way in supporting your horse’s joint health. Using a joint supplement like TRI-ACTA also ensures that the SI joint is supported, and is a great preventative aid for SI injuries.

Avoid working your horse too hard. Instead, gradually work up their level of fitness so that their muscles become conditioned over time. This is the best way to prevent SI injuries. Not only is exercise important for their muscle definition and internal support, but it will also help manage their weight which is another risk factor for SI joint problems in horses.

Treatment Options

No two SI joint problems in horses will be the same.

That’s why it’s important to consult your vet so that they can come up with the treatment plan that is best for your horse.

Generally, there are three important goals that need to be considered when addressing SI joint problems:

1. Reduce inflammation in the joint using NSAIDs, joint supplements like TRI-ACTA H.A., or other forms of medication like SI injections in horses.
2. Reduce exercise to prevent overexertion. Light exercise can help stretch the muscles but too much can do harm.
3. Allow turnout in a small paddock with even ground and no obstacles so they can move gently and easily.

No matter what your vet recommends, careful management and observation of horse sacroiliac pain will lead to a healthier and happier horse in the long run.

 

Navicular Disease in Horse

Navicular disease in horses occurs in the navicular bone, a small bone that joins together the hoof bones alongside strong ligaments.

It’s incredibly debilitating for horses since the navicular bone serves as a fulcrum for several other ligaments and bones.

When issues arise in that particular bone, the horse may experience severe lameness.

Navicular disease in horse bodies refers to inflammation or other types of degeneration in the horse navicular bone. This may lead to disability or lameness, which means you should take it seriously as soon as you spot the signs.

Symptoms

Knowing when to call the vet is essential, especially for horse navicular bone troubles.

These are the major signs that your horse is dealing with navicular disease:

• Choppy, short steps
• Lameness brought on specific activities (like walking in circles)
• One foot lands before the other constantly
• Weight shifting off one or more feet consistently
• Walks on toes in an attempt to keep weight off

 

Navicular disease is often characterized by lameness, which means their gait has changed in response to pain in their limbs.

Causes

No one cause is known to lead to navicular disease, making it tough to identify required lifestyle changes.

With this said, a few significant factors contribute to the likelihood of your horse experiencing issues with its navicular bone.

Those factors include:

1. Poor hoof shape
2. Overextending joints
3. High weight to size ratio
4. Old age

When those factors are present, your equine pal has a higher chance of getting a navicular disease in horses, so it’s important to monitor your horse and contact your vet if you see something concerning.

Prevention

Navicular disease in horses can sound scary. With the kinds of dangers of your horse's health it can create, it only makes sense you’d want to prevent it.

This disease centers on the inflammation and degeneration of a horse's navicular bone, so prevention should work at the joint to reduce inflammation and slow deterioration of the bone.

Using supplements like TRI-ACTA can help to reduce inflammation and give support to the structures around the bone, offering the cushioning your horse’s bones need.

Treatment Options

Before you start to consider medical intervention for your horse, keep in mind that each horse is different and that the best course of action is to obtain a proper diagnosis and get advice from a licensed horse doctor before adopting any of these treatments.

With this said, three of the most common treatment options for navicular syndrome are:

1. Proper shoeing and trimming.
2. Prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. Use of bisphosphonates.
4. Using extra-strength equine supplements like TRI-ACTA H.A to support joint healing.

Always consult your vet before pursuing any treatment for navicular disease in horses.

Laminitis in Horses

There are two layers that make up a horses' laminae. One layer, the sensitive lamina, is joined to the coffin bone. The other layer is the insensitive lamina, and it's joined to the hoof wall. They connect to each other in an interlocking fashion.

When a horse has laminitis, one or both of the laminae are inflamed. Usually, this happens in the front hooves because they bear the brunt of your horse's weight. Sometimes, in really bad cases, the layers of the horse's laminae separate from the hoof wall or coffin bone and cause the bone to rotate or sink down.

Symptoms

The clinical signs of laminitis in horses are:

• Front limb (occasional back limb) lameness
• Leaning back to on rear limbs to relieve pressure
• Lameness is evident, especially on hard ground
• Resting position requires shifting to get comfortable
• Digital pulse is stronger and easier to detect
• Sensitive on the frog area when examined

A horse could have some, all, or none of these symptoms. Each horse is unique, so you’re best to consult with your vet.

