Even when not racing or running around the pasture, a horse’s legs are put through a large amount of stress on a daily basis. This constant wear and tear on its joints can lead to a breakdown in the fluids of the horse’s joints. Without this fluid, the bones begin to rub together causing potential damage to your animal’s cartilage and ligaments. Your horse’s performance, mood and health are all affected.

There are a few circumstances in which joint supplements are helpful: horses with arthritis, orthopedic injuries and hard working, competing horses. When it comes to treating the horse’s joints, unfortunately, far too many horse owners wait until it is too late. They wait until their horse begins showing signs of pain and discomfort. It can potentially be avoided with a little bit of prevention in the form of joint supplements.

Joint supplements contain varying amounts of the following ingredients. Each has its own purpose in strengthening the cartilage of the horse’s joints. These ingredients are:

Glucosamine is a type of sugar found concentrated in joint cartilage. It has been shown to provide some anti-inflammatory effects along with the ability to protect the cartilage. Laboratory studies determined that glucosamine appears to have a stimulating effect on cartilage.

When it comes to the production of cartilage, chondroitin is one of the necessary building blocks; it also combats and neutralizes destructive enzymes that can negatively affect the joint. Joints always contain a low level of these destructive enzymes. It’s natural but these destructive enzymes become more prominent when there has been an injury to the joint, which in turn speeds up the damage of the joint cartilage. Chondroitin helps to reduce the amount and impact of these destructive enzymes.

Methylsulfonylmethane, commonly called MSM, contains a readily usable form of sulfur that is very beneficial to the health of a horse's body.  It helps with the natural production of the building blocks of joint cartilage – collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin.  Additionally, MSM is shown to possess anti-inflammatory and pain reduction qualities.

Hyaluronic acid is shown to help protect joints through increasing the thickness of the joint fluid, while also reducing inflammation. Trainers like hyaluronic acid because it can be effective for horses in training or any other type of situation where the horse experiences wear and tear on their joints. Joint supplements with this ingredient are also thought to be effective for helping osteoarthritis in horses.

Providing the means for healthy joints in your horse isn’t a one-step practice. In fact it requires multiple steps of progression that involves a healthy, nutritious diet, supervised exercise and weight control. Joint supplements are not a quick fix, miracle drug that provides immediate results. It takes time and dedication on your part to help your horse overcome its joint injuries and problems. An effective therapy routine matched with the proper equine supplements can help your horse achieve a long life of fitness and well-being.

Horse.com has the Joint Supplements you need to help keep your horse feeling great! 

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