Causes

While the science on laminitis causes is catching up, there a few things thought to cause laminitis:

• Nutritional deficiencies
• Infection or sickness
• Obesity
• Trauma
• Steroids
• Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (Cushing's disease)

Each of these things has different symptoms and impacts on your horse so you should consult with your vet if you think they are at risk based on the factors above.

Prevention

When it comes to laminitis, you want to avoid it if possible. Taking preventative measures that can stop them from developing the disease is the best option for their health.

The table below outlines some key preventive measures for avoiding laminitis.

Preventative Measure	Benefit to Horse
Joint Supplements for Horses	Provides the nutrients and minerals that your horse requires to keep sturdy hooves.
Lush pasture limits	Lush grass is excessive in sugar and carbohydrates, and intake of a massive quantity of grass can result in colic or laminitis.
Laminitis supplements	Supplements help limit starch and sugar, both factors that can cause laminitis if consumed in large quantities.
Monitoring during other illnesses	Watch out for laminitis in the treatment of infections and illnesses as it is often a comorbid disease.

 

Treatment Options

There are various ways to treat laminitis, and as with any horse health problem, you’ll want to get the vet to check your horse out.

Common treatments for horses with laminitis include:

• Pain relief medications like NSAIDs and joint supplements like TRI-ACTA H.A.
• Dietary restrictions (e.g. grain)
• Cryotherapy
• Drugs such as Antibiotics, Anti-Endotoxins, Anticoagulants, and Vasodilators.

Like athletes training for the Olympics, our performance and sport horses have special health considerations for horse training.

They need to be lean, mean, fighting machines in the best shape to perform.

 

 

But you know that much of their performance lies in how you train, prepare and care for your horse.

Your performance horse’s needs will depend on what kind of sport or activity your horse does.

Quarter Horse Racing Training

If you’re reading this, chances are you already know at least a bit about Quarter Horse racing.

But in case you’re looking to learn more, we’ll share a few details about this form of racing.

First and foremost, you should know that Quarter Horse racing started all the way back in the 1940s. Originally, the track was always a quarter-mile long, hence the name. Today, races can range from 250 yard short sprints to long-distance races of 1000 yards.

And, as you might imagine, Quarter Horses are used for Quarter Horse racing because of their ability to gallop at immense speed, especially in short distances. So you can imagine they might have some unique needs in terms of health and nutrition — but what is most important?

We’ve broken down our top 5 tips for Quarter Horse racing training so your quarter horse can feel as good as they look!

1. Proper Equine Tools and Equipment

Some equipment needed for Quarter Horse racing may include:

• Bit, bridle, and reins
• Blinker hoods
• Crop or whip
• Harness
• Horseshoes
• Lead
• Saddle

Keep in mind that this isn’t a comprehensive list… and it isn’t a cheap one, either. Don’t forget to include important things like a helmet, chaps, and boots to ensure your own safety! You need to plan for Quarter Horse racing well in advance of stepping on the track by establishing a viable budget. One way to try and cut costs is to buy second-hand items whenever possible.

2. Quality Quarter Horse Supplements

Supplements can be the key to success in Quarter Horse racing. But how do you know what to look for when choosing one?

Make sure there's the following four active ingredients in whichever supplement you choose:

• Glucosamine
• Chondroitin
• MSM
• Hyaluronic acid

You want these ingredients front and center in your horse performance supplements because they help maintain overall joint health, plus keep ligaments and tendons working in tip-top shape. By keeping your horse's joints, tendons, and ligaments healthy, you can reduce the chances of having an injury setback.

When it comes to active ingredients and a therapeutic dose for sport horses, our pick is definitely TRI-ACTA H.A. With no fillers and an easy to serve powder formula, TRI-ACTA H.A. will give your Quarter Horse the joint support they need.

3. Practice Good Horse Hygiene

To be successful in Quarter Horse racing, you'll need to make hoof care a part of daily routines.

Keeping your horse's hooves excellent and clean for hygiene reasons is genuinely beneficial.

So next time you're heading out for training, take some time to pick your horse's hooves and remove debris or anything that is stuck in there. That way, infections and injuries to the hoof are less likely.

Though each horse is different, you should have a farrier visit booked every six to eight weeks. Your horse's hooves will be reshoed during their visit, and the farrier will trim their hooves.

Getting your young foal used to having their hooves attended to is a great way to make them more comfortable with farrier visits, and make your life easier, too!

4. Proper Training

If you're hoping to be in the winner's circle with your Quarter Horse, you'll likely want to hire a trainer.

But before you shell out, let's get to know some of the training basics. For your horse to feel most comfortable, get them used to being tacked up and handled from a young age.

As time goes on and your horse becomes used to riding, you can start to try different kinds of exercise like cantering and trotting and other forms of training like making turns.

Like so many things, consistency is key! Build a regular training schedule, and make sure they have gotten the hang of one skill before adding any others to the agenda!

5. Sufficient Rest Time

Though you may not think it to be the case, there is no such thing as too much training.

Your horse's muscles will undergo a breakdown and rebuild while training — it's what makes them stronger. Hence the need for rest.

Plus, it helps them avoid injuries associated with overworking.

But we aren't telling you to let them laze around all day, every day. Unfortunately, this can lead to health problems for your horse, such as tying up. Even on off days from training and competing, you should aim to go on a leisurely ride, walk in the pasture, or do any other light exercise.

Standardbred Racing

If you’re worried about your horse’s standardbred racing standings, you’ve come to the right place.

Standardbreds, a breed of horse best known for their ability to compete in harness racing, trace their origins back to England in the late 1800s. The overseeing body of standardbred racing in Canada has officially existed since 1909.

But if you’re here, you’re probably already acquainted with the basics of standardbred harness racing, and you need to know what will make your horse a champion worthy of breaking standardbred racing records!

 

 

We’ve gathered the top tips for maintaining and improving your standardbred racing horse’s health.

1. Proper Nutrition for Standardbred Racing

With the additional energy needed to perform at a high level, Standardbred sport horses' nutrition demands special attention.

By keeping tabs on what your horse eats, you can help stop them from developing health problems like colic. These conditions can leave your horse stuck behind the starting line before the race begins.

Specifically, Standardbred racing horses need specific components in their diet to perform well:

• Large quantity of electrolytes and water
• Balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for energy
• Adequate levels of minerals and vitamins

Without these critical components, your horse won't stand a chance against its competition.

2. Correct Equipment for Standardbred Racing

The right equipment for the job is so important in standardbred horse racing.

When it comes to choosing that equipment for your standardbred horse racing journey, there’s definitely a list of essentials to consider:

• Harness
• Breast collar
• Bits
• Hopples
• Boots
• Lines
• Bridle
• Ear hood or earplugs
• Shadow rolls
• Additional equipment to keep your horse on a straight path (Murphy blind, Bit burr)

3. Proper Training and Exercise

Just like anything, training is the key to success for standardbred horse racing.

Give your horse space to move around and keep limber. Keep up a regular training schedule to ensure their muscles are not degenerating faster than they should be and they are keeping in good shape.

4. Equine Supplements

Standardbred horse racing puts a lot of strain on your horse’s joints, muscles, and ligaments. It’s important to keep those parts of your horse in good shape for good sport horse performance. Active ingredients, such as glucosamine, are great for promoting overall health, but especially when it comes to standardbred horse racing. This is because glucosamine helps build good joint health.

Specifically, there are two types of glucosamine to look out for:

1. Glucosamine hydrochloride: very bioavailable, meaning your horse can truly use this type of glucosamine
2. Glucosamine sulfate: helps with collagen production, an important component of ligaments

When it comes to choosing a horse supplement for standardbred racing, you need to find a formula that contains active ingredients like glucosamine and is devoid of fillers. We’re especially partial to TRI-ACTA for Equine and its maximum strength counterpart, TRI-ACTA H.A. for Equine. Each of these supplements consists of 100% active ingredients, as well as ingredients like glucosamine to help support overall standardbred horse racing health.

5. Proper Recovery and Rest

Nothing matters more than the right rest and recovery if you have sports horses. Here are a handful of good suggestions which work nicely for pre-existing or current injuries, as well as preventative care:

• Regular trips to a qualified equine veterinarian.
• Hoof care from a skilled farrier.
• Massages to relax muscles and tension.
• A warm, comfortable environment with enough space to roam.
• A proper diet complemented by quality horse joint supplements.
• Physical therapy.

Every horse has different needs based on its lifestyle, just like us humans.

There are factors such as age, medical history, and activity level all influence your horse’s unique needs. So it’s no surprise that some horse supplements will better suit your horse’s needs than others.

If you have a sport horse, a horse with arthritis, a senior horse, or are just looking to make sure your leisure horse is in good health, you need to be sure you’re supplementing their diet properly.

That’s why glucosamine chondroitin for horses, alongside other active ingredients like MSM and hyaluronic acid for horses, can contribute to better overall equine health.

Benefits of Joint Supplements for Horses

These ailments all sound pretty serious, and that’s because they are.

You definitely want to keep them as far away from your equine buddy as humanly possible.

Two of the best actions you can take are:

1. Feed your horses a healthy diet.
2. Use premium supplements to provide an extra boost of essential ingredients.

And when it comes to joint health, there are four active ingredients to look out for:

• Glucosamine: Repairs cartilage
• Chondroitin: Prevents breakdown of cartilage
• MSM: Reduces pain and inflammation
• Hyaluronic acid: Promotes increased viscosity of joint synovial fluid

If you’re thinking about trying horse supplements, the best thing you can do is arm yourself with more information and contact your veterinarian.

Types of Horse Supplements

No two supplements are the same — and that’s because they all solve different problems for your horse!

Knowing where you’re going is the first step to get there, as they say, so let’s get into the different types of horse supplements available.

Senior Horse Supplements

It’s possible for a horse to live well into their 30s, as long as they get proper care. So, as horses reach age 15 or older, they are considered a senior horse. That means that many horses will have upwards of 15 years of senior living ahead of them before they pass. It also means that there are going to be some age-related aches to deal with.

Depending on the lifestyle a horse has lived, they may experience conditions like arthritis. Some horses who competed or led particularly active lives can be more likely to get arthritis. Adding senior horse supplements to help alleviate pain and stiffness often associated with arthritis is a great way to comfort a senior horse.

Similar to arthritic horses, senior horses benefit from supplements that include active ingredients like MSM and hyaluronic acid. MSM will help your horse avoid the pain and inflammation that’s common in their muscles and joints. Hyaluronic acid for horses keeps their joints lubricated and healthy.

Horse Performance Supplements

Performance horse supplements contain ingredients that help active horses maintain their health and recover as they work, train, and compete.

Due to their high levels of activity and history of making repetitive motions, performance horses experience more wear and tear on their joints than domestic horses.

Over time, this causes inflammation and even deterioration of cartilage. Joint inflammation (synovitis) is one of the most common injuries in horses, especially in active horses.

Performance horses are also more susceptible to tendon injuries than domestic horses. One common injury suffered is bowed tendons. Bowed tendons occur when there is swelling in superficial or deep digital flexor tendons. This injury can be incredibly painful and leave your horse on bed rest for weeks. Not good!

 

 

Performance horse supplements are one way you can help your active performance horse avoid injuries. Supplements provide numerous benefits to your performance horse, including:

1. Preventing muscle soreness and pain.
2. Reducing inflammation and injuries.
3. Promoting faster recovery.

In particular, ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin are vital when searching for powerful horse supplements, as they provide relief from joint issues as well as prevention.

Arthritis Supplements for Horses

Osteoarthritis affects horses of all breeds, ages, and activity levels, despite the common assumption that arthritis is an injury for the old.

Arthritis is caused by the deterioration of cartilage, often in weight-bearing joints. More specifically, the loss of the cartilage means there is less available to cushion joints from impact. Additionally, the breakdown of cartilage leads to the loss of synovial fluid, which helps to lubricate joints.

Over time, losing cartilage leads to pain and even lameness in horses.

Fortunately, arthritic horses can benefit from equine arthritis supplements. Feeding your horse a supplement can help:

• Relieve pain
• Improve joint mobility
• Repair cartilage

In particular, ingredients like glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, and MSM benefit horses with arthritis. MSM not only provides pain relief but can also help prevent further cartilage degradation. Similarly, hyaluronic acid replenishes synovial fluid, which helps reduce resistance in your horse’s joints.

When choosing a supplement for a horse with arthritis, you’ll want to pay close attention to the ratio of active to inactive ingredients. The more active ingredients, the better. We have a handy resource to help you learn how to read a supplement label.

Natural Horse Supplements

Natural horse supplements often use plants, such as herbs, to maintain superior horse health.

There are a few herbs that frequently appear in natural supplements:

• Devil’s Claw
• Yucca
• Boswellia
• Rosehips

Natural horse supplements can include a mix of such herbs or are sometimes made entirely from one type of plant. Many natural horse supplements come in powdered or pellet form, just like traditional supplements. Always remember to check in with your vet before adding anything new to your horse’s diet.

Below is a chart outlining some of the herbs commonly used in natural horse supplements, including their place of origin and the benefits they can provide to your horse.

Plant	Native Habitat	Benefits	Other Facts
Devil’s Claw	South Africa	Anti-inflammatory Pain relief Reduce joint and muscular problems	Keep in mind that some authorities prohibit the use of Devil’s Claw in competitions.
Yucca	Southwest U.S. and Mexico	Anti-inflammatory Reduces joint pain and tension Improves hoof strength Promotes skin, coat, mane, and tail health	Safe for long-term use, with no known side effects.
Boswellia	Oman, Yemen, and Somalia	Supports healthy joint tissues Alleviates joint pain Anti-inflammatory Aids with digestion	Few side effects even with long-term administration.

 

Horse Joint Supplements

By feeding your horse the right diet and keeping their exercise regimen up, you can help prevent various health conditions, from suspensory ligament injuries to arthritis.

But sometimes, it’s just not enough.

To make up for the shortfall in their diet, you can level up your horse’s joint health with an equine joint supplement.

The right horse joint supplement will help maintain good cartilage, ligament, and tendon health. That way, your horse can enjoy an active lifestyle without worrying about getting injured.

You should look for a horse joint supplement that includes glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic acid.

But what makes these ingredients so important to your horse? They each offer a unique benefit to overall horse health and can be even more powerful when used in combination.

For example, glucosamine helps to repair cartilage that is damaged already, and chondroitin helps to stop cartilage from breaking down in the first place. Meanwhile, MSM will give your horse reduced pain from inflammation in the joint and hyaluronic acid makes for more lubricated, mobile joints.

When you’re shopping for a joint health supplement that will support your horse’s joint health, look no further than TRI-ACTA H.A. It contains therapeutic doses of all of the ingredients we just listed, plus there are no fillers to worry about.

 

As a caring horse owner, you want to make sure your equine pal gets the best supplement available for their needs.

But before you hit ‘add to cart’, you might want to think about a few things first, including:

1. Knowing how to read a supplement label
2. Knowing what criteria you should look for in a supplement
3. Knowing how to evaluate your picks for a supplement

Once you are armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to pick the right supplement for your horse’s needs.

1. How to Read a Supplement Label

When it comes to shopping for a joint supplement, it’s important to know precisely what ingredients you’re getting. But that’s not to say it’s easy! Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with our handy guide on how to read a supplement label.

You need to consider what the balance between inactive and active ingredients is in the supplement. Often there are fillers that makeup 50-80% of a product. That means that sometimes your equine pal is only getting 20% active ingredients in their supplement. Often, this is done to reduce the cost, as well as convey more perceived value.

At Integricare, we focus on products that provide the most refined form of active ingredients in formulas that work together for greater benefits to your horse.

So, what we’re saying is TRI-ACTA, and TRI-ACTA H.A. offer your horse zero fillers and small, easy-to-administer dosages. Both of our equine products contain therapeutic amounts of active ingredients because of the purity and concentration in the formula. That means a small but mighty serving for your horse and a great cost-per-serving ratio for you!

2. Criteria on What to Look For in Supplements

Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start, especially when it comes to choosing the right supplement.

That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and compiled the criteria you need to look for when choosing a horse supplement. Now you just need to read and put your new knowledge to good use to select the perfect supplement!

We’ve included this handy table explaining which criteria to look for in horse supplements, and why they’re important for your reference when you’re shopping.

 

Critical Factors	Why They’re Important
Health benefits, a.k.a. the presence of key active ingredients	Horse supplements should contain effective active ingredients like glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic acid (H.A.) Too many fillers can diminish the effectiveness of the product
Quality and source of ingredients	Ingredients should be ethically sourced and all-natural — your horse and the environment deserve the best!
Backed by scientific research	Science provides evidence that the supplements work
Dosage at therapeutic levels	Quantity matters! Not enough nutrients make for weaker products and worse value for money
Approval status	The stamp of an industry authority (i.e., Health Canada, FEI, EC, AGCO, and IFHA) is a signal of a superior product It’s also a sign of a reputable company with integrity
The manufacturer’s commitment to horse health and happy customers	People deserve the best possible experience and horses the best possible supplement

 

3. Evaluation Tips for Horse Supplements

Not only do you need to know what to look for to find the right supplements for your horse, but you also need to know how to compare them to each other in order to get the best match for your horse.

When ranking the best supplements for horses out there, we suggest you evaluate and compare them using the following tips. That way, you can be sure you’re really getting the best supplement available for your horse.

1. Ingredients

When choosing equine joint supplements in Canada, you want to understand exactly what’s listed in the ingredients of your horse’s supplements. Skip fillers and look for active ingredients instead.

Specifically, there are three essential, science-backed ingredients to look for in equine joint supplements :

1. Glucosamine
2. M.S.M. (Methylsulfonylmethane)
3. Chondroitin Sulfate

2. Price

Every horse owner knows that the cheapest isn’t always the best. Still, it’s important to choose an equine joint supplement that is the best value for money.

Fillers can often be added to a supplement for horses to make it appear more cost-effective, but that means you actually miss out on getting a truly therapeutic dose for your horse. That’s because less of the formula is made up with active ingredients and your horse needs a much larger dose to get any value.

When you use a formulation like Integricare’s own, you’re getting a concentrated and pure dose of the active ingredients we just mentioned. Plus it’s a small serving size, so you can get all the benefits of a highly effective supplement in a small dose which means it’s better for your horse and your wallet.

3. Product range

When considering a brand of supplement, you should also consider a few things about their complete product lineup. For instance, Integricare focuses only on its range of joint health products for both horses and pets, and we’ve built ourselves a reputation for quality in that space.

When you choose a brand that has a reputation for being a leader in their field with reputable veterinarians, trainers, and affiliates backing up the specific supplement products designed for horses, that’s one sign that you can trust their products.

4. Product benefits

You should always ask yourself before adding a supplement for horses exactly how it will benefit your horse. Make sure their claims are supported by case studies and scientific research. That way, you know their benefits go beyond a marketing ploy.

5. Manufacturer Registration & Licensing

You want to make sure your horse’s supplements are coming from a manufacturer that is properly registered or licensed to avoid hazards like dangerously formulated products. Always be aware of issues like ‘knock-offs’ and anything that is vague about their benefits and ingredients. One way to make sure you’re buying from a quality source is to shop with an equine supply company or store.

6. Side effects (if any)

When there’s dozens of ingredients to sift through, you could be putting your horse at risk of an allergic reaction simply because there are so many! Plus, some horses may not need any extra sugars or carbs that can be found as fillers in these products

7. Customer Service/Post-sale support

As with any purchase, you should be able to get in touch with the company selling the supplements for horses you buy. Whether it is for a return, to ask questions or to get advice on using the product, the company should be easily accessible by email, chat or phone.

If you’re searching for a horse supplement, you should make sure that:

• The supplement is a reputable product.
• Offers high-quality ingredients
• Has research to back up the claims it makes

We know there are endless options to choose from, so we’ve compiled the top options for horse supplements into a handy list so you can select an option that truly benefits your equine pal’s health.

1. Integricare TRI-ACTA

The number one spot on this list is none other than our own Equine TRI-ACTA. Modestly speaking, we’re a pretty cool supplier of premium health supplements for horses, cats, and dogs.

But don’t even think that we’re just placing our product first for the sole reason it’s ours.

No way, José!

It’s because we’ve set out to make the best joint supplements for horses in North America, and we think we’ve succeeded.

What makes TRI ACTA so unique?

1. High-quality active ingredients (two types of glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM)
2. No fillers
3. Therapeutic dosages that are easy to feed due to tiny 20 g serving sizes
4. Ethical sourcing and manufacturing
5. Health Canada approved

 

* Priced $89.99 – $259.99 CAD as of January 2022

 

2. Integricare TRI-ACTA H.A.

 

TRI-ACTA Equine H.A. is the maximum strength version of our sister product, TRI-ACTA, and the gold standard supplement for active horses. 

TRI-ACTA H.A. contains only the following active ingredients:

1. Glucosamine HCl
2. Glucosamine Sulfate
3. Chondroitin Sulfate
4. Methyl Sulfonyl Methane
5. Hyaluronic Acid

At a low cost-to-serving ratio, TRI-ACTA H.A. packs a punch. This supplement has the highest, all-active ingredient formula on the market.

Additionally, TRI-ACTA H.A. is filler-free, meaning every time you feed your horse a scoop of the good stuff, you can rest assured that each ingredient is helping them live their best life.

 

* Priced $129.99 – $369.99 CAD as of January 2022

 

3. Grand Meadows Grand H.A. Synergy

Source

The next product we’ll discuss in this list comes from the Californian company Grand Meadows.

Like other performance joint supplements for horses presented in this list, it contains the four key active ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic acid.

Just one problem.

There’s too little glucosamine and chondroitin in the recipe, meaning this supplement doesn’t pack the same punch as the other options.

It’s best used as a less potent alternative for lower-intensity sport horses that only need early preventive support.

* Priced $145.36 – $645.88 CAD as of January 2022

 

4. Absorbine Flex+ Max

Source

Absorbine’s Flex + Max comes in pellet form and has all of the best equine joint supplements’ building blocks: Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Hyaluronic Acid, along with Boswellia Serrata and rice bran.

Boswellia serrata has been known to help decrease inflammation since medieval times. Rice bran is another story – it can be made up of about 20% starch! 

Starch is not helpful for horses in general. Starchy things like corn and rice meal can lead to overeating and weight gain. Sometimes weight gain is acceptable in pet horses, but it’s not ideal for sport horses with strict regimens. Keep an eye on their weight with this one!

You can check out the full-scale ingredients analysis to see exactly what each ingredient does in this product, which is very useful!

* Priced $102.84 – $190.83 CAD as of January 2022

 

5. Equithrive Complete Joint

Source

While there is plenty to appreciate about this product, including all of the key active ingredients we like to see, it also contains an anti-inflammatory antioxidant called Resverasyn. This component is 99% resveratrol.

Though there are some signs that point to resveratrol as being beneficial in humans due to its natural derivation and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties there isn’t any significant evidence to back up these claims, especially for horses. It isn’t found in their natural diet, and while it could be helpful, we just don’t have the proof.

Equithrive includes inactive ingredients like vegetable oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseed meal, water, yeast culture and natural flavours. This is mostly okay, but you need to keep every other aspect of your horse’s diet in check. When your horse consumes too much fat, they will gain weight and with that comes possible health complications.

* Priced $186.04 – $516.85 CAD as of January 2022

 

6. Majesty’s Flex XT Wafer

Source

The only wafers to break into our list are Majesty’s Flex XT joint supplements for horses.

They are a very affordable option if your horses aren’t picky eaters and love snack time. 

Otherwise, you might struggle with this product!

Alongside decent (but not perfect) levels of glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin, Majesty’s has also included Yucca Schidigera in these wafers. This plant is suggested to have natural anti-inflammatory effects and could be beneficial for joint pain.

* Priced $82.47 CAD as of January 2022

 

7. Ramard

Source

Ramard, a leading American manufacturer with a strong emphasis on “Made in the USA” products, is another good pick for a domestic horse joint supplement. Their Total Joint Care is an excellent blend that’s entirely made up of active ingredients, including the big four: glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic acid.

There’s really only one reason it falls behind TRI-ACTA.

It has significantly less glucosamine (4000 mg) and MSM (4500 mg) per serving size, making it a less potent supplement.

* Priced $82.81 – 128.50 CAD as of January 2022

 

8. Mojo Joint

Source

Next in our selection of horse joint supplements is Mojo Joint. And it’s more than just a catchy name!

This is a quality product with a ton of potential, but, unfortunately, it falls short in a couple of important departments (which is why it’s just the fifth).

It doesn’t contain chondroitin, glucosamine’s best friend, and partner in healing.

It features too many extra ingredients (like vitamins) and a mystery substance called a “binder.”

* Priced $88.88 – $634.92 CAD as of January 2022

 

9. YuMOVE Plus for Horses

Source

This supplement contains 25% more MSM and high-strength glucosamine than its traditional formula. It also contains hyaluronic acid. Perhaps more interestingly, it also has omega 3s sourced from the green-lipped mussel.

These omega 3s benefit horses by soothing stiff joints and facilitating the body’s natural anti-inflammatory processes.

This supplement can also be used alongside most prescription medicines, which is great for older horses who may have several medical conditions all at once. Of course, always be sure to check in with your vet before adding a new supplement to your horse’s feeding routine.

* Priced $179.24 CAD (converted from GBP) as of January 2022

Do Horse Supplements Really Work?

Scientific research tells us that horse joint supplements really work. They work to support your horse’s joint health in more ways than one using the key active ingredients found in the TRI-ACTA formula — glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid.

Each of these ingredients plays a key role in supporting joint health:

• Hyaluronic Acid: A naturally occurring substance in horses’ and humans’ bodies, hyaluronic acid helps to increase the viscosity and supply of synovial fluid or joint fluid in joints that articulate.
• Glucosamine: Another naturally occurring substance found in your horses’ body, glucosamine is the key building block in joints. It leads to the repair and maintenance of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteoglycans. This is essential for good joint health and support.
• Chondroitin Sulfate: This component helps prevent cartilage from breaking down or deteriorating. It does this by inhibiting the destructive enzymes that wear away cartilage.
• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): Another key component in joint health and repair is MSM. It reduces pain and stiffness in the joints by reducing inflammation.

Can You Give Horse Supplements to Dogs?

No. While dogs, too, can benefit from supplementation, they have entirely different body composition and nutritional needs than horses. They also will require different dosages than your horse does, and in different concentrations of ingredients too.

That’s why we offer our TRI-ACTA and TRI-ACTA H.A. in a format specially designed for your furball at home, with their own dosage guidelines and ingredient concentration — plus all of the benefits of an Integricare product. No fillers, just active ingredients in small, easy-to-serve portions. You can even order it online alongside your equine products!

How Much Do Horse Supplements Cost?

It depends on the supplement, but Equine TRI-ACTA and TRI-ACTA H.A. range in cost from $89.99 to $369.99. You can get several size formats of our supplement, allowing you to buy a smaller quantity for your horse first.

When it comes to cost per serving, Integricare is highly competitive in the marketplace.

Because the servings are tiny but packed with all active ingredients and no fillers, Integricare products provide great value. You don’t have to administer a lot to get therapeutic levels of the active components because of the purity and concentration in our formula.

Where to Buy Horse Supplements?

If you’re wondering where to buy horse supplements, you’re in luck. TRI-ACTA is available both online and in-store. We even have a handy tool that will help you find locations near you and filter by pet products, equine products or both.

We know you want your horse to live a long and fruitful life, whether that means frolicking in a pasture or racing on a track. Horse supplements help make that happen.

The right supplement for your horse will change depending on your horse’s needs. Your arthritic horse is going to need something a little different than your performance horse.

And now, you know exactly how to choose the right horse supplement for your best pal!

If you have any specific questions about choosing a supplement for your horse, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to assist.